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Kiting vs. Windsurfing
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't imagine kiting on a lake with significant numbers of powerboats or even sailboats on it. Few recreational boaters have a clue what kites or WSers are all about, or even seem to pay a lot of attention to what they're doing. They aren't sufficiently knowledgeable or attentive to watch carefully for a head bobbing on the surface or for strings connecting that head to that strange colorful piece of debris on the surface a hundred feet away. They REALLY have no clue how much ground an airborne kiter can cover; landing on a fellow sailor is bad enough, but landing on a bass boat doing 40 kts could be a real hassle. I've seen MANY encounters on the water, both accidental and deliberate, which were very nearly (or literally) fatal, and intruding on beer-sotted fishermen on their own stomping grounds can get tense.
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coachg



Joined: 10 Sep 2000
Posts: 3549

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Iso’s, that is probably the biggest difference between kiting & windsurfing. Kiting requires lots of space to launch, sail & land safely so not a good setup on small to medium size lakes. We have Folsom & Tahoe here & kters do fine at those lakes because they are big which means plenty of room to get away from boat traffic.

Coachg
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d0uglass



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 1286
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lots of good replies here. I especially agree with what Rigitrite and Lucaro said, and what zirtaeb said about, "Do you like the feeling of hanging onto a vehicle being pulled." When I used to kiteboard that was the fundamental difference in feel between kiting and windsurfing- the feeling of getting pulled by a jet plane versus the feeling of flying a jet plane.

I wrote two blog posts about kiting that are mainly intended for windsurfers.

This one is general info, diagrams, and safety advice about kiting that is good to know if you're sharing the beach with kiters.
http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2010/03/kiteboarding-stuff-for-non-kiters-to.html

This one has to do with which sports "rule" in different wind strengths.
http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2009/09/wind-thresholds-and-kitestration.html

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LUCARO



Joined: 07 Dec 1997
Posts: 661

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kites do have the potential to take up lots of space in the surf, but the good riders tend to keep a very tight circular rotation which works well.

I never had a true kitemare but it was always in the back of my mind. Also, i tend to be pretty cautious. I did put my kite high up in a tree, in Australia, very early on. This was at a lake with minimal downwind clearance (not a wise choice in hindsight). Fortunately the fire department was happy to roll out to the lake and get it down for me, you can get a lot done in Australia for 2 cases of beer.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like windsurfing, kiting has a number of board types that are designed to do some things better than others. As mentioned above, there are kiteboards that are much like wakeboards, except the kiteboard design incorporates footstraps rather than fixed bindings. Kiteboards designed for waves come with or without straps, and like windsurfing you have to change your feet around when you jibe or tack. The ones without straps really don't permit jumping any height at all.

In the waves, kites really have huge advantages. They are far superior in light winds, small waves and shallow waters, and they can cover very very large areas down the line. Moreover, their upwind pointing angles are much greater. In the waves, kites literally rip it up. I often envy them, especially in borderline steady winds. Believe me, having their kites high off the water allows them to catch dependable unobstructed wind we can't as windsurfers.

However, as pointed out by others, the biggest limitation that kites have is the area they need to launch and return. The lines are about 75' long and can be extremely dangerous if one becomes entangled in them. Also, launching in rocky areas or around obstacles like trees or electric lines pose particularly tough challenges, if they can be done at all. But, kiters are a very tight group that really focus on assisting each other, especially launching and returning. The coming in part can be much more difficult and dangerous if one comes in in the wrong locations. So kiters are always on the watch for their companions. Far more so than windsurfers on average. That's not to say that windsurfers don't care or aren't helpful in times of need. I think it's fair to say that windsurfers tend to be more independent overall, and more readily able handle things on their own.

What I have found over the years is when a windsurfer turns to kiting, most never return to windsurfing. There are exceptions though. I do have one friend that does both depending on the conditions and definitely likes both sports. There are also others that give kiting the try, but ultimately prefer the windsurfing experience. I have to admit that I have never tried kiting, and I never intend to. What doesn't interest me about kiting is the lines. Lines are a complication and danger I can do without. I don't envy kiters that drop their kite into the water, and then go through the effort of trying to relaunch their kite. Some kiters are very good at it, but it's just not my cup of tea. One of the things I like most about windsurfing is holding on to the power source, and having it connected to the board. I also like the independence and freedom of windsurfing. As mentioned earlier, there are also similarities in skiing and snowboarding. We share the same conditions, and it's far to say that different folks have their preferences. I learned to ski and really like the sport, so I have no interest in snowboarding. I've never even tried it. With kiting it's the lines that turn me off whereas in with snowboarding, it's the chore of unbuckling and buckling the rear foot on every lift that turns me off. Also, with skiing you can always pole around if caught in a flatter section where you've lost your speed.

Lastly, I have nothing against kiters and their sport. In my view, they're our brothers in the wind and water.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

coachg wrote:
Iso’s, that is probably the biggest difference between kiting & windsurfing. Kiting requires lots of space to launch, sail & land safely so not a good setup on small to medium size lakes. We have Folsom & Tahoe here & kters do fine at those lakes because they are big which means plenty of room to get away from boat traffic.

I agree; I've sailed lakes from one acre to 200 sq miles, with and without boats. But the main body of Urban Fisher's local lake, Calaveras, is not only 5% the size of Folsom and an infinitesimal speck compared to Tahoe but also the central hub linking multiple arms often busy with fishermen. I'd feel much safer there on a WSer -- or an LST -- than on a kite.


Last edited by isobars on Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the midwest there are quite a few sailors who both windsurf and kite depending on the conditions. Some of them switch sports depending on the season, windsurfing on water in the summer, kiting on ice or snow in the winter. Most of kiting's difficult-to-be-safe-launching-&-returning issues can be fixed on snow or ice by taking a short walk.
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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

UrbanFisher wrote:
Wow!!! Thanks guys!

That actually helps a lot. I really didn't think of the dangers involved between the two. You guys brought up some great points. Kiting looks like a lot of fun, but I think I'm more of a sailor at heart. Plus I am less than 3 hours to some coastal water, but 20 minutes away from a large beautiful lake. So a majority of my water time will be at the lake. And as such, I think a windsurfer will work out much better than a kite rig for me (more boat traffic and less shore launching areas at the lake that could hinder kiting).

So as a beginner, I am going to focus my energy on windsurfing. But, doesn't mean that in the future and if the timing is right, who knows maybe one day I'll get a shot at trying some kiting out! Smile

And LUCARO, you brought up a great point. I did think about what the difference in answers I would get if I posted my question here or at a kiting site. I guess I am just much more familiar with windsurfing than kiting and as I read more post here I see kiting mentioned from time to time. So I thought I would present my question here.

Thanks again for all the great replies everyone! Smile

Heh, now go ask the same question on the kiting side of this forum, then you'll end up all confused.
Just remember one thing about windsurfing.
If it were easy, they'd call it kiteboarding. Wink
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jingebritsen



Joined: 21 Aug 2002
Posts: 3371

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if kiting had such an advantage over windsurfing in the surf, how come 2/3 of them try it a few times then never return? i don't actively harass them. they just stop showing up all by themselves. again, lots don't understand what to do with a wave, and are not eager to sail in the most ideal conditions: side off. again, i'm glad most end up playing in the estuaries around here rather than clogging up my break.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John,

If you could spend some time at C Street in Southern California, you'd have wholly different opinion about kiters and what they can do in the waves. Except for the windiest of days, the number of kiters on the water far exceeds that of windsurfers. Once a kiter is good enough, C Steet is a magnet for them. Believe me, they aren't going away from the best wave sites. The wave scene in Florida must be quite different.
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