My summary of the two sports:
Kiting:
Pros
- Good moderate wind fun (15kts) (can boost big air etc)
- Gear is easy to transport
- Easy to attain a high skill level
Cons
- Limited tricks. As I see it there are about 4 tricks: the boost, the boost with spin, boost with handle pass and the kiteloop). The rest are just small variations of the same thing in reverse or a combination of the above.
- Takes up a lot of space
- Banned at a lot of breaks
Windsurfing:
Pros
- Speed
- Wavesailing
- The variety of tricks. Kiters will argue this point, however, the variety of the tricks in kiting does not even come close to windsurfing even if you don't include the freestyle windsurfing tricks invented in the last 5 years.
Cons
- Gear is a pain to transport
- Light wind performance (i'd argue this, I can plane in 10kts easily however it requires big gear and you can only basically go fast...still fun though).
- Hard to attain a high skill level, very difficult to learn the tricks
- Need 20kts+ to get the best out of the waves imo.
At the end of the day the list above is written from a windsurfers perspective as I'm totally addicted but I see the good points of both sports. At my local breaks i'm usually the only windsurfer with about 5 kites and we always have a laugh and give each other **** over our respective choice of sports. I respect their choice to kite as they do mine...although they are always saying 'when will you get a kite' :P I've never tried kiting, however there is still too much for me to accomplish in windsurfing before I move on. There is nothing I love more than smacking a fat lip or busting a big forward or pushloop. Plus there are so many freestyle tricks to learn...so hard though :(
Both sports have their place, everyone makes their choice, I just love windsurfing too much to give it up despite sometimes loathing those conditions when its just too light to plane. The next wave I catch those thoughts are forgotten :D
"But for the guys who think we should change over because it's getting so popular, remember the number of gays is increasing, but I'm not trying that either"
Not what I have heard Firie Bob
I shouldn't enter into a debate on a windsurfing forum being a kiter as I am just asking for it, but have to add my two cents......
I spent a quite a few years on the poley and then changed to the dark side as many kiters have and have an appreciation of both sides. I did so because the conditions at our local spot IMO are better suited to kiting as I (and other local kiters) seem to be on the water and planning more often than the poleys. I have certainly had more sessions as kiter in the past 5 years than I would have as a poley.
Still, I do miss those off the wind speed runs that can be done with control on the poley. Try and do the same on the kite to keep up with a mate on the poley and in even the smallest amount of chop and it always end up in disaster, a huge ball of spray as I kiss my arse in a tumbling mess as he flys past laughing
Yeah CJW, looks like you forgot to mention under kiting "pros" cheap air travel. Don't go kiting without your ruby slippers.
Yeah well that goes hand in hand with easy to transport :D
That said I've taken my wave stuff on Virgin Blue a few times no probs, never cost me anything. Overseas would be a different story though I guess.
Weeelll Mr Bonk, while you're not looking they're popping vulcans n willy skippers n body drags, n duck gybes n duck tacks n air tacks n hass tacks n backwinded tacks n diablos n lollypops n chachos n spocks n flakas n geckos n stopits n cowboys n 360s n speed loops n ponches n several hundred other things. Only you weren't looking. Those guys that were falling off were probably just learning the next trick.
naaah, that stuff only happens in movies notwal, and its all computer generated special FX
anyway, why does everyone keep comparing windsurfing and kitesurfing with surfing? windsurfing and kitesurfing is way betterer than surfing and from all the best footage of kitesurfing and best footage of windsurfing in waves, IMO the best of the winsurfing is still the most impressive stuff I've ever seen out of everything on the water
i used to windsurf years ago, way back then there were some great guys and some total tools. I have stopped windsurfing and now kitesurf. guess what, there are some grat guys and some total tools. seems like nothing much has changed except there are more people on the water now.
As for the hole surfing debate, i dont think it looks that great but spending a few hours trying to smash waves as well as i can is awesome.
I would also like to add that when in the waves i try to stay clear of surfers an d windsurfers as much as possible. especially the surfers.
In response to Mr Bonk,a speed run followed by a jibe at the other end?
WHAT,there's another end? I've been looking for a year now and haven't found it yet,and jibe involves a catapult type manouver,yes?
Seriously though I like the co-operation between poleys and kiters at pelli point,lots of kites and boards and it seems to me only learner poleys end up in the kite area and only the really good kiters seem to enter the poleys run.
I figure most kiters realise the poleys in there area are struggling and make allowances to suit,and the kiters further upwind have the skill to negotiate the traffic jam.
Everybody seems to get along really well 99.9%of the time anyway.Love the sport and enjoy it agro free.Keep it up everyone.