The intention with sailing a SUP is to use a big floaty board and a small sail around 3-4m. The sail gets you going at the same speed as paddling except you can cruise around using the breeze and go upwind. As long as you can stand on the board you can get moving. The small light rig reduces the risk of falling when the wind drops out to nothing.

The difference between kiting and others is you are planing in the 8-10-12 knot range. You can use a raceboard or even a not terribly big sheet of plywood works well as a light wind board and it all fits in the back of a standard car.

A top of the range kite raceboard costs $1500 complete (not including the kite). You can build a plywood board for $200 including straps and pads.

The cool dudes use skim boards and wake skates in light wind. That's essentially a sheet of ply with grip glued on it. You could get away with wax.

Personally I don't love kite race boards. They're uncomfortable to ride and a bit cumbersome to gybe in very light winds. The fins on them are wickedly sharp.

Mark _australia said...



Agreed - but
I know lots of kiters who used to windsurf. After 5 - 8 years ish for these guys, they really want to come back to windsurfing a sthey feel kiting in the waves is limited and as very very good kiters they are running out of stuff to do, and want to go back to doing loops and actually surfing waves not just be dragged along them and wiggle rail to rail a bit.

Before the kiters' lynching and flaming me starts, that is their words not mine. Lots of them wanna come back

i'm calling bull**** on this. nobody "runs out of stuff to do" in any sport, even the top pros. this is especially true for a sport still in its infancy.
if they are so bored then why are they still kiting?

^^^ Yeh right, that's hilarious.

Mobydisc said...

terminal said...

This is about the best advert for kiting I have seen. Kiting on a raceboard does extend the the useable wind down to at least 8 knots, so it could fit in below the windsurf range.

Its quite enjoyable to windsurf on a big board and small sail in the 3 to 10 knot range and doing some freestyle. So no, a kite raceboard's range doesn't fit below windsurfing range.

Correct. Even in 3-5 kts, you can cruise out and enjoy some zen moments on the water - provided your board is floaty enough, otherwise it's a bit of a struggle.

I've seen kiters arrive at the beach in the morning, inflate their kites, sit around all day, then pack up and go home...and then there's the ones stuck outside when the wind drops

When the first kites appeared at our patch around 2002 I have to admit I was planning to morph a little way down the track because the only guys kiting were fellow windsurfers and it did look like a new challenge back then. We all used to sail together and all was cool.
But then a few ABSOLUTE TOOLS turned up with their new kites, they made complete dicks of themselves on the beach and on the water! Even though I know some great guys who kite, and we have good spirited rivalry, the sport does seem to attract more than its share of kock-heads which is unfortunate, because kiting might have otherwise had some appeal to me back then. (I hadn't been windsurfing long and was still spending a lot of time swimming)
Further, I can understand guys who only get to sail in light conditions might want to try something a bit different, and if there were more ex-windsurfers kiting, there might be a bit more respect on the water?
Finally, I must stress I accept peoples choice to kite, just the same as I accept peoples choice be gay

here we go the old australian pigeon hole...why do we do this...everyone get in your box...and dont dare come out lest your mates may see you..here is some advise from a crusty old bastard....I turned 60 last week and started surfing when I was 10, so I have just clocked up 50 years of surfing and I still love it like I did when I was in my twentys....I have tried anything that lets you ride a wave...started windsurfing on the original one design and as soon as I could waterstart I was in the waves...(not on the one design I might add).... for twenty or so years I thought it was the best thing ever (although still not as good as surfing)...then along came kiting...who would have thought...you could be whipped into a wave...with no foggy milar window obscuring your veiw....riding a 5'6" down the line at mach speed....and be able to get back to the take off in one short tack...holding nothing but a tiny little bar.....dont sell your sailboard kit...but dont waste time either...its easy to do and its a huge buzz...and you know...if your on a good thing stick to it.........but if you find something better.....switch.

busterwa said...

this is my fav windsurfing vid i think its one or the other not sure if i have the time and wind to master both.Igguess both sports are fun which ever you choose its about being active and healthy and having enjoyment along the way !!!
There will allways be windsurfers and there will allways be kitesurfers!

well said buster..to each his own however there could be both at the same time tooregards

Havent yet seen a 5' 6" board draw a good line down a 6 to 10 foot face yet,
Especially on the end of a kite.

Only if there was an Adult section to say what you wanted with out mediators ,that would be fun.

u win kite bitch