I'm interested if any ex-kitesurfers have returned back to windsurfing?
If so, what did you dislike about kitesurfing to bring you back?
Also, what took you to kitesurfing in the first place (assuming that you windsurfed firstly)?
Not a complete switch just yet but the journey so far,
Got back into windsurfing just over 10 years ago after almost 20 year break, flat water mainly Bic techno 148 big sails, Carve 121 and tiga slalom for stronger winds. Couldn't get 14 year old son interested in windsurfing, kiting was the cool thing to be doing, between dreadlocks and not wanting to get his hear wet, girls and mates that didn't last long but I kept 3mtr inflatable trainer kite and flew it over the years developing kite skills. Didn't want to take it up, the windsurf wish list and $$ being key factors.
Moved to Wallaroo, few kiters around so bought first kites 9-12-16 to cover most wind conditions, started to offload bigger windsurf kit and then found smaller windsurf kit more suited to local conditions over the last three years and cant get enough of windsurfing ATM. Updated the kites along the way but just sold the 9 and 11 keeping the 13 to cover lighter winds before the wind kicks in enough for windsurfing.
Have found on several occasions that I could have had a kite earlier in the day/pre windsurf but tend to sit it out saving energy for windsurfing, so the 13 may get moved on as well, ATM though its not a bad blend.
KEY POINTS
kite surfing journey, I know I had a few years experience flying kite before I jumped on board but, "feet in the straps and hooked in" that's pretty much starting point
windsurfing journey, feet in the straps and hooking in were part of a journey that I wont live long enough to complete.
I got my first kite in 2001. It was a two string foil kite with about 36 little strings keeping its shape.
It was early technology.
it took me two sessions to hook in and maintain position. I could already wakeboard and practiced flying he kite on the beach.
On my third day out I got the string wrapped around my wrist and dragged toward a jetty. Luckily someone saved me. I sold it after that.
Tried again in 2005 with a 4 string arch kite. Ie today's technology. After re-learning to turn around and get launched high ( it doesn't feel like jumping because you don't actually jump. The kite pulls you into the air. Riding an elevator is not a jump.) I then thought what else is there to learn? so I went back to windsurfing for these reasons:
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
There are soooo many things to learn in windsurfing. I love a challenge and to achieve goals.
Windsurfing is more of a work out.
Select to expand quoteYuppy said..
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
Thats funny
Select to expand quoteYuppy said..
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
I got a kite at the start of this season to get me on the water in less wind.
I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion.
I got really tempted about 10-15 years ago as many of my WS friends were switching over.
Two of them are now in wheelchairs for the rest of their lives, while I'm still standing and "pole surfing".
i dont think you have to do one or the other . i take both and see what the conditions are like . my most used kite is a 14 . either get out early or for light wind days . the other day the wind was light and only small waves , i had fun on 14 strapless . but if the wind is strong or waves are good i will always windsurf . i cant do either well but have fun doing both . also dont get bored of the same thing every day
Select to expand quotelotofwind said..Yuppy said..
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
Thats funny
When I ask myself;
"Do I want another poley taking up kiting, an activity that is very dangerous and too easy?"
And my answer is always NO.
lol.
Peter Cabrinha, Richard Whyte, Robby Naish, Ken Winner..... all windsurfers who kite ! obviously they don't care for your answer.
Emphasis on dangerous....Nevis Sayre a former windsurfer champion into kiting has stopped kiting due to its lack of safety..he suffered a very bad accident and does not want to kite nor his kids to kite.
However wishing safe sailing to all kiters.
Select to expand quoteTonyPolony said..
That's exactly the story that I'm after mate. Cheers!
Seems like you got the answer you wanted. ^^^
[External Validation completed.]
lol.
I took some kiting lessons 5-6 years ago, before windsurfing that is. It was ok, but scary at times, a gust and I could feel how this could end up in someone's backyard. Anyway we got out with my cousin at Safety Bay, he had a pretty bad fall, it took him 25mn to swim back to shore, another 20mn to swim and get the board that he had lost, and then it took us 45mn to untangle the lines. He then asked me if I wanted to have a go...I said: "no thanks!" and that was the end of it.
I took up windsurfing last year, and I relate more, you don't need anyone to launch, you fall but it's easy to get back up, no danger to land across the road and it reminds me of snowboarding a bit.
However when I see the kites blasting in 10-12 knots... I can see the point!
There was recently a big thread on similar topic in the kite forum...bugger it if I can now find it, had some good comments on it.
Both Sports have the Pos/Neg's
I think all the really horror stories/accidents of kiting normally come back to a)strong winds b) inexperienced skilled riders
I do both, kiting smashes windsurfing in light winds, hands down, especially in crappy onshore waves, and it's pretty safe also, when your know what your doing and know your limits (aka keep the family in mind when its starts to get on the edge)
But when its properly windy I much prefer to Windsurf, be in flat water or ocean/waves much better physical work out, 1hr of wave sailing = 3+ hours on a kite, easily.
