What is it that makes windsurfers so narky towards kiters ? Being serious here...so no "boardshorts over wetsuits" or "metrosexual pretty boys" responses.

Is there actually a problem ? If we all took some time to understand each others sport I don't see any reason for the two sports not to co exist in harmony....

Is the problem just trolls in both forums stirring the pot or is there genuine angst ?

I hope it is all in good fun, but it looks really pathetic to people who are new to the forum and don't know it's a running joke.

FlickySpinny said...

I'm with you Airush.

so am i

I have absolute no problem. As long as we all stick to the same rules. If you dont know them, learn them.
The problem that windsurfers have with kiters is the ones who have no sailing background and head straight into the line up with a surfers mentality. You cant just kite around the break picking whatever wave you feel like. The best rule to stick to is the CIRCLE WORK RULE.
Anyone want to explain this rule?
How about we get the kiters to explain this rule to us?

perhaps kiting lends itself to "hoonism" more than windsurfing. the big boosts are showy, (Im impresed) but I imagine the distance carried while being boosted is hard to control, therefore a modicum of control is required. So boosting in a busy area would require a heightened level of control compared to boosting out the back somewhere.
Windsurfing is more controlled as the equipment simply dosent take up as much space as kiting. Ive been told kiting is easier than winsurfing, however I believe to be good at anything requires practice and effort. I suppose the criticism comes from learners crashing kites on beaches, and dissapearing into the trees.
Ive never had hassle from kites and I sail around them all the time.

We should remember how lucky we are. Fights between Windsurfing and Kite surfing? Who rules the line up? long board vs shortboard vs goat boat? We have it good. Imagine what your hobby might be in Palestine, Baghdad, or Dili, you might be gatheing rocks, or polishing your kalashnikov ready to give your neighbour a thrashing, talk about localism causing a hot headed response.

Quote should read.

What is it with kiters anyway ????????

Even some old windsurfers **** me to tears , with their new found religion.

Stop your preaching and start showing us something we dont do ?

DOUNUTS IN CARPARKS ???? ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT ? Bring them on

This has got to do with sailing on the same heaving, pitching ,hissing, spitting wave sailng break ............ FOKFs

Either line up or **** off and play at your gay kiting grounds. Down wind

Bud boy bubbie............... Seven wounders of the world ....them kiting doods.

Slash or be slashed ......................

king of the point said...

Quote should read.

What is it with kiters anyway ????????

Even some old windsurfers **** me to tears , with their new found religion.

Stop your preaching and start showing us something we dont do ?

DOUNUTS IN CARPARKS ???? ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT ? Bring them on

This has got to do with sailing on the same heaving, pitching ,hissing, spitting wave sailng break ............ FOKFs

Either line up or **** off and play at your gay kiting grounds. Down wind

Bud boy bubbie............... Seven wounders of the world ....them kiting doods.

Slash or be slashed ......................

Your attitude is pretty crap.... what does FOKF stand for ? Tolerance of diversity is a virtue.

Thanks Slave...i knew what it meant just making a point- no wonder this stuff all gets out of hand...

airush geoff said...

What is it that makes windsurfers so narky towards kiters ? Being serious here...so no "boardshorts over wetsuits" or "metrosexual pretty boys" responses.

Is there actually a problem ? If we all took some time to understand each others sport I don't see any reason for the two sports not to co exist in harmony....

Is the problem just trolls in both forums stirring the pot or is there genuine angst ?

What the hey, here's my serious (long winded) response...

I have no problem with them (kiters) here in Sydney as we tend to stick to our own areas on Botany, probably due to the fact there is the airport exclusion zone for the kiters and us poleys (polies?) can get closer and sail at Kyeemagh in flatter water.

On the other hand at Safety Bay where I spend a few weeks each summer the kiters can be a bit difficult. Then again so can some of the windsurfers.

My main problem with this is that you tend to get a lot of kiters that do only very short runs and then a jump and then run back. This makes it difficult from a windsurfing perspective as one minute you are sailing behind a kite and all is fun, the next second he has done a jump and technically he has right of way (on a starboard tack).

It is this and the not looking before they jump that makes it a problem. The short runs also tend to lead to a lot of congestion at the northern end which can't be fun for any of us, especially when 'the pond' is heaps bigger and just as much fun over the other side.

I don't like coming in to practice a gybe from a port tack on the northern end and then having a kiter suddenly switch directions and thus he now has right of way again. If the kiters did longer runs then this end would not be as badly congested as it sometimes is now.

I think this has become a problem at the pond as there seems to be such a 'safe-feeling' place for people to learn to kite and to learn to windsurf and there really isn't much room. I have noticed last year while having a kite drop on me in this area, and this year helping a guy stop his drifting kite that this seems to be often made up of Euros (going by the babbling I heard).

To balance this out, I had to grin and bear it one day when a kiter (correctly) called out 'right-hand forward' to me when I didn't give him right of way I have had to call 'starboard' on a few windsurfers there as well when they get too enthusiastic in an 'out-pointing' competition.

It is actually fun sailing in Safety Bay when (usually in the afternoons) the kiters out on the water seem more capable and you know they know what they are doing. You can tell by the way they are more observant of their surroundings and the fact they do longer runs.

I have taken a few kiting lessons so far, but for me, it is still something that I will eventually learn when the wind is too light for windsurfing or I go someplace like Mackay where the water depth suggests kiting is a bit smarter.

Now back to our usual programming:

"I think they look funny and smell"

waveslave said...

airush geoff said...

Your attitude is pretty crap.... what does FOKF stand for ?

FOKF stands for fk off kite f.a.g.s. ^^^
Nice.
lol.

Waveslave...why would you receive red thumbs for explaining an acronym You seem to have kept the fun rivalry going between both sports through all this mud-slinging.

We have only a few windsurfers over here, and less kiters (1 at last count). I'd love to see more of both on the water, and out of interest I'd even like have a go have a go at kiting...the hardest part would be knowing that the wind's up, and I wouldn't be windsurfing. (Even got an offer to go for a sail in a mate's yacht on the weekend, but the wind was heading up to and above 20kts, so sadly, I had to decline.)

Frustration from overcrowding is obviously the issue, there mustn't be enough places to windsurf and kiteboard in QLD or WA, seeing that this is where most of the frustration is coming from. Try to work it out guys.....it's not entertaining anymore, the stirs and taunts have turned abusive, and too negative for what I like to consider as a good, helpful, fun website.

I think the moderators might have to get some members to pull their heads in a bit, and get back to the fun taunts again that were entertaining.

Sorry but i only respect kite when its over 25 kts.the 10 to 20 kts crew are the talk the talk stur it up check my pink fluro just got back from the eighties board shorts over my blk ass wette.