Wow! the old gangs here! everyone but Flipper1111 er whoops, I mean Flipper4444, where are ya Flip?
I remember reading posts like this with Mark, Loto and Flipper etc in a big verbal stouch, were what got me interested in the seabreeze scene!
Ahhhh, Happy Days
Had to check twice to make sure I was in the right forum, for a bunch of anti kiters you sure like talking about them 
And I'm surprised at how many of you homophob's have tried it and failed, only to cover it up by saying
"It was to easy, i don't like having fun, I'm to manly to do that girly stuff, how can i froth a dragon on mushies with tampon strings arrrrgh, no one can red thumb me when my hands on me pole "
Bwhahahaha sisisis hahahaha 
At my local it's the opposite, on many occasions this summer there has been more windsurfers than kiters, bucking the 'trend' 
I only have one suggestion for kiters though, stop riding surfboards toe side and strapless, it looks straight up full retard most of the time. Get some straps and utilise your parachute and boost airs off the lip back into the pocket or something worthy of praise. Stop riding toe side because it looks ridiculous, you guys ride twin tips both sides, do the same on surf boards if you insist on riding them.*
*Observations from someone who has observed kiting for some period and has seen a marked decline in the wave riding prowess of most people since the strapless craze started.
I've never really been jealous of kiting until last Thursday at jimmy's beach. Even When I'm out on my JP SLW 90 in light stuff having a relaxing time and kiters with massive kites and race boards are absolutely kicking my arse. I'm still not jealous, mainly impressed and bemused at how often they get dragged. Those big kites are definitely doing some impressive speeds in light stuff though.
but getting back to Thursday at jimmy's, this guy was only on a small kite and a strapless board(what's with that anyway?) but he was sailing a few feet from the shore in the mirror smooth water with his kite up above the dunes catching nice wind while I was struggling in gusty crap. I was downwind in the gusty northerly trying to get some decent wind and water and at that point I became jealous of kiting for a few moments. I must confess I said to myself I need to do that one day.
What people need to realise is that to actually do any discipline in either sport really well is really hard and takes years to get good at. Sure it is easier to be a kook at kiting than a kook at pole boarding but to actually be good at either sport is just as hard. As far as strapless kiting goes it is lots of fun but takes a very long time before it actually looks good, to judge people on it you need to take into account how long they have done it for. And don't forget that very few wavesailors make our sport look good, but we all know how much we enjoy and that's all that matters.
This sort of sums it up, when you can get professional lessons in a place like this and then thank them afterwards.
Fortunately there are some schools where you can learn safely, but does a beginner understand the difference?
All of that may be true Gwendy, but that is just to "get going". Lets look at proficient flat out and carve turn, and come back, say 20x without falling in.
That is a season for kiting, and 3 seasons (at best) for windsurfing.
For proper wavesailing it is maybe 3 seasons for kiters and 5 or 6 for windsurfers.
I see windsurfers with 10 yrs experience use every ounce of skill to get out thru mast high stuff (planing) and a 2 season kiter just boost or turn outa trouble.
I see people using every tiny bit of skill to keep planing in marginal conditions on a windsurfer but the kite's lift just keeps the kiters going easy. Weed is no issue. Crossing the reef is no issue.
Major major differences.
Who cares, we are ALL having fun. But many windsufers pride themselves on taking the harder road.
WOW,, all those things you listed above Markie.........no wonder all the windsurfers are now kiting.
What also appears to be true is that 12% of kiters come here to make comment that is soley designed to stir up a reaction from the gentile retired windsurfing folks - and the biggest reactions they get are from other kiters
Roughly speaking how many months of practice does it take before you are ready to start doing some of those cool kiting tricks like the car park drag, the tree climb, and the boost into the rock wall?
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