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The death of windsurfing

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Postby Guest » Thu Oct 17, 2002 6:10 am

Surfed
moved inland :sad:
Learned to windsurf
got jack of flat water started wave sailing and had to drive to the coast anyways.
Though I would get a kite for those light days. Got addicted. Even though all the launches are real sketchy around here and the wind really shite (think 5-25 kts) I still prefer to risk a swim than got sailing.
Just sold all the sailing gear for a 17m kite. I was going to keep the wave stuff, but chances are next year Ill have a job and will be able to afford brand new stuff if Im still keen so I sold that. Just starting to try riding the waves with the kite, and think Ill just stick with that.

Started on a directional (good for learning) then made a ply DT copy and havent used the directional since. I now ride a WT, but am thinking about making a mutant style board to try in the waves (for a little more grip) but the twin tip works sweet I dont think I will ever go back to a feet swaping directional though. twins are just too easy.

Laters,

Pete.

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Postby WildThang » Thu Oct 17, 2002 6:19 am

BTW Johnny,

Before you lay claim to inventing the kite-powered bodydrag, you better check and see if Ben Franklin didn't do it first.:smile:

It's interesting as you get older, you get more retrospective about how we as humans tick. What is it we dig so much about kitesurfing? Is it the freedom you feel skipping on top of the water. The rush one feels by getting launched into the air like on some amusement ride. The feeling of weightlessness as you glide in for a landing just to do it again and again? How about the spray in your face? Comraderie with fellow wind-junkies? Pushing things to the edge to scare ourselves silly? To me, all of these things appeal to me and more.

What gets me addicted to it though, is the challenge and the rewards. I think we humans are built to learn things, progress, we seek challenges and thrive on overcoming obstacles. The beauty of kitesurfing is in it's quick rewards. (Punishment is also more severe when you screw up!) As a new kitesurfer and an old windsurfer, I know exactly why I kite rather than go chophopping. It's because my level has plateaud windsurfing and to get the hi level of challenge, I need good conditions. Big wind and big swell. I can still scare myself silly pitching an end-over in OP conditions, but those days are few and far between.

In contrast, just jumping on a kite and working on hangtime gets me going. Plus I can do this in 12mph+ !! No more waiting for the perfect swell to hit.

Things might change for me as I get more years kitesurfing. I might get bored, just spinning around, 20 feet up, like my friend who kited exclusively for the last 4 years, but windsurfs now. Tells me that he's bored and can't get as good a workout kiting. So he works on his freestyle tricks with those new freestyle boards trying vulcans and spocks.

But until I get to that point, which I hope is never, I'll enjoy the ride!

-Eric

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Postby Toby » Thu Oct 17, 2002 7:31 am

very interesting to read that stuff, guys!

I started without windsurf background.
Whatever I did I loved jumping and I love the water. I always thought about windsurfing and then go jumping in the waves, but then it came to my mind, how long would I need to go into the waves like Maui and do these jumps? 10 years? more, less?
And then the horror scenario: I do a jump, crash down with my knee in between the mast and board and walking and sports will be over forever.
But then a friend showed me a vido of kiteboarding. Robby was boosting big airs and coming down like a feather.
Immediately I knew, that is my sport!
Unfortunately I started with a directional, 'cause there was nothing like a twintip. Damn, I could have skipped all the hate towards the jibes... :wink:

Someone ask the question, what will come after kiteboarding? Good question, but I can't imagine anything more spectacular than kiting. But we will see...

Cheers
Toby

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Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Oct 17, 2002 10:53 am

I've windsurfed for 22 years, and started kitesurfing 3 years ago.
Only directionals existed at that time.
Later on, when I became "good" - I switched to a very small directional, because as a windsurfer I loved to jibe (and it was easy for me...) !
Then I tried the TwinTips - and was a bit sceptical at first - but shortly after I "ditched" all directionals for good.
There were so many advantages with the newer TT's, that I stick with them now. So does almost all the rest here in Denmark. There are a few who uses Mutants now, but only a few (but some of these kiters are REALLY good).

I still windsurf though - and because of this, I don't need the directional/mutant kiteboard.
If I did not windsurf, I might consider a mutant kiteboard for the joy of spraying a jibe (which can be done on TT's too, but not as "hard" on the fins) !!!
But this feeling is IMO much better on a small windsurf board - and riding waves down the line can't be beaten.
I kitesurf every or every other day, and windsurf only occasionally - because of the rare presence of wind AND waves.
But when the conditions is right, it is "epic" to spray down the line.
Jumping in windsurfing is not THAT interesting any more though, but still fun...
The first two years I was kiting, I only windsurfed very rare. But then after my kitesurf has reached a high level, and I was out so often - I really missed the windsurfing again.
Windsurfing is a much better physical workout than kitesurfing - much more intense for all your body !
It is so much harder, especially on your upper body, and in waves where you don't use your harness.
So I lacked this physical workout too. Instead of going to a gym (which I hate), I love to get "worked" on the water instead !

