I have recently converted from windsurfing to kitesurfing. Best thing I could ever have done!

I have a problem though. My expensive new kite is showing just the beginnings of mould marks. Everywhere on internet it says not to pack a kite away wet and not to leave it in the sun.

How is that possible to do ???

I can't sit and wait for hours on the beach while the kite drys in the shade and I don't have space at home to dry the kite in the shade. What do I do?? What do other kitesurfers do ???? :?

And how can I get rid of the mould?

it is probably because you washed your kite out with fresh water and it did not fully dry it. Salt water is much less likely to go moldy. not sure how to get rid of it - a few dunks in teh ocean? - don't like the idea of adding chemicals to it - ask a sailmaker what they wash spinnakers in - Lux - for washing delicate materials?

Yeah, fresh water is the cause of the mould, salt water pickles your gear. Well keeps it mould free at least.

Leaving your kite flapping on the beach in the summer heat for hrs will kill it faster than you think. But all modern kites have some level of UV inhibitors in the fabric so a but of sun dry time is ok.

To dry a wet kite, just pump it up leave it in the sun for 10-15 mis and it's done. It's not like drying out old cotton jeans, kite fabric does not soak up water. It's a form of plastic and the water sits on the surface.

If I need to dry the kite when I get home I leave the struts pumped up, loosely roll it and stand it in the corner of the garage (or wash house, flatmate's bedroom, anywhere you don't care if a bit of water, salt and sand go). It's usually pretty much dry by morning. If it's really wet I just move it around a bit periodically so it's not rolled in the same places and it's dry in a couple of days. ... or you could use it more so it doesn't have time to go mouldy!

Good advice scei. Becuase i have one pump and i never bother closing off the struts i just deflate it and stack it in the shed... gets pretty hot on there in the summer so keeps it pretty dry : )