Windsurf or Kitesurf or both

[flipperade]

OK i used to be a hard core surfer for 32 years everything else was just whatever, then i started supping and i thought hey this is really fun, so tomorrow i have my first kite surf lesson and on tuesday my first windsurf lesson, Know a lot of u peeps esp the watermen/waterwomen do all sorts of water sports but PLEASE WITHOUT STARTING AN ARGUEMENT what are the pros and cons of kitesurfing and windsurfing?

Adrian (South Wales UK)

[Russell]

Hi Adrian.

This one is hard for me but maybe it will help you to understand as I am new to S.U.P.

I have always tried anything that is new to me regarding the sea and taken it to a level where I have been able to teach the respective sport to those wishing to teach it.

I have a wonderful time now in learning S.U.P. From surf Kayak I can teach how to use the paddle, From surf I can teach surfing, but I must learn the elements in S.U.P. as knowing the two does not really help.

I too do not want to start an argument but you can not compare the two, they are totally different. I spent 3 years taking kite surfing to my maximum and gave up because I considered it to dangerous. But now I am back into it, as the kites have become much safer and more easy to use in surf orientated circumstances.

Windsurfing, I have been teaching for 30 years, of which 20 years teaching people how to teach it at all levels.

What ever you do on the sea. is about making the most of it. If you are lucky enough to be a water man you have more options, thats all.

One thing I know is you must learn a sport and take it as far as you can before you can judge it.

So if you have started windsurfing and kitesurfing, take it to your maximum and enjoy every second of it and then judge.

To me I enjoy every second on the water no matter what sport I am doing and I look forward to any new opportunities I get.

Russell.

[Weasels wake]

Wow, this is kinda a scary question, I've experienced quite a bit of politics on the beach, between these two sports, territorial type politics.  So the question can lead some of us into a minefield, so I'll try to step lightly. 
I'm a hardcore windsurfer, have been since '84, and I have no plans on going out to get a kite.  I've seen many of my friends give up windsurfing for the 'easier on the body' and 'easier to learn' kitesurfing.  Around here, the windsurfers are generally stronger and better surfers, then are many, but not all, of the kiters.  Many, but not all, kiters no nothing about surfing etiquette, hence the politics.
So in short, if you want the sport that you can pick up quicker, go for the kiting, but if you want the sport that requires more innate surfing skills, go for the windsurfing, but it will take longer to master. 
Keeping in mind that this is just my point of view from a 'within the inpact zone' point of view, not flat water.
This is why SUP works out for me so well when the winds are light or nonexistant, I don't have to deal with all the kiters, they're everywhere now.
Between the two, there's more 'soul' in windsurfing,,,,,,,, just my 2 bucks worth.

[photosettle]

I've windsurfed for about 20 years.  I'm landlocked so i'm no pro.  I'm a very average wavesailor.  I tried kiting about 7 years ago when it was just taking off.  I bought a kite and had trouble with the bridal lines.  I won't go into detail, but i felt like i was fishing.... knots and tangles, etc.  I'm sure equipment has vastly improved so this may not be an issue anymore.  It just seamed tedious and also, finding the right place to launch seems like more of an issue.  Not to mention the danger to others if you screw up.  (again, i've been told equipment has improved so this issue may be less of an issue today).  After a few days on the water, i sold the kite.  With limited experience I felt like learning to fly the kite was the challenge... the riding came easy.   
I sold the kite for a few reasons. 
a)  another sport to invest loads of cash was not really practical for me.
b) the danger to others issue
c)  I live in a place that is really windy.  I rarely see kiters where  i sail. 

If i lived in a place with consitant 15-20 knot winds, i may reconsider the kiting thing and give it a whirl... especially if surfing was not an option. 

Windsurfing has soul like Weasels Wake said.  It is very complimentary to SUPing.  Add a mast track and you got a 2 in 1 board.  For my area, i feel like a wave board with a a few sails and a SUP board is really all i need to get on the water 99% of the time.  add a mast track to my SUB and i'd say it would be closer to 99.9% of the time.

I had  friend that was asking the same question a couple years ago.   He lived near hood river.  after a lot of thinking, he finally went w/ the windsurfing option.  I'm glad he did and he seems to have no regrets.

However, i think the answer to your question might depend on where you live.  Like i said, if you are only going to be using large sails(bigger than 6.0 or so, i might consider the kiting route?  I'd talk to some kiters to see what the 'ideal' wind range is though.  My unknowledgeable thinking is 15 - 20 knots is ideal but maybe kiters can chime in here if i'm wrong.  Windsurfing (in my opinion) gets good right about 20 knots or more. 

