>>>well OK I was lucky but if you take your time and are stingey lol
>>>10 y/o freerace, $150 Sail free here 
Boom secondhand $180
>>>mast secondhand $400 $800 to do warp speed in 14kn and just as it gets too much I can just dog out on wave gear.
$180 for the boom and $400 for the mast? I guess it's a carbon boom, and an RD mast.
An aluminuim S/H boom, and a STD mast would save you another $400 and you would still enjoy it the same 
But...you are right. Windsurfing equipment is more resilient.
I started stingy, bought a 6 years old kite for $150...guess what, it leaks... 
I guess the twin-tip kite board is more resilient than a windsurfer, but the kites certainly don't last.
Having said that. I'm not ona brink of selling my windsurfing equipment, just complementing it with a kite in order to get more time on water.
^^^ nah other way around lol flash mast (100% RDM) and very very good condn $300 boom with no use.
But see ur point with kiting I guess you could start on a $400 kite and strapping a crappy surfboard
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.
Topkek.
You are doing it wrong
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
^^ OK and if kiting you are limited at the top end.
You are the passenger hanging under the bar, not the pilot
Chess vs checkers.
BTW windsurfing in waves in 12-16 is bloody exciting nowadays, you are coming from the 10y/o perspective of nothing happens til 20kn. Not anymore
But I thought you didn't want to go there with comparo's .....? We can do that to death in the other thread
My point was if a windsurfer wants to get out in less he does not have to go kiting, he can get out in less without spending big on an extra sport.
Not at all. Mark asked why and I gave one of a number of possible answers.
^^ Not at all. Somebody suggested if windsurfing ends below 16kn and kiting would help, I assert no. Up to you if you think boosting in 14kn is the only parameter :)
I think you may need to try the new awesome gear and I'll let you have a red hot go for as long as you want. Trouble is its March.... wish u asked in Dec.
Mark, what are you riding in 12-14 knts that is small enough to work in waves and can sustain your weight?
What sail size?
I don't really know what is the wind speed at Pinnaroo Point except when referring to what Seabreeze shows for Ocean Reef and god knows where the meter is.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
^^ Not at all. Somebody suggested if windsurfing ends below 16kn and kiting would help, I assert no. Up to you if you think boosting in 14kn is the only parameter :)
I think you may need to try the new awesome gear and I'll let you have a red hot go for as long as you want. Trouble is its March.... wish u asked in Dec.
Thanks for the offer. I've still got a couple of windtechs which were the bees nees back in the day. Can't imagine how anything could be quicker but would love to try.
And yes I do like boosting. Simply doing runs up and down gets boing pretty quick, even on kites. Even when I was windsurfing, the only interesting bit, at least for me, was the jumps or the gybes at either end. Anyone can sail in a straight line. Few people can jump or gybe well.
Select to expand quoteObelix said..
Mark, what are you riding in 12-14 knts that is small enough to work in waves and can sustain your weight?
What sail size?
I don't really know what is the wind speed at Pinnaroo Point except when referring to what Seabreeze shows for Ocean Reef and god knows where the meter is.
118L and 6.2
May as well use 5.8 though for what its worth. Of course that kind of float n ride works better with beach breaks, and I am talking normal sized people wavesailing in 14-16kn not so much me lol
I have been windsurfing from the age of 5 and spent 2 years more on the kitesurfing side back in 2007-2008.
The speed of progress is something that could lure anyone away from the continuous struggle of windsurfing. It is really rewarding to be able to plane upwind within 10 hours and get into jumping and doing rotations and kite-loops within a few months. However, the fast progress also ended up being what had me move back to windsurfing more. The fact that things just work with little sacrifice ended up boring me.
Now I am back to windsurfing only. The only conditions that draw me back to kitesurfing are low winds with shoulder high waves. Basically where planing with a 5.7m sail is a struggle but with a 12m kite and a wave board (strapless, with straps there is no challenge) things are possible.
I got back into windsurfing after 10 years non stop kiting. I started kiting in 99, had the first kite in Cabarete. After maybe 7000 hrs on the water, years of teaching, riding and competing, I was getting a little bored of it.
I did a job for Vela Windsurf Club, and instead of payment I said, let me use your rental windsurf gear for a while. I had not windsurfed in 10 years, literally since my first kite session.
I went out one day with a 5.8 and 100l board, sucked so bad, got frustrated, tired and pissed off. Took the gear back, thought never again.