The same with surfriding, somewhat. Here you also get a great physical workout at least for your shoulders/back. And I still like to surfride - it is a completely different feeling than kitesurfing or windsurfing.

Most other kitesurfers has stopped windsurfing - but it is often a matter of having (lacking) the excess energy to keep both sports present.

I also like now and then, to go out with the 100% windsurfers, and do freestyle on small boards in planing conditions.
It is amazing what can be done today - rotations/tricks in even more different ways than in kitesurfing (Grubbys, Diabolos etc).

Having said this, I must add, that most of the time is spent kitesurfing - I love it !
(have a background as a glider-pilot and hangglider earlier)

I don't think windsurfing is dead - it will just have another (much smaller) size.
And one might often think: Should I have windsurf gear, when I don't use it nearly as much as kitesurf ?
I think that new kitesurfers won't ever start windsurfing - it is way to hard to get good at it, compared to kitesurfing.
But many new windsurfers (freestyle/wave) who learn fast on todays windsurf gear - will stick to windsurfing, and might add kitesurfing for the less windy days.

I am amazed to see that I am all alone in doing both (all three) sports - is this really true ?

But things might change slowly (both ways...), as kitesurfing becomes a more established sport.
---
Love the ocean - being out there, and what you can do out there !

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Postby Guest » Thu Oct 17, 2002 1:58 pm

I still use my windsurfing boards as kite surfing directionals. The straps are now moved forward closer to the CG. Also added thruster fins.

What used to my small high wind windsurfing speedboard is now my huge lightwind kiteboard(and still speedboard!).
What used to be my lightwind course racing board is now my rescue kyak!

Then a twin tip for good days and jumping.

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Postby Toby » Thu Oct 17, 2002 2:28 pm

I know some guys still doing all three sports.Not many though.
The most famous in Germany is Henning Nockel:
top5 windsurfer, top5 kiter and top5 surfer in GER.

I'm still busy with just one sport, but 3 ?
So he could go on the water almost all the time!

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Postby Dwight » Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:00 pm

Hey Peter,

Our backgrounds are identical, same sports, same years. My first 2 years kiting, I only windsurfed 2 or 3 times all year. I noticed my windsurfing skills were not as good anymore. Less skill and fun, convinced me to give it up. I also believed that kiting would advance to the point where wave riding with a kite, could be just as good, just different. The Wave Tray has made this a reality for me. I also think kiting in very high winds may become more fun as kites get better. We are seeing some improvement there already.

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Postby RickI » Thu Oct 17, 2002 3:51 pm

Well met guys. From all the input that I have read, it seems that hang gliders/paragliders, windsurfers and now kiteboarders have offered a lot of good perspective to this sport. They are all inertia sports as I like to call them and heavily weather dependent. In the case of hang gliding/paragliding and kiteboarding, weather can really make or ruin your day if you allow it to do so. It can happen in windsurfing but to a lessor degree. The combined experience of the three sports building weather judgment and water sense has helped to advance the sport of kiteboarding and largely through posts on the Internet and by word of mouth. So, keep tossing in that perspective from cross-over sports, it is doing kiteboarding some good!

Fly, sail, shred on!
Rick Iossi

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: RickI on 2002-10-17 16:52 ]</font>

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Postby Foxi » Thu Oct 17, 2002 4:11 pm

I agree with you and would probably join if I had access to endless beaches you seemingly have to .. If you´d be living close to small lakes with few accesses to be shared with surfers and swimmers, you´d be argueing differently. On lake Garda/Italy e.g., one of the most famous euopean inland spots, you won´t find more than 3-5% kiters on the water. Won´t ever chance. You´re handling a sports tool of 30m extention and that´s what limits kiting inland dramatically.

aloha

HT

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Postby Blow Me » Thu Oct 17, 2002 5:18 pm

Blowme, that kinda sounded gay..."And the Younger Guys Ride the Bi's", but then what can we expect from someone named BLOWME?
haha...ehh, yeah, I guess it did sound gay. lol... :/

I was drawn into KiteSurfing because of the Amount of Air You Guys Get. I love to Bungee Jump, and SkyDive, as well as Scuba Dive. I love the sensation you get when you are in the air, and the Flying (SuperMan) sensation you get when you are Scuba/SkyDiving.

I think it was about 2 years ago now when I first say KiteSurfing PiX. Another thing that really got me is how Massive the Kites Are. I have NEVER seen a kite that big before. It was just incredible. I have yet to see a 20 Meter Kite in person, but I can't wait to!

Anway, thats why I'm in it. I want the Air! Its all about the Air.


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