glendog said..
windsurfing is ***.

x2 I am still yet to see a poley do something that I am impressed with all they do is go one way stack it get back up and go they other way repeat added with slooow as farrkk.

BFlood said..

saltydawg said..

glendog said..
windsurfing is ***.

x2 I am still yet to see a poley do something that I am impressed with all they do is go one way stack it get back up and go they other way repeat added with slooow as farrkk.

salty dawg, I offer you the following clip. If you continue to be unimpressed by windsurfers I would like to apologise to you, for there is nothing more we mere windsurfers can do to entertain you.

When I say I haven't seen seen a poley do something I haven't been impressed with Im saying this purely from what I've seen at my usual spots. Windsurfers ripping up at jaws is sickk way better than what a kitesurfer or surfer could do, hitting waves a getting air is also cool... but flat water spots in 20 knots winds I just don't see it

Its cause your a sick kent

Kitesurfing gets the nod from me as I can throw board and kite on home made push bike trailer and pedal the 5 k's to the beach. If I pedal no one misses me at home. If I take the car I'm always in the **.

However windsurfing is more social able as you get more time on the beach recovering between run's.

salty dawg, I offer you the following clip.

to be fair, most people don't do the aerials or manoeuvres in this video until they've been sailing 5-10 years, and many still haven't learnt to gybe proficiently even after 10+ years of sailing. many of the young adults in the video started sailing at the ages of 5 to 15, probably with parents support.

it's a very long road with windsurfing, but it's very rewarding if you make progress because there aren't many people who get beyond "mowing the lawn" as people call it

imo, if you weigh much more than 75kg, south east QLD doesn't give the heavier person enough regular wind strength and windsurfing time to progress much beyond mowing the lawn. kiting is probably therefore the obvious choice unless you are really motivated and persistent. there are probably only 6 people I have sailed with in SEQ who at least attempt what's in the video

KennyK if you have been surfing all your life there has to be one important thing that everyone here has overlooked, you can get barrelled kiting!! Sure that's pretty advanced stuff and you have to have the right conditions come together but there are people getting properly barrelled under a kite and not to take away from poleys but that's just not a realistic option for windsurfers ( unless maybe at jaws if your a lunatic)

Plus it seems like windsurfing makes you kinda grumpy^^^^

kiting is much easier, more accessable and fun in light winds. I think windsurfing you realisticly need another 10 knots. I live in a not very windy place. I have kited more in one month than I would have windsurfed in several years. Kiting is much easier to learn and progress. You can do it in shallow water (a big plus in some areas) You get to a point though where the learning curve plateaus and it becomes pretty flat. A lot of people then leave the sport because there's not a lot left.
Often people go back to windsurfing.


windsurfing is hard. you need lots of wind. there is lots of gear. It takes years to learn. it's learning Curve is a continuous. It garners life long deovtees.
Wavesailing is probably the best thing to do on the planet. But unless you live in hawaii or WA you will be a slave to the wind - constantly trying to pull strings when it looks like there's enough. Often dissapointed (i used to have to drive 110klms) just to sit and wait for the wind to get up or turn around because it never got windy enough

Wow a lot of great helpful replies guys, thanks very much, I really appreciate it.
Although I would love to be a good wave sailor, I think considering all that has been said, for where I live, my age, what I want to achieve, etc, kiting is the logical choice.
Although yesterday I watched some "Kite boarding disasters" on you tube, HOLY ****!!! some guys got absolutely smashed and or blown away at a great rate of knots!! Metal note, be very, very CAREFUL!

Thanks guys!

JacobMatan said..
KennyK if you have been surfing all your life there has to be one important thing that everyone here has overlooked, you can get barrelled kiting!! Sure that's pretty advanced stuff and you have to have the right conditions come together but there are people getting properly barrelled under a kite and not to take away from poleys but that's just not a realistic option for windsurfers ( unless maybe at jaws if your a lunatic)

Plus it seems like windsurfing makes you kinda grumpy^^^^

lol, Not all windsurfers are grumpy old men like that and shouldnt all be tarred with the same brush because of him. Have met some friendly happy ones on the rare occasion.

