I recon everyone has gone a bit foil crazy. Foils are a beautiful thing and do everything better than a surfboard. They truck upwind, turn on a dime and catch waves very easily. BUT you have to ride very calculated and controlled because you don't want to cross the wrong end of the foil. With kitesurfing, above 20 knots, on the other hand you can just go for it. You can send the kite and just wait and see where it takes you. Or hit a section of a wave that you may or maynot make. It is a rush and a great release. What other type of sail can slingshot you like a kite. Flying kites is fun, so I won't be selling mine just yet.

Kiting has gone nuts. The skill level of guys and girls at the moment is insane both in big air, freestyle and wave kiting. Kiting has just changed. It's more about quality than quantity these days

Its been 24hrs since jn1's reply.... and no posting in the kite forum at all. I recall when there was a day or two of no activity in the WS forum a couple of years back, and it was a bit disappointing

I thought it very telling that another poster here, kinda showed us all in this very thread, why people don't bother talking here anymore. How ironic, and sad at the same time.

Trouble is there is only a couple of those c0ckheads but they're proud of their behaviour.

Thank god for the ignore function huh.

Trouble is, mods just got rid of Heavy Weather, not the actual (minority) of farkheads who write utter crap and bag out everyone else.

^^^ Oh that shows how you made it to the top 5% in every single hardcore water sport.

Legend.

I had a great kite yesterday in sydney. I'm no gun, but the pure joy of jumping, transitioning onto waves, stacking but then back up in an instant was so fantastic. That is what kiting is, loose, free and joyful. I haven't wind foiled, but they look to be concentrating hard, and kind of joyless. I think in 10 minutes I had more fun than they seem to get in an hour.

Bowerboy said..
I had a great kite yesterday in sydney. I'm no gun, but the pure joy of jumping, transitioning onto waves, stacking but then back up in an instant was so fantastic. That is what kiting is, loose, free and joyful. I haven't wind foiled, but they look to be concentrating hard, and kind of joyless. I think in 10 minutes I had more fun than they seem to get in an hour.

Yeah, ive faded off kite foiling and back into mutant hacking about. Too much concentration, not enough reckless abandon with foiling.

AquaPlow said..

Plummet said.
Yeah, ive faded off kite foiling and back into mutant hacking about. Too much concentration, not enough reckless abandon with foiling.

The big but.. U have 2get good at it first.. Foiling is low on work out energy - I am still mentally dripping with sweat.. The epic cracked that joy when it flows.. Sooo good... Occasionally chuck in a good downwinder for abandon quotient

Weather patterns have been an anchor on regular TOW progress here for months..
Need to go on a trip Qld sunny coast is experiencing another pasting.. I emptied my pool couple of months back for maintenance.. Still emptying it every week..3-4000 litres inthere now since last Tuesday.. Meeh
Cheers
AP

Well ive foiled up to 40 knots and up to double head surf and everything inbetween. So i guess good enough to know what i like. Big surf and big wind is more fun on the mutant and light wind and bugger all surf is more fun mountain biking..........


Occassionally Foil for a chillaxing zen session.

These days i cant be arsed with riding crud for the sake if it.

Flying Dutchman said..

Since 2004 worldwide;
trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=windsurf,kitesurf,wing%20foil

Very good data reference. Thanks!
I am playing with the kitesurfing vs wingsurfing terms and I am so glad winging is still "down there" by comparison. Winging started being a "thing" around early 2020, and this shows it clearly.
trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=AU&q=%2Fm%2F01b7b1,%2Fg%2F11fl8xjkb7
However, if you add surfing as a trend term under Sport, it flattens everything else. Goes to show, a simple surfboard and the pleasure of catching a wave - is all it comes down to.

vodka said..
Wheres lofty wheres lofty for a year i live in townsville kiteing asking where is mr lofty all i get told is he must be foiling on a foil with a foil at the sailing club what a shame

Anyways no one uses the term wingsurfing search wingdinging + wingsurfing

Hahaha.. gday Nathan!
Hey not my fault I came up from Melbourne with some class and culture behind me.

Hmmmmmm many years away and nothing has changed

bearbusa said..
For what it is worth ,my take on the new foils and wing thing is

Been Kiting for long time , still kiting when wind is up as best water option, No wind go for surf , no surf go for a Sup
Have tried the wing thing ,boring to say the least ,Done some foiling on my kite again cant feel the waves and the ocean so whats the point , want to skim over the water well buy a jet ski

Kited for nearly 20 years now
Surfed since i was 14
Sup with the wife for 10 years

At 65 hopefully still running amuck on a kite in the waves most times for another ten years

No excuses to stop being in the water and feeling the ocean

Hey guys just to addition to the old fellas on this forum whom i have watched over the last and been lucky enough to kite with a few
Its great to see the old school still out there doing it , you all like me learnt on 2 and 4 line kites and got smashed every session but stuck at it for those of you who learnt on these you know what i mean and like me still have the scars
I having tried some of the new type of things , wing,foil and have to say were very easy to learn ,
so just to stir the pot ,is the new things more popular because they are easy ,or have we brought up soft generations MMMMM
What ever you are in to enjoy the ocean but for me kiteing and surfing will be there for the long haul

Saw one of the first kites in Maui back in the mid 90's. I said back then it's just a fad and will eventually die out.