The next day I woke up sore and thought, I have to do this, so I went back windsurfing.
Things got better pretty steadily, now almost 7 years I have only been windsurfing....Never Kited in 7 years now! I never think about kiting, always go straight to the windsurfer. I now use mainly a 4.7 Combat and 79l wave board, doing forwards and totally in love with the sport again. The challenges never end! With Kiting they do, well for me they did anyways.
I will kite again when windsurfing gets too hard physically, when I'm 70 or so I guess.
Kiting is a lot easier to travel, windsurfing is a pain.
Lucky for me my windsurf gear is easier to go with than the kite, it's rigged on the beach at Vela sail storage, never have to carry anything or use a car, so that makes a big difference. If I had to drive somewhere, Kiting is a lot easier.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..Obelix said..
Mark, what are you riding in 12-14 knts that is small enough to work in waves and can sustain your weight?
What sail size?
I don't really know what is the wind speed at Pinnaroo Point except when referring to what Seabreeze shows for Ocean Reef and god knows where the meter is.
118L and 6.2
May as well use 5.8 though for what its worth. Of course that kind of float n ride works better with beach breaks, and I am talking normal sized people wavesailing in 14-16kn not so much me lol
Windsurfer first.
Still got my wooden wish bone boom. First windsurfer distroyed by the dagger board hitting a sand bar and chopping through the dagger well wall.
Been kiting for the last 5 years. Surf in the morning, kite on the qld / nsw sea breeze commonly 12-16Knt range, which used to be just not enough for a 90Ltr wave board and a 5.8m sail (late 80's gear).
I've watched over the last few years design and development changes in sail and boards (travelled in France last year, way more windsurfers than kite boarders). Marks comments really keen to hear more on chosen quivers and wind range, I'm 75kgs. Whats the range of 5.8m wave sail now?
I'd love to have the option of both.
FWIW, I know one guy who kited for 2 years first, then switched to windsurfing because kiting was "too easy". Another guy who's been kiting for 7 years, but started windsurfing as well 2 years ago because kiting wasn't challenging enough. But I suppose most transitions are the other way around.
Select to expand quoteMrCranky said..
FWIW, I know one guy who kited for 2 years first, then switched to windsurfing because kiting was "too easy". Another guy who's been kiting for 7 years, but started windsurfing as well 2 years ago because kiting wasn't challenging enough. But I suppose most transitions are the other way around.
Harder and safer seem to be the main reasons people windsurf. Interestingly, no one has said it is more outright fun.
I am a reasonably accomplished windsurfer and kiting is easier but I choose to kite because it has a lot more "woo hoo" grinning ear-to-ear moments.....period.
Well another windsurfer I know who picked up kitting as well told me that windsurfing still gives him a better "connected, one with the board feeling".
I can't believe I read every post so far.
I often get asked by people who don't wind or kite surf why I don't kite surf? Next time I get asked this question I think I'm going to find out why they ask. It seems to me that they just think it's more modern (a newer sport) or that they only really see kiters, who knows.
I find myself having to explain what windsurfing even is, and perhaps justifying why I have chosen the "old school" sport out of the two. Funny though as the reason I got into windsurfing had nothing to do with new or old school neither did I even consider kite surfing. Sure I had seen people kiting and having fun, and I had not really seen to many people windsurfing prior to buying all the gear. In fact the reason I started windsurfing was that I wanted to buy a 16ft skiff and go sailing like I did as a kid with my parents but I didn't like that I would be looking for crew if I wanted to go. Being an owner of a offshore boat I know just how hard it can be "sometimes" to get (the right) crew. So I looked into windsurfing. It's been about 3 or even 4 years since I started and only sail in the summer, and not very often (in the last two) but I love the sport and haven't looked back. It's just great that I can just grab the gear on a windy day and head out for a surf, and chat to people with the same interest.
I definitely find kitesurfers don't give way and travel in whatever direction 'they' want, so I just head either up wind or down wind and get out of there way, and smile like all is good. I'd also be more than happy to strike up a conversation with a kiter back on shore just as much as I would another windsurfer. After all is just a sport that people do to get away from it all and enjoy being on the water.
Not sure I would try kite surfing at the moment though, not for the fact that it's to dangerous or boring, but for the fact that I have limited time to get to the water and when I do I've already got a bunch of windsurfing gear that needs to get some use.
I like to see that survey completed again, as there is a supposed resurgence in windsurfing. Which i tend to believe.