I also get bigger adrenaline kick windsurfing which you may find weird seeing you can boost crazy high long jumps on a kite....but they don't really feel like jumps...more like 'lifts/hangs'...(I'm no chance of wanting to do a kiteloop, but I'm sure that sensation is a seriously massive high!)
The sensation of sailing a board on the fin, especially in choppy water, V's edging the board is a lot different, even at the same speed the windsurfer 'feels' faster, even if its not, but then in dead flat smooth water the kiteboard feels so nice slicing through the water, Ski/Wake style.
So back to 'coming back Q' never really left, I do both just depending on the conditions and also location at the time, I probably pull back on the kite on the big days more than I used to...maybe that's the newer addition to the family or just old age!
anyway it's all personal opinion, no right or wrong, and its all good, Based on what's going on out there today...I'm going windsurfing!
My experience...
I didn't have any accidents or bad experiences kiting. (I may have been lucky and have seen plenty of bad kiting accidents here at Inverloch). It was summer 2010-11 & I was 28 at the time if that makes any difference or has a bearing.
Similarly to others here, my experience with kiting was a fast learning curve. I got to a standard quickly that I could kite comfortably at an advanced intermediate level (I wouldn't say i got to an advanced level - certainly not the level I windsurf at). I could kite in any conditions (I didn't try in more than 30kts though from memory - my kite wasn't small enough) but once I could launch "sik boosts" with a few flicky spinny's etc... I got bored. Plus i didn't wear boardies on the outside of my wettie so i didnt feel like i fitted in with the crew
.
Being able to ride a pushie to the beach with my kite in a back pack and board under my arm was the attraction, there was a simplicity to it that appealed, so i shelved the windsurfer. I lasted 6 months (1 season) kiting and then was back windsurfing - I just tried to look up my buy & sell history to find out when i sold my kite, it doesn't quite show but was mid 2011ish - it was a 2009 model (? from memory) North Vegas kite and i cant remember what board.
Windsurfing for me is much more technical and more challenging with more things to learn - as per Yuppy's comment above.
- On flat water I feel like I'm actually sailing rather than getting dragged around. My experience is w/surf is much faster than kites. I know that at elite elite level its been shown kites have gone faster at luderitz etc, but I couldn't get close to 40kts kiting but have done w/surfing - my PB's 40.8kt 2sec, i reckon kiting i would have been lucky to go 33-35 max. Plus nailing a sweeeeet alpha w/surfing (25kt+) just feels unreal compared to kiting gybes- for me that smooth carve with the sail laid over is bliss
- In the waves I prefer wave sailing over the kiting - albeit i didn't kite with a directional surfboard in waves back then so this may not be a fair comparison of this discipline
- In windy 20kt+ bump & jump conditions I prefer the control and skill required to w/surf quick, jump, tack & gybe etc over the equivalent kiting experience.
For me back then kiting did have the advantage of being able to get me on the water earlier in lighter winds, but now I've got a 112ltr slalom board & 7.5 NCX so I can plane in 12kts (with a few pumps). In wind under that I now SUP, SUP-sail, play golf or rack up brownie points at home with the missus
.
But that's just me, each to their own. I just enjoy windsurfing more .
It would be interesting to hear someone's take on the differences who both sails & kites frequently. Like Wooz from RPS in Elwood - he's a freak waterman (I'll nominate him as Australia's Laird Hamilton) and kites, windsurf's & SUPs like a gun... in all 3 sports... but that's not what this topic is about, maybe another day.
Select to expand quoteYuppy said..
I got my first kite in 2001. It was a two string foil kite with about 36 little strings keeping its shape.
It was early technology.
it took me two sessions to hook in and maintain position. I could already wakeboard and practiced flying he kite on the beach.
On my third day out I got the string wrapped around my wrist and dragged toward a jetty. Luckily someone saved me. I sold it after that.
Tried again in 2005 with a 4 string arch kite. Ie today's technology. After re-learning to turn around and get launched high ( it doesn't feel like jumping because you don't actually jump. The kite pulls you into the air. Riding an elevator is not a jump.) I then thought what else is there to learn? so I went back to windsurfing for these reasons:
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
There are soooo many things to learn in windsurfing. I love a challenge and to achieve goals.
Windsurfing is more of a work out.
OK I'll chew the bait.
I've been sailboarding 30 years and kiting for 4years. I'll have a go at disecting those comments
4 string arch kite. Its a "C" or possibly Delta shape. You don't know the most basic terminology so obviously have had no lessons. First big mistake.
You most curtainly do "jump" a kiteboard. Kiters call it Pop. A lot of kite tricks are done with the kite not being moved around this way.
Dangerous, well I have been sailboarding recently with a freind learning and after watching him get catapaulted every 20 metres I remembered going through the same thing and how much it sucked. Glad he got through it with no permanent disfigurement.
