JonesySail said..

wes Greene said...

teabaggin said..
Ive been windsurfing since 1982 . I took up kiting in 2000 . I was stoked to find a sport where you could boost so easily but a few injuries did come with it. Windsurfing gear only got used very occasionally in the first 6 years of kiting. Missed the feeling of really blasting along on flat water and riding waves DTL on a windsurfer so stocked up with latest windsurfing gear. Was great to get back to windsurfing. Now I kitesurf and windsurf , it feels so good to be doing both.

there is answer.....

do both

Another vote for doing both, kiting is super handy for travel and light winds and or shallow water spots, but when it's windy I prefer to windsurf.
A lot depends on location and conditions to which is one is the better option.

Yes, but what did you take up first? Windsurfing I bet. In which case the theory still holds.

I started windsurfing and kiting at the same time. Could go and turn around on a kite before i could plane on a windsurfer.

Now, I pretty much only windsurf. I kite when its a 15kt seabreeze or when im on a surf trip with mates who have their kiting gear and i didnt bother taking my gear.

You look at both sports on paper and kiting is heaps better. It less physical(although my knees hate kiting), can hook around in light wind easier, the gear is simple and easy to buy/sell, its easier to travel.

But its not windsurfing. Windsurfing is awesome...

I started windsurfing in Holland when I was 6. When I moved to Bali there was simple not enough wind to windsurf so I sticked to surfing. Then in 2003 I picked up kiteboarding as the little wind we have in Bali was enough to have fun with a kite. If Bali would have had enough wind, I most likely would not have picked up kiteboarding. Then a few years back we started a small resort in East Java and it turned out to be a super windy location. My friends left me some windsurfing gear and I started windsurfing again. Now when it's windy I have a choice to make. Most often I take out my windsurfing gear. That's probably because my first love with windsurfing and the sport is just more demanding and fun to do. I ride boards around the 80-85 liters and mostly on a 4.9 - 5.0. Unfortunately the water is flat at Tabuhan Island but we do have plenty of wind from May until October averaging between 15 - 25 knots. The nearest waves are at G-Land (lefts) and have started to explore the right-handers on the other side of this peninsula.

Kiteboarders are great if they stay out of the way. Some are good, some dunno!

jeroen said..
The nearest waves are at G-Land (lefts) and have started to explore the right-handers on the other side of this peninsula.

G-Land still exists? I swear I haven't seen nor heard of it for about two decades.

yeah the gear takes up less space if you only have one kite. but it's an invalid argument, it's like saying i only body board because it's less gear, or body surf. if i do a windsurf trip I'm taking 1 board, 2 sails (rolled as one) 1 mast, 1 boom and extension, and 1 or 2 surf boards, so I imagine if i'm kiting i would take 2 kites, kites board, one or 2 surf boards, plus lines and ****, it still equals at least 2 bags.

and this thread is stupid, it's like asking Gays that have changed to be straight. the answer is who cares, as long as your getting your rocks off.

Learning to windsurf is a frustrating PITA, I can't imagine many kiters that would be willing to go through that when they can already kite.

Zed said..
Learning to windsurf is a frustrating PITA, I can't imagine many kiters that would be willing to go through that when they can already kite.

"I can't imagine many kiters" Many! So far we haven't unearthed even one! Barri is the only one even close, he started windsurfing and kiting at the same time.