Hey bolzy75,
Don't worry too much about it, everyone is gettin a bit nutz due lack of kiting activity.
A wakeboard is designed to make best use of the curve of the wake behind a boat to get height and pop rom the wake. It is towed by a boat so doesn't need to be hydrodynamically as efficient as a kiteboard. It is towed in usually smooth water.
A kiteboard must be able to ride fast and track upwind efficiently so it needs a flatter section in the middle of the rocker. It also needs more tail flex as we dont always use a ramp to jump. It needs to be lighter and stronger than a wakeboard and also needs bigger fins to hold a straight line in choppy conditions.
A kiteboard usually has footstraps, but can use bindings. A wakeboard almost always uses bindings. Difference is a kite doesn't always stop when you fall off. We jump heaps higher and in some kiteloops it's nice to be able to kick off the board on a hard landing.
I hope this makes sense.
Good winds,
great stuff. thanks
and to answer the question that follows from this....
No - it is not a good idea to use a wakeboard to learn to kitesurf with. For the reasons highlighted above you will find it very difficult and your progression will be severely hampered.
correct paradox, but once you really know what u r doin you can kite on anything ....I saw one of our locals on a wake skate a couple of weeks ago. Just did it for fun. He normally uses an old stiff, finless weighs a tonne liquid force ( think) and pulls off some of the best moves I've seen. The wake skate wasn't really a great board but bloody impressive effort .
For me though ....stick with "kite" board for kiting.
wakeboards have to much rocker ,therefore wilst learning ,planing will be much harder unless it`s blowing hard.flatter the board the easier it will be to get up and planing.
I dunno, I've got this old crankshaft that does an excellent job as a doorstop.
I say give it a go, it might just turn out to be the ant's pants!
COL
kiteboards are lighter, much softer, flex
wakeboards are heavier, can be very stiff and not much give
depends where your riding.. flat water would be nice on a wakeboard but hell in choppy beach
Wakeboards are really more made for going in a straight line where as kiteboards are made to hold a solid edge and fight against the force of a kite.
Iv riden a few kiteboards in my time
the brands that i would be going for are
slingshot, north, best, cardboards, aboards
With the north boards out of their range you can usually find something that is best suited to your riding..
If your riding in the waves and in choppy water mostly you want something with a soft flex, a stable rocker, and single to double convave.. Also depending on your height and wieght for the size.
I Ride a 07 North Crossride and i have never been on a better board in choppy conditions. It is an amazing all round board. i have rode it on flat water and has a super big pop and carves like a surboard.
General rules when looking for a kiteboard.
Size - depending on height and weight and kite size
Flex - Choppy - Soft flex
- Flat - harder flex (not overall nesecarry)
The softer a flex the smoother your landings are going to be.
Concave - single, double, quad. take your pick doesnt change much except for landings and doing downwind.. as your on your edge most the time..
Edge - solid square edge.. cuts nicely
Fins - BIG for straight feeling.. but if your nutts and wanna ride like a skater.. small fins gives you skatey feeling.. North TFC fins - sharp and big
Rocker - its all pretty much the same between boards.. more rocker - better turning less speed.. less, better speed lesss turning.. but you can jam your board around so you dont really have to worry about this..
For a excellent brand new board you will be looking around $800 - $1000
Cheers Al
