Wash main?

[Airviking 0]

I'm buying a main with 400 jumps, new lines. It has been jumped in AZ, and I live in the northeast. Should I wash it to get the dust out? Is the dust even an issue? (Haven't taken delivery yet, so I don't know how dusty it really is.)

I believe you have my stapler.

[JohanW 0]

No. Washing it is not a good idea. The fabric can handle it, but the tape might shrink on drying.

Hanging it out from the tail and going at it with a soft brush to get all the sand out is probably a good idea, though. Yes, this means climbing *into* the cells as well.

Johan.
I am. I think.

[wmw999 2,121]

Jump it a couple of times first. You'd be surprised at just how much dust comes off with a few openings. Then whatever is trapped is probably inside the cells.

Plenty of jumpers go to AZ or CA for jumps (e.g. the Perris bigway camp+bigways the following weekend) and few of them clean their mains afterwards. I sure never have.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[airtwardo 6]

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No. Washing it is not a good idea. The fabric can handle it, but the tape might shrink on drying.

Hanging it out from the tail and going at it with a soft brush to get all the sand out is probably a good idea, though. Yes, this means climbing *into* the cells as well.

+1

Hang it by the butt and take yer time...

I use a real soft brush... a paint brush, you would be surprised how much junk comes out, for real bad spots I use a damp cloth staying away from the tape and stitching as much as possible.

On the other hand, swoopers get pond scum on theirs all the time and the canopies still seem to work.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[LouDiamond 1]

Take a look at it once you get it. I jump in Eloy all the time and you wouldn't know it by looking at my canopy and lines because I land in the grass and pack inside . If the person you bought it from was in the habit of landing out in the desert then you might have a bit of dust on it but as Wendy suggested, jump it a few times and it should take of it. If there is surface dust on the canopy after jumping it, you can take a damp washcloth to the dusty areas and wipe it off.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[wmw999 2,121]

If it's full of junk, you can always take it somewhere that can hang a canopy; hang it carefully by the tail, and shake it out. That should get solids and actual dirt out. Anything else isn't real important.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[councilman24 36]

Or course I did wash one in a washing machine once!

In about 1981. A Strato Cloud. The procedure was to put the links in a sock and tie shut (too lazy to take it off the links), daisy chain the lines and put in a pillow case tied shut, use a commercial front loading machine without an agitator, and use Ivory soap.

Dry out of the sun, hanging.

DO NOT DO THIS!!!

Don't think about washing your new one.

Unless you have a dirty strato cloud.

BTW didn't hurt it a bit.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[firemedic 7]

Quote

If it's full of junk, you can always take it somewhere that can hang a canopy; hang it carefully by the tail, and shake it out. That should get solids and actual dirt out. Anything else isn't real important.

Wendy P.

I jumped in Buckeye Arizona for a year. Landing area was desert soil. I moved to Indiana and after about 15 jumps you couldn't tell the canopy had been in the desert, except for the lines but it was due for a new set anyway.

[Airviking 0]

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...Dry out of the sun, hanging....

I prefer rolling it up in a real tight ball, and shoving it in the microwave.


JUST KIDDING!!!!! (sheesh...)

While some people were lucky enough to own 'Clouds in '81, others were jumping Paracommanders. I washed mine in the bathtub with, yep, Ivory Snow. Can't remember how I dried it, probably just layed it on the floor in the apartment for a few days.

I believe you have my stapler.