Try both and see what suits you,
but you will be up and riding and enjoying yourself a lot faster with kiting. And get a lot more time on the water without spending thousands on multiple boards and sails to try and cover wind ranges and then need to buy a shed and massive van or trailer to transport and store the windsurfing bulk.

Been doing both for many years. Both are very addictive sports. Which one I prefer depends on the conditions:

In 20+ kn side shore wind and decent swell it's windsurfing 100% for me, no contest. In windsurfing I feel like I am one unit with the rig and the board. In kiting I am still being towed by something externally (which I can control unlike a boat in wake boarding). No boost in kiting gives me the same buzz as looping over a wave in windsurfing. On a kite in the end you are still suspended by a "parachute". Maybe if I had the skills & guts to do mega kite loops I would feel different?

However, in average Perth metro conditions I have much more fun kiting. I find Windsurfing in choppy water without waves relatively boring, probably since I can't freestyle. Freestyle windsurfing is incredibly hard and tedious to learn. You need less wind to be boosting jumps and doing tricks and riding waves on a kite (unless maybe you're putting a sail on a SUP). You notice the lulls much much less on a kite. On a windsurfer you come off the plane in the lulls, especially on marginal days. This can be very annoying. On a kite you just keep going and barely notice. It's also much easier to ride shore break on a kite since you plane almost instantly and can change direction faster.

So, if you still have the mind and body of a teenager, you are going to move to a windier place than QLD, and you are prepared to put in several days a week for the next couple of years learning a difficult but rewarding new sport (i.e no 8-5 job and your wife and kids have left you ), then give windsurfing a go. Otherwise I would suggest you start with some kiting lessons.

holgs said..

You notice the lulls much much less on a kite. On a windsurfer you come off the plane in the lulls, especially on marginal days. This can be very annoying. On a kite you just keep going and barely notice. It's also much easier to ride shore break on a kite since you plane almost instantly and can change direction faster.
So, if you still have the mind and body of a teenager, you are going to move to a windier place than QLD, and you are prepared to put in several days a week for the next couple of years learning a difficult but rewarding new sport (i.e no 8-5 job and your wife and kids have left you ), then give windsurfing a go. Otherwise I would suggest you start with some kiting lessons.

I windsurfed for more than 10 years and now have been kiting for just over 10. I would have to agree with you holgs. The thing that really put me off windsurfing was that with the lulls you end up bobbing along not on the plane, waiting for the wind to pick up. With kiting you are always on the plane, however if the wind dies it is generally harder to keep upwind.

I would still love to get out on a windsurfer when the wind is 30 knts plus if i could. At this sort of wind speed (esecially if it is also gusty) kiting can get pretty dangerous but windsurfing is great fun. However, I dont have any windsurfing gear anymore and i generally find it's too much crap to lug around in the car.

Mark_Australia is WHO I agree with all the way... Can't beat WAVE SAiling on 73-85l WAVE Board with 4.7 4.2 WAVEJumping...If ya have to 5.3 or 5.4 but up Brisbane any way,you don't get the conditions for it so you'll get a lot more kiting than windsurfing..

Windsurfing was the greatest thing ever in the late 80's and through the 90's and then evolution happened and kiting was born.

The acceleration, the air time, the wave riding in your natural stance, the lightness and durability of the gear is all a huge step forward.

If kites weren't invented then I'm pretty sure I'd still be loving windsurfing. Can't believe anyone that loves the wind would rather wallow on an 8'6 plank
than fly on a surfboard.

NB: will admit to have been comprehensively beaten by a poley in drag races on flat water in 25 knots...

Kiting is easier and you will be doing massive jumps before you know it. Good times!

But You might die kite surfing.

I have saved two kiters from dying.

A friend broke his neck.

I nearly drowned getting dragged into a pier when learning to kite.

But I did stub my toe once windsurfing.

Well I just bought myself a sail rig for my SUP.
It's the Gaastra Poison 5.4m rig. It'll go on my 9'6" JP Surf pro.
Hopefully it'll work well for me? Find out tomorrow I guess.
Thanks to every one for your help.
And especially to Jeff who I will be helping me out with some pointers on Sunday.

I reckon I will eventually get a kite as well though.
I'm quite sure I'll enjoy both.

Cheers, Ken.