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Down the line wave ride- on a kite?!
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kevinkan



Joined: 07 Jun 2001
Posts: 1660
Location: San Francisco

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

not to split hairs here, but while a lot of coastal sailors made the switch to kiting, it certainly isn't 99% or even close to that. Most of the windsurfers go to Davenport, so you don't see them at Waddell as much unless it's small. Over here at Ocean Beach, I would say there has been a higher percentage of windsurfers switching to kiting... the winds here are too onshore and light for most windsurfers, and kiting looks way more practical in the prevailing OB conditions. That said, there are still a few die hards windsurfing here.
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pzwinakis



Joined: 03 Aug 2000
Posts: 42
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you kite at Waddell durring the week?
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From my perspective, the windsurfing versus kiting approach has mostly to do with the type of concerns that we personally like dealing with. There are advantages to each choice, but it comes down to the bottom line about the nature of the equipment and how it works.

I'm hanging tough with windsurfing, because that has always been my ultimate vision. Most of my older windsurfing friends are now kiters, and I know that they're loving their direction. Yet, it really comes down to much more than what's cool or otherwise. The real circumstances and use of the turf out there is about having time of your life, windsurfing, kiting or surfing. The only thing we have to really keep in mind is properly fitting into the flow. There's always a balance of our respective responsibilities, no matter what your preferences might be.
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bsutt



Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyFCHkjwj9c&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecautionkites%2Ecom%2FWEBSITE%2FVIDEO%5FSP2007%2Ehtml
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pzwinakis



Joined: 03 Aug 2000
Posts: 42
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great video... Here's another one..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJce0cd3Azc
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zpp66



Joined: 02 Apr 1994
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

there's no doubt that kiters can rip. check out the video or just go to wadell.

however, 99% of the good wavesailors switching to kiting is an exageration. 3 of the very best (Johan and the Scheibels) did. As did some others (not 99%). This combined with all the skaterats, wakeboarders, and everyone else has created quite a glut of kiteboarders at Wadell.

My question, is if I become a kitesurfer do I have to ignor right of ways, shoulder hop, jump right up wind of windsurfers, and refuse to give wave rights? Not sure if it's endemic to the sport, but kitesurfers at Wadell seem to operate without any etiquitee (or even common sense).

It's only going to get worse now that "wakestyle" is out and "waves" are in according to all the kite media.
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pzwinakis



Joined: 03 Aug 2000
Posts: 42
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The problems at Waddell result from kiters AND windsurfers who only occasionally sail in the surf. Hell the windsurfers from out of town are just as bad as the kiters from out of town. I stopped going to Waddell on the weekends for that reason. If the locals aren't giving you respect, maybe you should lose the helmet, goggles, life-preserver and flares...
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Sandman510



Joined: 02 May 1999
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

shitan wrote:
There is a reason 99% of all the good windsurfers where I live jumped ship and never looked back.


You probably meant '' the looser windsurfers" not the good ones!!!


Ahem, that's loser, not looser, unless you meant something that I just didn't get.

Anyway, it's all good, whatever gets your adrenaline going. I like to dangle, pole-surf, and be sharkbait, and even though I'm not particularly good at any of them I still have a good time.

For me it's all about maximizing water time. I choose to do whatever's best in the time I have available. Although there can be some overlap, surf is usually best in no/lite wind, kiting best in medium winds, and windsurf best for hi winds.

Have fun!
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flynbri



Joined: 08 May 2004
Posts: 111
Location: Southern Cal

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: Room for Both Reply with quote

Can't we all just get along?


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flykatcher



Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:42 pm    Post subject: to each his own Reply with quote

As far as waveriding with a kite goes thats best done in side to side onshore winds under 25kts....for example Waddell....which has to be considered one of the best places in the world hands down for general user friendly wave riding with a kite...hence the popularity and devotion of the many who are there....no matter what the background. Although its pretty clear the Windsurfers are gaining a new following as the kick in the ass the sport got from Kiting in the early 2000s (like Snowboarding did to Skiing ) takes shape with new and better designs (shorter and lighter boards, earlier planing) Its happening and you can stay in your narrow minded world of Waddell and act like thats what is happening everywhere.....suit yourself....A local is just a dirtbag that does not have his shit together enough to travel and see the world.

I spend a lot of time in Maui, Waddell, and Cabo Verde (wavesailing) , and in Cabo Verde you are riding actual pointbreaks with very offshore winds and mind blowing perfect surf (not Kanaha, San Carlos) and I get to watch plenty of kiters attempt to ride the place, and its pretty clear in that situation the delay in the bottom turn coupled with the mini board and the need to stay full heelside until you bottom turn makes the waverides there look pretty feeble....and all the kiters no matter pro or not end up going pretty much straight....or out the back every time....and it looks pretty much like the wave went to waste.....a couple local kids there would blow the best kiters at Waddell away hands down no question, and even they will Windsurf when its truly on at Pt Preta. All the Kiters do is go out the back in that situation.....but there are the light days you can sit a schlog on the Windboard and have kiters run circles around you, though that same approach to the wave exists....but at least then the kiters get closer to the wave....even barrelled a bit....and that does not exist in Windsurfing....

You see alot better kite waveriding in places like Waddell, I give the proficent Kiters my full respect, unfortunately its not the other way around, but at a place like Waddell even that is ok, there is always going to be enough room for everybody....

When its firing at Waddell , you may see alot of kites, but they are mostly on the beach after 15 minutes.....and thats because they were not having fun !!! Kiting in strong gusty wind is not only not fun, its truly dangerous to the person doing it and all others around him....WAY more than Windsurfing.

End of discussion, there are locations and situations where Windsurfing is better for waveriding and others where Kiting is more optimal as far as waveriding.....

And personally, I like the 25+ knot and 4 ft @ 18 second material where you do not see too many kiters really tearing it up....I see it every time its going off....tons of kites....on the beach after 15 minutes.

The most important difference is that you will generally not die while Windsurfing.....Kiting takes lives and to me that is not an acceptable thing....


Lots of trade offs, the guy who said everybody should do both is spot on.

Oh yeah, learn not to act like you do not see the guy upwind of you when you are on the wave !!!

Aloha !! Have fun !!!
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