I have the opportunity to go and work in Hamilton nz. Raglan is about 30mins drive away, and is the closest kite boarding location(looked on google maps). I have no real knowledge of what it is like as a kiting location. Has anybody been there? can you answer some of these questions?:
what is it like for wind?
what is the predominant wind direction and average strength?
is their main wind season summer like ours?
is it better for flat water or surf?
doe's it handle all wind directions?
what is the water temp like?
also what is raglan like as a place to live?

I currently live in nsw so am hoping raglan offers better kiting conditions.
any info would be greatly appreciated.
cheers Bennie

what is it like for wind?
Not bad, it takes the predominant South Westerly. The current that Flying Kiwi mentions means you can get out in very light wind. The school boasts 300 kiteable days a year which I'd take with a pinch of salt. You have to time the wind with the right current (and for most of N.Z. you'll have to kite when the tide is right too)
what is the predominant wind direction and average strength?
South West and it's mostly frontal systems. So anything from quite windy to f'in' windy.
is their main wind season summer like ours?
Nope, Spring and Autumn mostly, but it's windy all year round.
is it better for flat water or surf?
Bit of both actually! Raglan is a famous surfing spot, but the harbour entrance is good for flat water.
doe's it handle all wind directions?
Not sure, I only went there in westerlies.
what is the water temp like?
About as good as NZ gets. You'll need a 3/2 steamer in winter.
also what is raglan like as a place to live?
Never lived there, but it's a fantastic town to visit.

If you kite the entrance to the harbour, in the fast current, you'll learn to relaunch your kite pretty quick (and drag to your board even quicker)
It can be a nightmare if you get caught out.

One of the few places I've seen beginners having to walk back down wind. Going upwind with that current is not a problem.

Hamilton! I hope the moneys good

In all seriousness though I know a few people who live in Raglan and commute to Hamilton. I've never kited or windsurfed there but apparently they claim 200+ days of wind a year! Just watch that out going tide!

Hamilton as a city is a bit suburban and boring, but like anywhere it's what you make of it.

Raglan is world-class for kiting and surfing (3 left hand point breaks). The only thing you don't often get is down the line wave-riding, but there are other places. The east coast is less than two hours away too if the weather systems are on that side. Raglan is also a very cool and funky place to hang out, think Noosa before the wealthy people moved in :-)

I'm still amped from three days kiting on a 8m over the weekend at Raglan and Aotea.

Simon

Raglan can be squally and gusty and it can also be super-steady in a clear sky westerly. The locals are super-adept at rescuing boards, riders, and malfunctioned kites. Nobody wants bad PR from a Coast Guard rescue or worse.

The Raglan Bar is pretty awe-inspiring on a big day and demands respect. A few locals surf out there on their kites but they choose the time and tide carefully.

Simon

I've kited there in an Easterly and a Westerly. Obviously the westerly was better but the easterly was offshore and so we were riding right into the face of waves. Very weird direction but fun! Don't bugger it up though as the next stop is about Merimbula. Although, if you're living in Hamilton, this could start to look like a favourable option.

Hamiltron (Its the city of the future!) is a good place to base yourself to access the North Island - you can get to the Corromandel Peninsula as well which is an awesome place, the Bay of Plenty isn't far away as well and in the winter you are a couple of hours drive from Mt Ruapehu - 2 fun ski fields - Whakapapa (wh pronounced like an f) and Turoa. If you decide you want to get into white water rafting/canoeing, plenty of good rivers - on the mighty Waikato river.

The climate isn't as hot as Australia but its still nice in the summer.

Basically, with NZ, anything you want to do outdoor wise is all very accessible - national parks are free to access, and because of ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) people have managed to think up all sorts of ways to break yourself in the name of a rush.

You haven't said where you are from in NSW, but unless you are from Sydney, you aren't going to find it too much of a struggle to adapt. Hamilton is a country city - busy during uni times because of all the students. But, that also means that the city has good cheap cafes and things to do.

You will have to develop a thick skin and cop a lot of crap about being an Aussie though!