How to maintain a parawing? Drying, folding

To maintain a parawing, remove the sand without rubbing the canopy, then let the wing dry completely in the shade before storing it. In normal use, do not rinse it with fresh water: you would add water that you will not fully dry, and the residual moisture makes the canopy mold. Regularly check the bridle, seams, lines and bar, and always store the wing perfectly dry.

At a glance

What to do right after each session?

The best maintenance starts in the water, before you even get out. A wing that comes back dry avoids most problems: no sand stuck to a wet canopy, no long wait on the beach when it is cold, no moisture trapped in the bag.

Once on land, shake the wing in the air to remove most of the sand. Do not lay it flat in wet sand and do not rub the canopy to clean it: sand acts as an abrasive and wears down the canopy and its coating. Let the sand dry and fall off on its own rather than rubbing it.

How to dry a parawing?

Drying a parawing means removing all the water before storing it. Lay the wing flat or hang it, away from direct sunlight: UV rays weaken the canopy and seams over time. Check that the bridle and seams are perfectly dry, and never store the wing damp. A wing that stays wet in its bag will mold, and mold cannot be undone.

Drying time depends on the location and the heat. As a guide:

On a double-skin, the inside of the cells takes much longer to dry than the surface. This is the point not to overlook: a canopy that feels dry to the touch can hide cells that are still wet. Open the wing and let air circulate until the inside is dry.

Should you rinse your parawing with fresh water?

In normal use, no. Rinsing means adding water to the wing. And when you come off the water, you do not stay on the beach for hours to dry it completely: the rinse water stays in the canopy and the bridle, and this residual moisture makes the wing mold. Normal sea salt from sailing does not justify this risk.

Contrary to popular belief, the coating does not come off with an occasional rinse. What really wears out the canopy is the abrasive friction of sand, and rinsing done very often over the long term. An occasional rinse, followed by perfect drying, is not a problem in itself: the real issue is incomplete drying, which almost always follows a beach rinse.

There is one clear exception: after sailing in mud or polluted water, rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Without rinsing, mud soaks into the fabric and leaves stains. In that case, complete drying becomes essential, including the cells on a double-skin. Sailing in mud is rare, but when it happens, rinsing is no longer optional.

How to fold and store a parawing?

Folding a parawing means gathering the wingtips towards the center, then rolling or folding the canopy while avoiding creases along the leading edge. On a double-skin, start by pushing the air out of the cells; a single-skin has none. Line up the bridle without twisting it and do not pull too tight.

Never fold the wing exactly the same way twice. Folds always in the same place create lines of weakness in the fabric, which wear out and end up tearing over time. Vary the location of the folds from one session to the next to spread the stress across the whole canopy.

Always store the wing in its dedicated bag, and only once it is perfectly dry. Avoid throwing it loose into the car, especially next to a foil: the ripstop canopy is light, and a sharp mast or front wing can tear it if you pull on it to leave quickly. Most tears come from careless storage, not from sailing.

How to maintain the bridle and lines?

Each time you store the wing, go over the bridle and lines. A quick glance is enough, as long as you really look: you are checking for a started line, a worn sleeve, a knot that has formed. Untangle without forcing and store the lines without twisting. Our tips for avoiding knots from the start: how to avoid line tangles.

A started line or a damaged bridle line cannot be repaired with a patch: it is a structural element that holds the shape of the wing. Do not sail with it, and entrust it to a repair specialist. A neglected bridle is one of the most common causes of breakage we see in after-sales service.

Should you maintain the parawing bar?

Yes, and it is the only part you really rinse. Unlike the canopy, the bar can be cleaned with fresh water. On a bar where the lines slide inside, sand is the real enemy: it gets into the line channel, wears the sleeve and hinders the sliding. Rinsing with clear water removes this sand before it settles in.

As soon as the bar is sandy, rinse it with fresh water while sliding the lines through, to flush the sand from inside, then let it dry. The bar and lines dry quickly: you do not face the mold risk of the canopy. This simple step directly protects the sliding action, which is at the heart of how the wing works.

What checks should you do regularly?

Every few sessions, take two minutes to check:

• the canopy: tears, pinholes, worn areas;
• the seams, especially near the leading edge;
• the lines and bridle: started lines, worn sleeves;
• the attachment points;
• the leading edge, which takes the most stress.

Also watch for a simple sign of coating wear: a wing whose coating is degrading relaunches less well from the water and feels heavier after falling onto the surface, because the canopy soaks up water instead of repelling it. If you notice this change, the canopy has been through a lot and needs more care. The fabric weight directly affects how fast this wear happens: we explain it in our article on parawing fabric weight.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Storing the wing wet. This is the mistake that kills a parawing: it molds in the bag.
• Rubbing sand into the canopy. Sand is an abrasive, it wears out the canopy and its coating.
• Leaving the wing in prolonged full sun. UV rays weaken the canopy and seams.
• Rinsing with fresh water every time without being able to dry it completely afterwards.
• Throwing the wing loose into the car next to a foil: risk of tearing.
• Always folding the wing the same way. Folds in the same place create lines of weakness and tears over time.
• Neglecting bridle checks and sailing with a started line.
• Leaving sand in the bar. On a bar with internal lines, sand wears the sleeve and hinders the sliding.

How to repair, and when to take the wing to a pro?

For a small clean hole, clean and dry the area, then apply an adhesive ripstop patch on both sides of the canopy, rounding the corners so it does not peel off. This is a repair you can handle for a clean tear without tension.

Damage from a foil is the case we see most often in after-sales service: a hit from a mast or front wing on a thin canopy. For a clean tear, the patch does the job. But as soon as the damage reaches the leading edge, the bridle, a line, a structural seam, a large tear or a heavily loaded area, entrust the wing to a specialist repairer. On these areas, a patch is only a temporary solution.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a parawing take to dry?

Allow 30 min to 1 h for a single-skin, double that for a double-skin, depending on location and heat. On a double-skin, the inside of the cells must dry, not just the surface.

Can you dry a parawing in the sun?

Avoid prolonged full sun. UV rays weaken the canopy and seams over time. Prefer drying in the shade, flat or hung.

How do you remove sand without damaging the canopy?

Shake the wing in the air, or let the sand dry and fall off. Never rub the canopy to remove sand: it acts as an abrasive and wears down the coating.

What if I sailed in mud or polluted water?

Rinse thoroughly with fresh water, otherwise the mud soaks in and leaves stains. Then dry the wing completely, including the cells on a double-skin.

Should you always fold your parawing the same way?

No. Repeating the same folds in the same place creates lines of weakness in the fabric, which wear out over time. Vary the location of the folds from one session to the next.

Should you rinse the parawing bar?

Yes. Unlike the canopy, the bar can be rinsed with fresh water, especially if the lines slide inside: rinsing flushes out the sand that would hinder the sliding. Slide the lines through while rinsing, then let it dry.

Does a repair patch last long?

On a small clean, dry hole, yes. On an area under high tension, it is a temporary solution: take the wing to a repair specialist.

How can you tell if the coating is worn?

The wing relaunches less well from the water and feels heavier after a fall onto the surface. This is a sign that the canopy is soaking up water instead of repelling it.

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About the author

Useful definitions: single-skin, cell, bridle. To understand the wing: how a parawing flies. For piloting: how to fly a parawing. All the basics in one article: the guide to 30 essential parawing questions. Discover our wings in the parawing collection.