Matteo V wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2017 3:40 am
jakemoore wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2017 3:35 am
I definitely would consult the ancient wisdom contained in early posts by PumpMeUp before attempting to fly an HQ hydra.
HQ has produced some of the best kites of the time. The Matrixx I was one of the highest performance kites on the market when released. If you can fly one back to back with an Ozone "Chrono II" and a Flysurfer "Speed (2,3, or 4), you will see that it is almost as good as the Chrono II and light years ahead of the Speed series. And that was way before the "Chrono II" was ever available!
Grazie Matteo
Thank you for your comment on the HQ line. You seem to know it pretty well. Your comment allays some of my fears, as a newbie, to buy this brand, which I don't know too well and has been scorched by the caustic comments of somebody in this Forum, who didn't like it or maybe had a wrong expectation or set it up incorrectly, even if. honestly, I couldn't discount some " errori di percorso" by the manufacturer in the design of one or another of their products, as you said yourself.....
I have already posted in this thread some of the more burning questions I had regarding the HQ trainer kite Hydra 300 or 350. Maybe you can have a look at it and comment because all I seem to get as a response is to take a course and ask an instructor...
Basically, even though this trainer kite is about half the price of full fledge L.E.I's, I wouldn't want to buy just a toy, soon to be discarded after learning some of the basic tricks on land, like a child with his small kite....
Here is where I come from: I am neither a professsional kiter, nor a dare devil ( nor young !). I just want to have fun with the kite as an alternative to windsurfing when winds are low, but the kite has to pack enough power to safely propel 85 kg both on the snow and on the water..I was even thinking of using it on a SUP or even a kayak...
May be you can tell me if this trainer kite is for me...
1.One essential element I have to consider is the safety features on the kite.
Most of the kites I see on the market are 4 lines and have a Depower /quick safety release/power control mechanism through the middle line , which joins two of the two lines from the upper kite in a Y connection.
You seem to imply that this system is now obsolete and that there is a more advanced design. It may well be, but for me it would be enough.
Just want to make sure that the Hydra has such a feature. Can you tell me? From the diagram on their manual it looks like this feature is there. It looks pretty much like the Depower mechanism on the Oozone kite shown in the instructional video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZLS2qqFggo.
2. The HQ Hydra manual says that the kite is water-relaunchable and that it will hold the air for" some time". What are the chances that it it will deflate on the water to the point that I cannot relaunch it? It would be a real snag!
3. Which size would you suggest ? The 4 m2 looks interesting, but perhaps risky ( too powerful) in high winds, although wind are generally light here in summer( 10-15 knts most of the time) On the other a 2.6 may be underpowered. Perhaps a 3.5 ?
Thank you for your comments
Ittiandro