Quite an interesting topic guys from my windsurfing perspective. Majority of you were poleys to start with. Just wondering if any have had a windsurf since starting kiting.

I know I get out more than you too Hargs.

Started at 24, now 33.

Still wish I had a pair of kite pants and fingerless gloves to wear on the water

44 now 46 ...
mind you first year only got 6 hrs kiting done.
problem is work...yes dirty four letter word.
surfed on and off for 30 yrs

Gee, I feel like such a stereotype!

Windsurfed for 30 years until I was 52. Varying levels of addiction over the years. Fairly over it by the end.
Kiting for nearly 3 years so 55 now and totally loving it. Out every opportunity.

Went out on the windsurfing kit once last season and it felt terrible. So big, slow and energy less.

Old enough to know this is a repeated thread, tophat anyone?

Kiting is a much more $$$ hobby than say surfing so that would immediately affect the demographic.

It is also arguably a lot more dangerous.

Select to expand quote

mazdon said..
started kiting at 24, now 32

would rather surf any day of the week ...

I've thought about learning to surf but the lack of actual "board" time holds me back every time. At least with kiting, you're actually kiting for the whole time. With surfing it seems most of your time is paddling and waiting out back. Very little time is actually spent surfing.

Select to expand quote

hargs said..
Windsurfed from the age of 12 till I turned 30, then took up kiting. I turn 43 this year.

dito

After windsurfing for 20 years I started Kiting at 43 and am 57 now.

I have been thinking however that I still prefer to wavesail when the waves / conditions are good.

Select to expand quote

Allo said..
I have been thinking however that I still prefer to wavesail when the waves / conditions are good.

There's no need to start swearing!

Started 40
Now 44
Wish I started sooner

Select to expand quote

Allo said..
After windsurfing for 20 years I started Kiting at 43 and am 57 now.

I have been thinking however that I still prefer to wavesail when the waves / conditions are good.

I'm almost a carbon copy of your sporting history! Windsurfed for 19 years, took up kiting at 47, now 58. Nearly killed myself by being self taught on wrong kite, so went back to windsufing, mainly in waves. Saw a early bowkite at St Kilda one day and thought, wow, that's what I'm after! Bought a bowkite and have never been on a windsurfer again. I love kiting because of the extreme portability of the kit, and also the airtime that you get off waves.

I started windsurfing at 22, started kitesurfing at 33, started to hit the wake park at 48

Started at 38 now 45. Surfed for 20+ years, moved to a bay side location to croweded in the surf line up now.

Yep old topic but..

started surfing at age 13

Started Windsurfing at the age of 20, still have the gear and get out a few times a year.

Started Kite surfing at age 40, and turn 54 this year..... Kiting 4 to 5 times a week through summer, less through winter....

The big question is how much money have you spent over the years on boards, sails, kites, related holidays, cars, house by the beach etc...

Started at 42 March 09 on a Bandit 1,now 48 (49 May)
Never did any sport really apart from Tai Kwon Do in the UK & could only see the ocean when on holiday as I lived in Birmingham England ( it has more canals than Venice but no beaches)

I started 15 years ago... now am frustrated by all the above disillusioned surfers and windsurfers flooding my local, who think kitesurfing will solve their chrisis... I think for them roller bladeing and cycling would have been the better way to go.... ... but I know most of us were born one day...

Started in Dec last year at 40. Always something I wanted to do since moving to Aus 7 years ago. Had a back op in August, almost stopped all sporting activities... Sort of put things in perspective of how quickly things can change, and did it as soon as I got the all clear. Should have started sooner!! Always been into watersports (dive, SUP, ski and wake boarding), but never surfed or wind surfed! Having a blast and my back has never felt stronger.

Started 42
50 now feels like 21

Started 31
Now 33
Wind surfed for 1 month biggest wast of a month in my whole life.
Cant get enough of kiting and good exercise.

Started 49
Now 51

Windsufed and dinghy sailer from 9, cruising and ocean racing for the last 10 years, sold the yacht last year, don't need it anymore. I could buy 6 kites and two new boards a year for what it cost to keep :-)

Started 52 now 56
Best sport ever, only wished I'd listened to Rupert and started sooner.

There's a few patterns developing here!
currently 43
Started kiting 41
Winsurfed 25 years, surfed 35 years and now 80% of time on a board is spent attached to a kite.
Best sport i ever took up and the lift tickets are super cheap!

Started Landboard and Buggy Kiting at 36.....On the water at 39 when I got to aus...

Now 46 and have too many kites, 4 boards, a buggy, a landboard and a car filled with SAND!

Altona when there is water is bootiful!

Thanks Boon, even though i commented about the over 40's the graph really illustrates the kids not getting into the sport. How and who changes this?

Coast Flyer.
Funny thing. Had a similars experience which could have ended badly except for the little guy holdind me and the huge guy holding him. However took the advice on the chin from the big guy that I was a f#wit and should update my gear that someone was happy to sell me and i have enjoyed the sport since.

Andrush
Please respect your elders and bring your entertaiment to the beach with you so that we can admire something while your loading for your kiteloops

currently 17
started 9
didnt really get into it until 2 years ago. Before that it was just a every now and then thing

started kiting at 26 am now 38.

I used to be addicted to kiting, thought about nothing else, everything in my life was DOW!. A couple of years back I started mountain biking. I now race in gravity enduro events and mtb 3-4 times a week, kitesurf about 2 times a month. I still love kitesurfing but I think having another passion is healthy. I no longer feel like a victim to the waether. Funny thing is I was addicted to surfing for about 10 years before kiting took over, then kiting for 10 years before mtb took over. see a pattern emerging?.

There seem to be a lot of 3-4 year kiters on this thread, am I the odd one out or are there many other long term kiters that still froth over kiting but not as much as they used too?

Select to expand quote

Hop said..
Coast Flyer.
Funny thing. Had a similars experience which could have ended badly except for the little guy holdind me and the huge guy holding him. However took the advice on the chin from the big guy that I was a f#wit and should update my gear that someone was happy to sell me and i have enjoyed the sport since.

Hop, it was a old Naish kite that you attached the safety to your wrist! I think that it was about 14 metres and the wind was around 25 kts, so could have ended very badly.