OK... that was my 2 schillings worth. 

[stevenson91@cox.net]

I have surfed for 42 years. I have always been attracted to the water and watersports. Started on longboards when that was all there was. Switched to shortboards when they came along. Windsurfing piqued my curiosity when that happened. Did that for 20 years and then Kiteboarding appeared on the scene. Looked fun and seemed like they were on the water a lot sooner and did a lot more with the conditions at hand regardless of wind strength. Tried it  ( at the age of 50)and went through the learning curve( steep and fast) Went windsurfing maybe 2 or 3 times more before giving it up totally for the kite. Don't regret it a bit. It may not be for everyone but I think it is more fun and requires just as much strength and skill as any high performance sport. The same guys who inspired me to try kiting exposed me to SUP. Perfect compliment to Kiting. I've only used my prone longboards once since I got my SUP. I'm sure I wont give up prone surfing totally but I'm loving SUP so much I think it will probably take a distant backseat to SUPing. I'll never windsurf again though even though it consumed me back then the same way that kiting and now SUPing does today. Gotta keep some of the gear though because my wife still Windsurfs.

Glenn

 

[Scotty Mac]

Great posts all. Good to see some adult opinions, not the kiddy comments as you see on some forums. I started windsurfing then kiting for a few years but then went back to windsurfing. Kiting is definately easier to learn, more compact and more fun in flat water. Windsurfing is harder and more satisfying in waves. It totally depends on 3 things I think. Where you live and the conditions, what you friends mosly do and how you feel your self about each of the two. Good luck, let your feelings guide you.

[heave]

I did both for a few years a while back and was really liking the new kiting sensation.  It eventualy wore off and I cancelled it.  I continue to find more enjoyment in wavesailing.  Windsurfing the SUP board in waves is a blast.

[patfly]

Great question and great answers.
I have a number of years of serious fun with first windsurfing and then kiting. One meaningful difference is the portability of kiting. They are both great fun. Being able to carry a complete rig in a small car and not needing racks are real pluses for kiting.
I am a learning curve guy.  The challange of a new sport is a good part of the thrill for me. It also seems that I enjoy sports that are just emerging. I started windsurfing when boards were 12-13' and kiting when they had only 2 lines.
It is interesting to here people talk of how easy kiting is to learn. It kicked my butt for a year (1998). It has really changed.
Stand up paddling  is great fun and either of the wind sports are likely a good compliment to it.

[1tuberider]

Also consider your prevailing conditions.  If the winds tend to be lighter (< 20 kts) kiting will be better, but if you deal with high winds then windsurfing is better. 


The other consideration is cost.  You start out with windsurfing gear for beginners then out grow it.  You need a lot of gear for windsurfing for the various wind ranges.  I am not a kiter but they also have multiple setups.  To do both is just going to cost twice as much.  I have over 10k in windsurfing gear.


I consider kiting to be dangerous for me.  Jumps tend to get way high and wind will take you over things that are hard to land on.  Plus when your gear fails, what do you have for floatation? 

So for me when the wind is high enough to windsurf, I do, but if the wind is not strong enough then I would sup.  Kiting wind is not going to keep me off sup, it is just going to make a better workout.

[WindJunkie]

My perspective is that I’ve been kiting since 2002.  There are a lot of pros for kiting vice windsurfing.  Gear packs down small and easy to transport and travel.  With the depower ability of today’s kites it’s a lot easier to shred surf style with multiple turns on one wave.  You have the flexibility to ride toe side and heal side.  I’ve never seen a windsurfer go toe side, is it possible?  You don’t need much of a board to get planning, so even a heavy guy like me (200+) can ride a 6 ft surfboard for wave riding.  You can also pull the trigger and pull a 20 plus foot jump at will and glide back to earth as soft as a feather.  Putting all these factors together with the progression of wave riding in both windsurfing and kiteboarding I think the wave riding potential is better in kiting.

From the folks that I know that have converted from windsurfers to kiters, the biggest thing I get is that kiting is much easier on the body. 

There are cons to kiting.  I think the biggest is safety.  Although depower on kites have vastly improved over the last couple of years it’s still damn spooky when the wind suddenly changes from a nice 15 mph to a blistering 30 mph.  Not as easy to get rid of kite and lines as it is to drop a sail.  There is a serious potential to get lifted or dragged against your will and thrown into solid objects that can kill you.  The other thing is dealing with lines which is dangerous if you get tangled in them or worse tangle someone else in them.  If you’re a speed demon, I think the ability for your regular joe schmoe to go ridiculously fast on the water is greater on a windsurfer.  I remember times I thought I was flying, and a windsurfer would rip past me.  That being said the last I checked the record for fastest kiteboard speed is faster than the fastest windsurfer.  Last thing, launching and landing a kite solo is not easy and not recommended for the beginner. 

