CanEHdian 0 #1 April 21, 2004 Just curious... pond swoopers can find themselves with a wet canopy during a competition. So what do they do? How long will they let it dry before jumping again? Do they actually have that time in between rounds? How wet can a canopy still be when you pack it and what are (if any) the safety issues involved? Cheers, CanEHdianTime's flying, and so am I... (69-way, 108-way and 138/142-way Freefly World Records) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #2 April 21, 2004 I've pulled my self and my canopy out of the pond after complete submersion. Picked the canopy up by the tail to shake the water out. packed it up and jumped it. It works just fine. Edit: This was just a splash down at our local pond and wasn't during any competition.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #3 April 21, 2004 Quote Just curious... pond swoopers can find themselves with a wet canopy during a competition. Just pack it and jump it. I found the canopy dried out quickly with the air flowing over it. Quote Do they actually have that time in between rounds? Not normally enough for the canopy to dry on the ground. Quote How wet can a canopy still be when you pack it and what are (if any) the safety issues involved? Mine was soaked (as a few other competitors). I didn't notice any significant difference in the way the canopy flew. Someone did tell me once that they thought the HMA and Vectrans lifespan was reduced with getting the lines wet, but I don't know if that's fact or fiction. What did suck was doing the hop n pops in wet cloths (brrr!) Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #4 April 21, 2004 Quote Just pack it and jump it. I found the canopy dried out quickly with the air flowing over it. I guess my question doesn't apply to competition... But has anyone had a Cypres damaged by putting a wet main against it? _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 2 #5 April 21, 2004 Quote What did suck was doing the hop n pops in wet cloths (brrr!) Blue skies Ian Wet shoes... those take forever to dry =p~ My experience was suck after competition was over & I got home, pulled my reserve out to dry, and found that the ink/dye on the red reserve data label had run right off the label and onto the yellow fabric... Also the red dye from the thread in the bar tacks had run down the spectra lines. Chris W. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #6 April 21, 2004 Quote Wet shoes... those take forever to dry =p~ Oh hell yes! Quote My experience was suck after competition was over & I got home, pulled my reserve out to dry, and found that the ink/dye on the red reserve data label had run right off the label and onto the yellow fabric... Also the red dye from the thread in the bar tacks had run down the spectra lines. Wow, now I've never heard of that happening. What reserve was it? Is that damage that you'd need to worry about or is it cosmetic only? Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #7 April 21, 2004 Quote I guess my question doesn't apply to competition... But has anyone had a Cypres damaged by putting a wet main against it? I've never heard of it happening. I do hear of people who don't even take their cypres out for comps, get totally soaked, and don't have any problems. Not for the faint of heart though IMO Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #8 April 24, 2004 I've jumped in the rain by accident and the canopy dried out on the next jump.The Cypres isn't affected by a wet canopy. JFYI, I wouldn't have packed it back up if I wasn't going to jump it again right away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianSGermain 1 #9 April 27, 2004 Please don't get your canopy wet. If your swooping skills are not to the point where you can guarantee that you will end up dry, stay away from the pond. Water can shrink the tapes and disort your airfoil. This can change the opening characteristics, as well as the flight performance. Not to mention hitting the water at high speed can actually kill you... Pretend it's concrete.Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #10 April 27, 2004 Quote Please don't get your canopy wet. If your swooping skills are not to the point where you can guarantee that you will end up dry, stay away from the pond. For once I don't agree with you Brian. I can't guarantee I won't get wet. That's part of the fun any way. Dialing in landings so well as to skim the feet across the waters surface is very exciting. I've been fully submerged one time and have nearly blown it a few times since. I see no reason to stay away from the pond if you are already a proficient swooper. My take on swooping a pond is ... you should already be a good swooper before trying to swoop a pond. Vertical impacts with water can be deadly. Horizontal impact is almost always less harmful. It doesn't make it safe but the tendency is to skip across the water like a water ski crash. Those can hurt too. Then there's plain ole going for it and running out of steam and sinking into the water in embarrassment. I don't plan to land intentionally in water. I'm fairly proficient at pond swooping, but I know for a fact I can blow it easily enough. That said, I understand the sentiment, but it rules out everybody from swooping the pond.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #11 April 27, 2004 Quote Then there's plain ole going for it and running out of steam and sinking into the water in embarrassment. Yes that does suck the big one....but I always find a large measure of humor in my situation too Blue ones, IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianSGermain 1 #12 April 28, 2004 As with all things in life, you are all free to choose your own path. I am simply offering the truth that water is not good for your equipment. If you choose to get your stuff wet, I would be more than happy to build you another parachute. Please take what I am saying the way it was intended: I don't want my friends to get hurt, or follow a path that might lead them to a bum trip. That's all I am saying.Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martini 0 #13 May 7, 2004 Quote Please don't get your canopy wet. If your swooping skills are not to the point where you can guarantee that you will end up dry, stay away from the pond. Water can shrink the tapes and disort your airfoil. This can change the opening characteristics, as well as the flight performance. What about those of us in the northwest who often get their canopies soaked (completely dripping wet) jumping in rainy weather and landing on soggy grass? I've never heard anyone complain that their canopy didn't work as well later. Wet canopies open just fine though. If I didn't jump in the wet I'd miss half my winter hop & pops.Sometimes you eat the bear.............. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GroundZero 0 #14 May 7, 2004 A wet canopy is not a concern if it's dried soon after and preferably by a deployment and flight. Water does not cause synthetic tapes to shrink. (Heat alone causes nylon to shrink, i.e a wet canopy stored in a hot trunk can shrink.) We had this problem during the days of cotton and other natural tapes. Today it is not a problem with nylon. With respect to lines, all wet lines and fabric, natural or synthetic will attract dirt and dirt causes wear. Go jump it to dry it. If you get your stuff wet, drain the water, air for a short time and take it right back up for a hop-n-pop, the flight will dry it in the safest manner. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianSGermain 1 #15 May 7, 2004 I hear ya. I am speaking of the gradual changes that become the difference between putting 1000 jumps on your canopy or 5000. These things are expensive, ya know? If you put a frog in a pot of cool water, and then put the pot on the stove (I know this is gross), the frog will stay in the water until it is cooked. The change is gradual, so the frog never notices.Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrianSGermain 1 #16 May 7, 2004 Actually, I have found even pre-shrunk type III will shrink up to 10% over time. I know the party line is that tapes don't shrink, but compelling empirical data suggests otherwise. It is a matter of the weave contacting. Although a single nylon fiber requires heat to change dimensionally, the collective synergy of woven goods exhibits a shrinking phenoninon. Just measure the leading edge tapes of your canopies when new, and compare them to old ones. QEDInstructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GroundZero 0 #17 May 7, 2004 Agreed ... The weave will draw together, when left to dry... but the opening shock redistributes the fibers, (Stretches the weave back). I think the best advice for anyone with a wet canopy is to drain, pack, jump (and as my shampoo bottle says... repeat!) Cheers Brian! Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xheadrasta 0 #18 May 7, 2004 Quote I think the best advice for anyone with a wet canopy is to drain, pack, jump (and as my shampoo bottle says... repeat!) Cheers Brian! Chris You actaully read the bottle Chris?? :) ScottI read somewhere to learn is to remember and I've learned we all forgot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cloggy 1 #19 May 7, 2004 Well... If the weaves stretches back anyway, why would canopy manufacturers bother with preshrinking the tapes at all...? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