Easy, easier on vital body parts for sure. My lower back xrays look like crap from sailboarding.
Lot of things to learn in sailboarding for sure. The book of tricks in kiting is much larger. It could be said the progresion learning the moves is quicker, I can't see how thats a bad thing.
Windsurfing is more work full stop. If I work I want to get paid. I do watersport for fun. Don't think for a second there's no calorie burn in kiting.
Select to expand quotelotofwind said..Yuppy said..
Kiting is very dangerous and too easy.
Thats funny
Both are good if not kiting is better
I windsurf. Started kiting years ago then started work (emergency Dr).
Number of quadriplegics seen from kiting -2
Number of severe head injuries with long ICU stays and poor outcomes -2
Number of shattered lower limbs -more than a few.
Any of these windsurfing - none
It's mainly people out of their depth or learning. But it strikes me that if you get boosted and your first impact is to your head it's all over.
Windsurfing for me
Select to expand quoteloftsofwind said..
hahahah 1.22 minutes explains it all
OMG, how dangerous is poledancing
Did you see the guy jump off a wave without looking, and the other dude that ran into the rubber duckie??? PORT,STARBOARD,PORT,STARBOARD.AHHHHH...LOOK..OUT...IM OUT OF CONTROL.. lol
some need to learn the BASIC sailing rules me thinks.
Most of the crashes seemed to be in shallow water on the edge?? Why do they have to do their tricks so close to the shore? Must be because they want people to see their cool moves
Was that some footage, from the archives, at 1.22mins of Mr A 30 years ago?
All in fun gurus,,dont get upset, Im having giggle
I kited for a couple years but I started to get called names like princess, girly boy or shorts over wetty weirdo. I understood why they were saying those words cause they were all true.
Atleast you admit it Dont really understand why you guys are sooo worried what others think of what u do???
Are u really that scared about what strangers down the beach might think???
Seriously, dont worry about it, life is too short to care what someone you dont know thinks, but if you dont own the latest iphone really r a tool
Im sure Mr Aus will post quickly after me lol
Select to expand quotelotofwind said..
Dont really understand why you guys are sooo worried what others think of what u do???
Says the kiter, repeatedly frequenting the thread about windsurfers returning to their roots....
Mark, its like a bloody chain saw with a loose chain isn't it TUK TUK CHUK TUK TUK CHUK TUK TUK CHUK CHUK
He secretly loves it, dosent matter if I post at 2am or 2pm he always posts within 10mins.
So he either,
A. Enjoys the friendly banter
or
B. Is a slow learner. lol
It must be A. as he has been rapping with me for 10 years now.
Happy anniversary big fella 
Keep up da good work. 
Alright, I'll throw in my 2 bobs worth.
Having been lucky enough to start windsurfing at young age, I managed to get thru the tough progression stages early.
I was wave sailing at age 16 and it pretty much took over my life.
Having grown up in SA. As a wave sailor, The big southerlies are fun-but few and far between. And also having spoilt myself with 2 summers in WA. It made getting motivated to go wave sailing hard. (i also grew in size, so my 69L board an 4.7m sail soon became too small.)
At age 18 started kite surfing. It made SA 15-20, flatwater, sea breezes fun and was a learning challenge all over again.
Sure, when it blew 30+ i was out on the wave gear, but as above, it happened very rarely.
I then moved to sydney 5 years ago, with no intention of wave sailing at all. (I stupidly thought NSW was worse wind wise then SA).
Man i was wrong.
I moved to a unit 5 minutes from one of (i believe, some may disagree) the best metro wavesailing spots in Australia.
The wave gear was quickly shipped over from SA and the kite gear didn't get much use at all.
I'm now lucky enough to be working for a windsurf and kite surfing brand, so i have an unbias choice to do either.
I honestly say i wave sail about 90% of the time, but there is some days that the kite does still get a run. (normally on lightwind small wave days)
Industry wise, there has definitely been a "resurgence" of windsurfers coming back, after kiting.
There's a tonne of reasons why.
But I think the major factor is the "challenge".
Once you hit a progression wall, you lose interest.
Kiting came along and was all fancy and new but realistically you can learn to be a intermediate kiter in 1 summer. (that's if your a decent windsurfer prior and have the majority of summer afternoons to hit the water)
Now that those people have hit the "i can do most things on a kite, i want to do" level, they then go back to windsurfing and developing their skills again.
For newbies, its a different story.
The constant change of gear with progression, the transporting of gear and the time needed to learn to windsurf is sadly out weighed by the same factors in kiting.
But the bigger challenge now is that SUPing is even easier then kiting and it gives people a "i'm on the water fix".
The funny part about SUP, is that most big brands have windsurf rig mounts, so you can learn or use them for windsurfing.
Which funnily enough is happening more and more.
Either way, do what makes you happy and don't take for granted how lucky you are that you can windsurf. What ever level.
