Is there such a thing? Would it be possible to add depower to a kite like the HQ Rush III 3.5m? I see that PowerZone sells the Hydra 3m with depower, could the same thing be done to a Rush III? I tried a Hydra 3m today, very grunty kite, but it took forever to fill and I don't really need a closed cell kite. But that's the size I'm looking for. Ideas?

The Ozone Access comes in 4m.

I think that the Access is just about the only option for depower that low. I think that the HQ Apex comes in a 5m.

Ok, so PowerZone's 3m Hydra is the ticket then, I won't be using this kite enough to want to spend that much on it. I tried a Hydra 3m (no depower) at the kite fest here today. Had a ton of power, just seemed to take forever to fill. Not a bad kite though, flew right to the edge of the window, just like a kitesurfing kite would.

4M access? PBkiteboarding.com has some excellent vids of snowkiting (both skis & board) with a 4M Access in blasting winds. I've used mine in my buggy

Can't afford another $700 kite. I was hoping I could get something like a HQ Rush III and then mod it with a UDS, but I haven't found much info how to build a UDS. Probably the best move is to just buy a Hydra from PZ.

Uds might be a little overkill on such a small kite. A little to complex. A single pully system maybe like wingwarp would pribably be what u want.

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Originally posted by bigkahuna Can't afford another $700 kite. I was hoping I could get something like a HQ Rush III and then mod it with a UDS, but I haven't found much info how to build a UDS. Probably the best move is to just buy a Hydra from PZ.

I bought the 300 hydra from PZ an I like it well. It flies well and once inflated flies well in low wind too. The 300 is actually a 2.6m and the 350 is actually a 2.8m according to the HQ site. Good luck with it.

And Remember, the Rush III is a three line kite so you would need a whole new set of brake bridles. Worth it? If john has already done this for the Hydra, might as well try that.

How much depower would you say the mod gives the kite? Half it's power? Less? Is it normally real hard to inflate or do you think the kite I tried might have had sticky intakes?

I could probably mod any kite you wanted. I was thinking of doing a testbed kite as everyone says you loose 1 to 2 kite sizes in power when u do the mod

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Originally posted by bigkahuna How much depower would you say the mod gives the kite? Half it's power? Less? Is it normally real hard to inflate or do you think the kite I tried might have had sticky intakes?

I think the latter. I've never had trouble inflating mine. I pause for few moments as I roll it off its back before launch in order to pre inflate. Or just stake the brakes when setting up so you can set it up on its trailing edge. Then zip it across the window once or twice and you're done.

Thanks Angus, must have been the kite I tried. I flew it for maybe 5 minutes or so, back and forth across the window in 15 mph winds before it filled. I could have landed it and checked the intakes, but the tide was high so I didn't bother.

Another thing I noticed with this kite was that the center line (brakes) seemed to be tugging on the trailing edge, they probably "puckered" the trailing edge maybe 3 inches. Is that how it's supposed to be trimmed? I'm guessing it's not and that the steering lines probably stretched.

I don't recall a pucker on mine, but a little bit would not hurt. I would have just enough tension to kill the kite if I dumped it, and if that puckered it a bit, I would not worry.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. The kite still flew right to the edge of the wind window and it wasn't my kite so I didn't mess with it. Now to go count my pennies and see if I can afford one of these thingies.

I just had another thought: how about a Pansh Blaze II 5m? They're certainly cheap enough, and I see that someone else has already converted them to a bar. It's a bit bigger than I planned, but since it's depowerable it might work.

the intake valves can be Slitted on the hydra to increase its inflation speed, but with the MOD the AOA increase helps get the air in a bit faster.

the UDS would be too heavy and definate overkill for this small of a kite.

Remember the blaze dosent come with a bar.

about how much depower it gives I couldn't say. I bought the kite moded and haven't flown a regular one. I never had that much trouble getting the kite to inflate. I flew it once in 6mph and it took a little longer to inflate in that wind but not bad at all. A couple of trips across the window and it was good.