Since I started stand up, my kite time has gone down a lot.  Winds on oahu have calmed down over the last few years.  Which is why I started stand up.  Also, kiting takes a lot of time.  With my current family duties it’s not feasible to run away for 4 hours and not have an irritated wife waiting for me at home.  I guess I’m also hooked on stand up right now.

Btw 1tuberider, kites are inflatable and full of air.  Lots of floatation.

[wavehobbit]

As I've told all my kite friends,,,it's all good.  And all the sports go thru ebs and flows of being the in and out sport.  Look at surfing a decade ago....and now it's come back with a fury.  Funny how people really want to you join the gang.  My first love was surfing and I still shortboard every chance I get.  And then there's the times its windy and my surf buds get mad because I'm going windsurfing.  But the difference is the multitude of waves I can catch in a session vs bitching about the wind if I was surfing.
I kited a bit too.....and I think if I was landlocked on some flat water some where I'd do more of it.  But I love windsurfing as I feel in touch with the wave....even on a shlogging day.  The Suping is just the icing on the cake.  NO more staying dry on a knee high day......the only thing that has suffered is my longboards which are now wall ornaments.  I'll take the SUP anyday over the longboard.  And now I've even nixed shortboarding on some days to tackle suping outside sandbars when it's big. 
Windsurfing and Kiting are what I call apex sports.  They both take some serious water time......and commitment to reap the maximum benefit from.  Neither will be mainstream sports like (basketball, football, soccer ect) Only a few people in either sport stay with it and when the it's really rocking out there in mother ocean....it really seperates the weekend warriors from those who are truly in love with it.  Whatever you pick, stay with it,,,give it a chance,,,,,the possibilities of where and when you can put yourself in life experiences you never dreamed of is endless. 
OK...slight retraction.....if you live in HI or PR surfing is the mainstream sport..... 
PS You can always throw a rig on your SUP and play with windsurfing that way....it has alot of soul. 

[DavidJohn]

I think it's hard to compare the two..or three.

It's sorta like comparing walking and cycling with motorbikes and cars.

I've windsurfed for more than 30yrs and love the way you can SUP with your friends and talk and chat to each other as you do it.

I also like the movement in the excersize..instead of being hooked in and fighting the sail or kite in a rigid stance.

I never thought I'd find something to replace windsurfing because I love it so much..but I think I have..or it could be that I just love SUP more right now.. 

DJ

[novaboy]

I started windusrfing and surfing about 20 years ago, and then got out of it for about 7 years to follow a dream of doing an Ironman triathlon. Once that was over I got back into it 2 years ago, as well as kiting. I enjoy both. Windsurfing is much harder to learn in my opinion, and it can take a whole summer just to progress to shortboard, whereas with kiting you can be up and riding a little board in a weekend. I enjoy windsurfing more, it stirs my soul more than kiting. I started SUPing a couple of months ago, and it "stirred" my soul the same way windsurfing does. My kite has taken a little bit of backseat lately. Do whatever makes you feel good. Who cares what you're riding on the water, as long as your having fun.

Maybe I'll try the kite out with the SUP on those lightwind days................

Despite what REAL Kiteboarding seem to think, windsurfing is not dead.

[1tuberider]

Can you make way paddling a kite?  It may float but it will take you with the current or wind. 

I want to be able to self rescue on my flotation device.  Yes you can stay with it, but try to self rescue instead of waiting for help.  Most distressed kiters seem to be helpless when broken down, where a wind surfer deriggs and paddles back.  I have seen windsurfers also not able to self rescue but that is not because their boards were disabled.  This is why I feel kiting is more dangerous.  In a swift current or a half mile out in the ocean the kiter will have a much more difficult time getting back to shore on their own.

Another sport I am not interested in is white water kayaking.  I know of to many dead kayakers and my friends who still do it tell me about some really bad situations.

Spent last week windsurfing in the gorge.  Saw lots of kiters.  Their performance level continues to get better every year.  Many more doing it also.  I even felt comfortable sailing near some as they were able to control their kites.  In the surf zone they are simply amazing but for me I think it is two dangerous. 

Be safe

[hhscsup]

I've been windsurfing since the 1980's and never been seriously hurt. I recently took up kite surfing and just last month came out of the air in shallow water and blew up my ankle. After surgery and two months out of the water, all I want to do is get back on my paddle board and go for a surf with my bros.
Peace