Why are windsurfer sails sooo much cheaper than buying a kite???

Same reason as cat food is sooo much cheaper than a microwave, because they are 2 different things

On the other hand you did say 'kite', not specifying what type...you can pick up one of these little beauties from kitepower for 20 bucks! Your windsurfing buddies would love them as its just like the flags they fly at those special parades they go to

[;

)]

So when you do your comparison add the cost of the mast, boom and mast base. A high performance sailboard sail with a carbon mast, carbon boom and carbon mast base would be close to the cost of a kite Or more depending on sizing...

Yes, but same level of tech and r&d. Both hi tech materials... Huge disparity in purchase price.

Doesnt matter about cost difference.

No one tells their mates they windsurf anymore

You need to look at the cost of the whole sport, what about the cost of sailboards? A single board can cost more than my 3 kite boards combined....

So did a little shopping exercise to compare buying a complete kit for each of kite surfing and sailboarding based on online sites and retail pricing, you can argue a kite quiver should be 3 kites, but likewise a sailboard sail quiver would be closer to 5 sails, see below...

Kitesurfing (all 2016):
1x 12m Switchblade kite with bar and pump
1x 9m Switchblade kite with bar and pump
1x Cabrinha Custom Twin tip
1x Cabrinha Phenom surfboard
1x waist harness

Total Retail... $8,400

Sailboarding to cover same wind range:
1x Goya 84 litre wave board (on special)
1x Goya 105 litre wave board ( on special)
1x wave boom
1x Slalom boom
1x wave fin
1x freeride fin
1x 400cm Mast
1x 460cm Mast
1x Ezzy 4.0m wave sail
1x Ezzy 5.0m wave sail
1x Ezzy 6.5m free ride sail
2x mast bases
2x mast extensions ( 2 sizes)
1x waist harness
2x harness lines

Total Retail $12,960

As far as a direct comparison of a 12m kite to a 6.5m sailboarding complete rig...

1x Cabrinha 12m Kite with Bar and pump = $2,900

1x Ezzy Lion 6.5m sail + 1x Chinook Carbon Boom + 1x Goya Carbon Mast + 1x Mast Base + 1x Mast extension + 1x set harness lines = $3,566

You can manipulate this however you want. I'm comparing a kite only with windsurfer sail only!
You can't add other equip into the comparison as completely unrelated

A sail quiver of 5 sails??? Mate have you ever windsurfed???

Select to expand quote

mattkennedy said..
Same reason as cat food is sooo much cheaper than a microwave, because they are 2 different things

Ahh, my sides hurt.

Select to expand quote

Andy T said..
A sail quiver of 5 sails??? Mate have you ever windsurfed???

Ah yes for about the last 35 years (including competitively) and kiting for the last 14 years, still do both... If you are sailing in all conditions from high wind surf to light wind freeride slalom you will need a quiver of 5 sails....


Not manipulating just trying to make the cat food closer to the microwave...

if you truly want to compare your way, see how far you get next time you go windsurfing without using a mast, boom, mast base and extension.

Select to expand quote

kemp90 said..

KiteLeaseOz said...
We are from Perth and we are offering leasing from Season 16/17 - you might want to check it out: www.kitelease.com.au

Just checked out your site. That's a really good idea. Hope it works out for you

Might work at the top end maybe with full price retail, but maths doesn't work out for me. I bought a new 2015 and 2016 Neo and a bar at start of season for $3000, and a pimp custom board for $850. Compare with the 'intermediate package' where I spend $4940, so its costing me an extra grand, not including the resale value of my current gear.

But like kemp90 said, cool concept and hope it works. I can see the value in a few scenarios - travellers, beginners who can try some gear and then upgrade when its appropriate, high-end gear junkies, people who just kite the summer season and can rent for 6 months...

If I was spruiking a beginner's package, i'd tie in with a local instructor and have an option for gear+lessons. There is a real hurdle for people who want to get into kiting that they have to commit to buying gear upfront in order to be any good at it, which involves a pretty big cost, plus you don't really know what you need/want. A 'hassle-free' option where somebody gives you all the gear you need and lessons, and you can then progress to more appropriate equipment as you improve would have potential. I reckon if you told the average punter that for $80/ week they could have all the gear they need to kite and all the lessons they need, you might have a market there.

Select to expand quote

Smithy said...

Andy T said..
A sail quiver of 5 sails??? Mate have you ever windsurfed???

Ah yes for about the last 35 years (including competitively) and kiting for the last 14 years, still do both... If you are sailing in all conditions from high wind surf to light wind freeride slalom you will need a quiver of 5 sails....


