How did I get two pinhole punctures in the leading edge?

[Hugh2]

Last weekend in Cape Hatteras I had my 2020 10m Pivot start jellyfishing towards the end of a downwinder from Canadian Hole to First Turnout north of Avon, and the kite was seriously soft upon landing. Back home using a squirt bottle with some dish soap in it, my wife managed to find the leak by squirting the entire main bladder (I was too impatient for all that effort!). Upon pulling the bladder out and gently inflating it, more soap revealed two tiny pinholes about 2 inches apart and about 2.5 feet in from the wingtip on the leading edge. Easily fixed with Type A patch, and shoutout to Naish for their new velcro "lock" on the tip of the main bladder, it works well. The only other time in 15 years I've seen something similar was when I landed my kite on some of the tiny nasty cacti found at Hatteras, which gave me a whole set of pinholes.

So, I have tried to figure out how I got those two pinholes. The previous session was an oceanside downwinder from Buxton to Avon and I punched out to leash at the end, with the kite landing in the very soft sand at the ramp south of Avon. I can't believe that caused the pinholes. The next day I pumped the kite up for the next session on the tiny and hardish beach at Canadian Hole (I was there for a 7m foiling session in the morning) and when flipping it over might have hit the leading edge on something. I doubt that this was the cause because I think by the time I was suited up and had launched my buddy I think I would have noticed the kite being a little soft. That leaves the six feet from sand to water for a drift launch. I've become a bit lazy about this in the past few years and just lift the center of the leading edge shoulder high and gently drag the kite to the water to walk out and drift launch. I have to believe somehow that's when the leading edge near the wingtip hit something in the sand to make the two pinholes, although it is hard to imagine what exactly on that beach could do that. So, I think I need to stop being lazy and flip the kite over on its back to carry it normally to the water before flipping back and drift launching. Just a possible cautionary tale for others.

[Flyboy]

Cautionary tale: a few years ago I pumped a new kite at Kite Point, Hatteras. Flipped it over & laid out my lines, did an assisted launch & kited for an hour or so. Landed the kite & noticed it was soft. That night I took the bladder out & found a pin hole. Literally, the only time the kite had touched planet earth was when I flipped it over on the sand.

Patched the pin hole & replaced the bladder, pumped it up & it slowly deflated again. Removed the bladder again & found a couple more holes, patched those & replaced the bladder. Again it deflated. Removed the bladder again & found a few more holes in a completely different spot on the bladder.

Here's what happened: in flipping the kite over it must have landed on a small thorn hidden in the sand. It pierced the bladder & created a leak ... but the thorn remained inside the LE completely invisible from the outside. Every time I took out or removed the bladder the thorn tore another holes (or holes) in the bladder. Eventually I realized what was happening & by feeling around the inside of the LE found the thorn.

So, with bad luck, even a patch of sand that looks "clean" may hide something pointy ... & check the inside of the LE to make sure it's not lodged in the LE fabric - kind of like fixing a hole in a bicycle inner tube. It's only happened once in 21 years of kiting , but it sure was really frustrating!

[Peter_Frank]

Spot on - it can happen soooo easy, without seemingly any cause...

I would just be happy Hugh, that you have had so few of these - others at spots with more "lurky" ground, are used to this - and still, you never know when and why it happens

I've had two holes in my bladder on a wing, where it is in fact doubled (at the centre), and I have NO idea how and where they came from - strange but a fact, these holes often come from some sketchy ground yes, but at other times you have no idea how it happened

Peter

[knotwindy]

Surprised no one has mentioned you can get sand (maybe from the pump/hose end) or salt inside the bladder that can cause pinholes as well.

[mgs]

Cautionary tale: a few years ago I pumped a new kite at Kite Point, Hatteras. Flipped it over & laid out my lines, did an assisted launch & kited for an hour or so. Landed the kite & noticed it was soft. That night I took the bladder out & found a pin hole. Literally, the only time the kite had touched planet earth was when I flipped it over on the sand.

Patched the pin hole & replaced the bladder, pumped it up & it slowly deflated again. Removed the bladder again & found a couple more holes, patched those & replaced the bladder. Again it deflated. Removed the bladder again & found a few more holes in a completely different spot on the bladder.

Here's what happened: in flipping the kite over it must have landed on a small thorn hidden in the sand. It pierced the bladder & created a leak ... but the thorn remained inside the LE completely invisible from the outside. Every time I took out or removed the bladder the thorn tore another holes (or holes) in the bladder. Eventually I realized what was happening & by feeling around the inside of the LE found the thorn.

So, with bad luck, even a patch of sand that looks "clean" may hide something pointy ... & check the inside of the LE to make sure it's not lodged in the LE fabric - kind of like fixing a hole in a bicycle inner tube. It's only happened once in 21 years of kiting , but it sure was really frustrating!

Sounds identical to when getting a puncture in a bicycle tyre for example!
You replace the innertube but forget to check the root cause of the puncture only to find you get another puncture due to thorn still stuck in the tyre.
(From my road cycling days)

[Hugh2]

Jeez, I sure hope that doesn't happen to me. I did not even think to check the inside of the LE. Kite held air for an hour after the repair, so fingers crossed it is okay.

[Hugh2]

Surprised no one has mentioned you can get sand (maybe from the pump/hose end) or salt inside the bladder that can cause pinholes as well.

How would that work? I have sand and salt inside all my kites, but pinholes have only happened twice in 15 years and I've had over 25 different kites.

[Flyboy]

I've had various punctures to bladders over the years. I don't think I've ever had a hole due to salt or sand ... & I've never experienced a situation where something was lodged in the LE other than that one time. Clearly anything's possible under certain circumstances. Like for instance: I recently had the LE of one of my kites deflating quickly multiple times. Immersed it in a swimming pool & checked it very carefully for leaks ... nothing. Pumped it up again ... & it appears to be fine. My assumption is that the inflation valve was not sealing properly, but why it did this repeatedly & then suddenly didn't ... I can't explain.

[Azzieo]

Surprised no one has mentioned you can get sand (maybe from the pump/hose end) or salt inside the bladder that can cause pinholes as well.

How would that work? I have sand and salt inside all my kites, but pinholes have only happened twice in 15 years and I've had over 25 different kites.

[Azzieo]

Surprised no one has mentioned you can get sand (maybe from the pump/hose end) or salt inside the bladder that can cause pinholes as well.

How would that work? I have sand and salt inside all my kites, but pinholes have only happened twice in 15 years and I've had over 25 different kites.

The bladder has many folds and crevices when inflated, so if larger or sharper grain of sand, happens to get between 2 layers or bladder, it can puncture one, most likely the layer which is between the LE and the inner layer which is under 8-9psi pressure..