Actually a lot of people think that windsurfing is actually kitesurfing and are oblivious to windsurfing. But windsurfing is huge in Europe. In fact, it's a mystery why it's so small in Australia given the conditions (beaches, weather, bigger cars, bigger houses).
Select to expand quoteFreddofrog said..MrCranky said..
FWIW, I know one guy who kited for 2 years first, then switched to windsurfing because kiting was "too easy". Another guy who's been kiting for 7 years, but started windsurfing as well 2 years ago because kiting wasn't challenging enough. But I suppose most transitions are the other way around.
Harder and safer seem to be the main reasons people windsurf. Interestingly, no one has said it is more outright fun.
Mr Cabarete did. Well, implied heavily in his para#3
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..Freddofrog said..MrCranky said..
FWIW, I know one guy who kited for 2 years first, then switched to windsurfing because kiting was "too easy". Another guy who's been kiting for 7 years, but started windsurfing as well 2 years ago because kiting wasn't challenging enough. But I suppose most transitions are the other way around.
Harder and safer seem to be the main reasons people windsurf. Interestingly, no one has said it is more outright fun.
Mr Cabarete did. Well, implied heavily in his para#3
Haha, fair enough, though 1 (implied) post in 3 pages clearly indicates people don't return to windsurfing because it is more fun.
So there you have it folks:
- Windsurfing = harder and safer
- Kiting = easier and more fun
after uncountable knee traumata and OPs it seems that my windsurf career is going to be shorter than I hoped. so the question: which is the more knee-friendly sport? i do kitesurfing to in lighter winds, no huge jumps just strapless forth and back. maybe waves some day.
Select to expand quoteFreddofrog said..Mark _australia said..Freddofrog said..MrCranky said..
FWIW, I know one guy who kited for 2 years first, then switched to windsurfing because kiting was "too easy". Another guy who's been kiting for 7 years, but started windsurfing as well 2 years ago because kiting wasn't challenging enough. But I suppose most transitions are the other way around.
Harder and safer seem to be the main reasons people windsurf. Interestingly, no one has said it is more outright fun.
Mr Cabarete did. Well, implied heavily in his para#3
Haha, fair enough, though 1 (implied) post in 3 pages clearly indicates people don't return to windsurfing because it is more fun.
So there you have it folks:
- Windsurfing = harder and safer
- Kiting = easier and more fun
So there you have it folks:
- Windsurfing = harder and safer = a higher sense of accomplishment = more fun
- Kiting = easier and more fun until boring
Select to expand quotefreeskiing said..
after uncountable knee traumata and OPs it seems that my windsurf career is going to be shorter than I hoped. so the question: which is the more knee-friendly sport? i do kitesurfing to in lighter winds, no huge jumps just strapless forth and back. maybe waves some day.
Mate, my first and only attempt at kiting gave me a grade 2 tear of the knee MCL ligament. Yes it was my first attempt but after using a trainer kite for about 9 years, I was up on the board with a good grip on the windward rail within one hour.
As for windsurfing, my biggest injury has been some bruised ribs... That's just me but...
The biggest thing that I found is that with windsurfing, you can de-power the rig instantly by dumping it in the water. For kiting, that de-power movement is not instant - resulting for me, an awkward fall off the board in shallow water whilst still slightly being powered forward. This awkward fall caused my lower leg to bend about 45 degrees in the lateral direction. I guess I'm lucky it wasn't a full tear...
Good luck!
Select to expand quoteTonyPolony said..freeskiing said..
after uncountable knee traumata and OPs it seems that my windsurf career is going to be shorter than I hoped. so the question: which is the more knee-friendly sport? i do kitesurfing to in lighter winds, no huge jumps just strapless forth and back. maybe waves some day.
Mate, my first and only attempt at kiting gave me a grade 2 tear of the knee MCL ligament. Yes it was my first attempt but after using a trainer kite for about 9 years, I was up on the board with a good grip on the windward rail within one hour.
As for windsurfing, my biggest injury has been some bruised ribs... That's just me but...
The biggest thing that I found is that with windsurfing, you can de-power the rig instantly by dumping it in the water. For kiting, that de-power movement is not instant - resulting for me, an awkward fall off the board in shallow water whilst still slightly being powered forward. This awkward fall caused my lower leg to bend about 45 degrees in the lateral direction. I guess I'm lucky it wasn't a full tear...
Good luck!
i was rather thinking of the constant pressure you apply when riding a board and not any possible trauma scenarios.