Not manipulating just trying to make the cat food closer to the microwave...

if you truly want to compare your way, see how far you get next time you go windsurfing without using a mast, boom, mast base and extension.

Lol clearly this was just some wind surfer trolling the kiters. You took the bait and went and wasted your time figuring out prices blah blah blah .
Its simple.
There is a difference in price because they are 2 different things

Select to expand quote

mattkennedy said..

Lol clearly this was just some wind surfer trolling the kiters. You took the bait and went and wasted your time figuring out prices blah blah blah .
Its simple.
There is a difference in price because they are 2 different things

Nah just bored waiting for wind which is here now so I'm off to kite on my excessively priced (compared to a sail) kiting gear...

Ha ha and remember to keep the price down if you ever decide to sell that kite gesr 2nd hand mate, that also ruffles a few feathers

Regardless, I'm not trying to take sides etc. I personally believe that windsurfer sails appear to have 'more' in them for your dollar. I'm not trying to compare the cost of sports.

No I'm not trolling... I have both and feel 1 is better value! But hey if 1 could buy new kites for $800 there would be even more kiters I presume

Why would you compare polers with jumpers? I don't get it Chong!

Its been said

Select to expand quote

mattkennedy said...
Same reason as cat food is sooo much cheaper than a microwave, because they are 2 different things

Classic......... I think a bit of pee came out then.

Agreed, it's certainly a strange business idea. Gotta stump up with $950 deposit as well. Might as well just buy a 2nd hand kite and board for 1k.

One of the shops / upwinder bloke needs to start hiring out gear + SUP. Bit of an intial outlay but you'd make a bit of coin

Select to expand quote

MDSXR6T said..
Agreed, it's certainly a strange business idea. Gotta stump up with $950 deposit as well. Might as well just buy a 2nd hand kite and board for 1k.

One of the shops / upwinder bloke needs to start hiring out gear + SUP. Bit of an intial outlay but you'd make a bit of coin

I have seen some shops hiring gear in America. I think it is a good idea. They only rent it out to people who are intermediate kiters and above. I am not sure how they police that. I guess you sign a waiver saying you are at that level so if something happens and you are not they not liable.

Select to expand quote

MDSXR6T said..
Agreed, it's certainly a strange business idea. Gotta stump up with $950 deposit as well. Might as well just buy a 2nd hand kite and board for 1k.

One of the shops / upwinder bloke needs to start hiring out gear + SUP. Bit of an intial outlay but you'd make a bit of coin

Im pretty sure there are already a few places in WA where you can hire out gear.

Select to expand quote

mattkennedy said..
On the other hand you did say 'kite', not specifying what type...you can pick up one of these little beauties from kitepower for 20 bucks! Your windsurfing buddies would love them as its just like the flags they fly at those special parades they go to

[;

)]

20$?
US or AU?
What's the bottom end and does it come with a bar??!

Select to expand quote

Just2807 said...

mattkennedy said..
On the other hand you did say 'kite', not specifying what type...you can pick up one of these little beauties from kitepower for 20 bucks! Your windsurfing buddies would love them as its just like the flags they fly at those special parades they go to

[;

)]

20$?
US or AU?
What's the bottom end and does it come with a bar??!

$20aud flys in as little as 3 knots,you will reach speeds of up to 100km/h,boost to the moon,loops well,line slack is unreal and comes in that sick multicolored pattern..or grey if your color blind

Apart from all the obvious stuff like you only need one kite to match the range of two sails, size for size kites and sails are pretty close in price.

A 5m Neil Pryde sail is about $1100. A 5m Cabrinha kite is also about $1100 without the bar and lines (which are equivalent to the mast and boom and all the other crap).

Take it further and sails are made from cheap films with heavy dacron reinforcements and are essentially flat when you make them. Kites are made from expensive, ultra high tech lightweight fabrics and are very much 3D objects.

Add to that, most kites are far larger than sails. I have 7,10 and 13m kites. That's twice as much fabric as the average sail, twice as much space to build it in, and possibly twice as complex construction details.

How long will a current sail last?

I still see 15 year old windsurf sails.

Kites dont last long. Bridals stretch and then there is the rip factor..

This should go in the draw for stupidest thread of the year.

Select to expand quote

Gorgo said...
A 5m Neil Pryde sail is about $1100. A 5m Cabrinha kite is also about $1100 without the bar and lines (which are equivalent to the mast and boom and all the other crap).

So I google and I see the Cabs selling around and above the $1500 mark for a 5m. You must be screwing your local kiteshop owner.

So the kites are the microwaves then?

My sails last 15 to 20 years and my kites last about 5 years so I know what is better value for money