Over the last year or so I've noticed a swing in the number of kites Vs windsurfers in the places I sail, generally SE Qld & occasionally into Nth NSW. In particular people seem to be back in the water learning to windsurf from scratch or returning after decades away. I'm not seeing many if any new members of our local kite crews, only a decline in #s on the water. Interested to see if this is happening elsewhere

Sounds like your eye sight is failing and the dementia is kicking in....
Can't see the kites cause they're too far away
Don't recognise anyone you've seen a hundred times before

Nah mate...Windsurfing is a critically endangered species...

Yesterday the ratio in the water was 10K to 1W at my local with 25knts, and gets way worse if the wind is weaker.

Looks like our Seabreeze ''Doctor'' gave you a correct diagnosis therefore you may want to investigate further.

good luck

I think it's more to do with the fact that kiting isn't so much the new sport that you've got to do, so it doesn't have the huge appeal it did say 10years ago. Windsurfing has made some progress but not much, seems the most progress for windsurfing is through sailing clubs adopting windsurfing and kids getting racing the one design boards. If windsurfing is to survive this is where most of its effort needs to placed, people sailing boats already know the pain of storing gear and paying big dollars so they're usually stoked to windsurf.
At the end of the day in most parts of Australia kitesurfing is way easier to have fun with, both fun sports but the smaller boards, kites in a bag, less wind and steeper learning curve will always make kiting more appealing.

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Krusty said..
At the end of the day in most parts of Australia kitesurfing is way easier to have fun with, both fun sports but the smaller boards, kites in a bag, less wind and steeper learning curve will always make kiting more appealing.

Which are you saying has the steeper learning curve???

Kitesurfing, much easier to get to that part where your really having fun, obviously a little harder to learn initially but then your learning curve takes off. To get to that part in windsurfing you've got to be super dedicated and really want to get there, so many windsurfers still mastering carve gybes and waterstarts after years of sailing, it's a tough sport to get really good at.
I love windsurfing and would choose an epic day windsurfing over any type of kiting, but I'm also very aware of the limitations it has.

"...quicker, easier, more seductive... If once you start down the dark path forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will ... If you choose the quick and easy path, ... you will become an agent of evil.

Certainly there are hot spots where you would have to be a clown to head out with the gaggle of kites doing their thing. But its pretty good to meet new bodies and see people learning to sail in 10-20+knts once more. Whether it's dementia, bad eyes or the drugs is up for debate.

Reading through the comments from NSW+WA make it sound like our local ain't a bad place to windsurf after all. Just don't tell anyone...

Mostly fat old dudes wanting to get "gnarly" at my local these days.

I blend right in

Remind me, what does this windsurfer thingy look like that you speak of ?

You do both, each has its advantages over the other.
To kite and not windsurf is not to know true speed over water or the freedom of a sail to manoeuvre with speed and ease.
To windsurf and not to kite is just being stubourn.

You live only once and not to experience both would be a shame.

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Hardcarve1 said..
You do both, each has its advantages over the other.
To kite and not windsurf is not to know true speed over water or the freedom of a sail to manoeuvre with speed and ease.
To windsurf and not to kite is just being stubourn.

You live only once and not to experience both would be a shame.

True, only live once

And thanks for clearing it up that a windsurfer go faster than a kite surfer

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Craig66 said..
....

And thanks for clearing it up that a windsurfer go faster than a kite surfer

... in a very limited set of conditions. Fully powered up with lots of chop. Even then, the speed difference is not that great, although riding fast in chop with a kite is hard work.

Kite foiling offers the same level of advantages that kiting has over windsurfing. More range, less gear. Not sure about windfoiling. I haven't seen anybody riding a windfoil that has progressed much past beginner stage.

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Craig66 said..

Hardcarve1 said..
You do both, each has its advantages over the other.
To kite and not windsurf is not to know true speed over water or the freedom of a sail to manoeuvre with speed and ease.
To windsurf and not to kite is just being stubourn.

You live only once and not to experience both would be a shame.

True, only live once

And thanks for clearing it up that a windsurfer go faster than a kite surfer

How much gear do you need for all this though sheez

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Shifu said..
"...quicker, easier, more seductive... If once you start down the dark path forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will ... If you choose the quick and easy path, ... you will become an agent of evil.

"Thow taketh the hard roadeth end up in heavy weathereth chanting alp union slogans eth"

I think the time has come to put some of the few windsurfers left into captivity and see if we can breed them before they become completely extinct.

Spoke with North kites French distributor a couple of years ago at my cafe, he said was definitely a shift and was the 1st time in over a decade he'd seen an increase in sails and a decrease in kites, tbh there seems to be an increase and
reinterest in windsurfing, the likes of jaeger stone a local up here make it look a cool sport again

^^ he f&*king rips!!!

some of the others, not so much. looks epic at solid margies and gnar, the speedlining not my cup of tea but probably a blast - but jeez, would it kill em to smile from under their gaths occasionally

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lotofwind said..
I think the time has come to put some of the few windsurfers left into captivity and see if we can breed them before they become completely extinct.

Great thought loto, ill take up windsurfing to support you idea

Can't think last time I saw more kiters than windsurfers out at Gero. Its been about double the windsurfers for all of the last 3 seasons.
In Perth there often is a swarm of kiters, can see it gets frustrating even for kiters
Beginners windsurfing is increasing here, and kids going well - like waveriding hard and learning loops -has gone up immensely. Its looking good for the sport and has been for some time.

Yeah the poleys at Margies are real impressive

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lotofwind said..
I think the time has come to put some of the few windsurfers left into captivity and see if we can breed them before they become completely extinct.

Yeah, we would breed, but most of us have had vasectomies by now.

Check this out https://2018wavenationals.com/
Locals taking out the top 3 spots and looking health for upcomers here in the midwest

Windsurfing movie 2
Never seen a kite video I'd watch twice.... well maybe keahi stuff