tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post5325853776352291138..comments2024-02-19T00:55:11.075-10:00Comments on maui surf report: To kite or not to kite...cammarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-51329814399293850122008-04-27T11:15:00.000-10:002008-04-27T11:15:00.000-10:00hi jp, as a waterman you should off and on do som...hi jp, as a waterman you should off and on do some real kite "surfin" all these sports we do are just like music. suurf is the clasical mussic. the basics the essential. ...the rest are just styles. hiphop, sould, blues metal...who cares what you play. <BR/><BR/>just enjoy your wy. express yourself.<BR/><BR/>greetings from paradise.desenfeinathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00865815323324756278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-3199300328112720082008-04-26T07:03:00.000-10:002008-04-26T07:03:00.000-10:00Thanks Joe!.Nope, no idea...Thanks Joe!.<BR/>Nope, no idea...cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-86953776781249150622008-04-25T23:39:00.000-10:002008-04-25T23:39:00.000-10:00Hellocongratulations with your Blog!Very well done...Hello<BR/>congratulations with your Blog!<BR/>Very well done, fun to read and watch! Keep up that vibe.<BR/>Any idea yet about who the mystery kiter is?<BR/>regards, Joe (BE)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-66889565678165255362008-04-21T07:02:00.000-10:002008-04-21T07:02:00.000-10:00Yo James,I remember you did a similar post, I didn...Yo James,<BR/>I remember you did a similar post, I didn't remember the title... sorry, didn't mean to copy it!<BR/>Be sure that if I try kitesurfing again, you'll know it from this blog.<BR/>And I do want to try. But I want to do it in a day with a steady 12-14 knots breeze and completely flat on both north and south shores (hence, with nothing better to do). Trust me, there's very, very few of those days in Maui... thank god!cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-65586020732880989832008-04-20T16:39:00.000-10:002008-04-20T16:39:00.000-10:00:) Heh heh. I guess this is a big question for a...:) Heh heh. I guess this is a big question for all windsurfers. <BR/><BR/>http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2008/01/to-kite-or-not-to-kite.html<BR/><BR/>I hope you do give it a try because I'd like to hear your take after you've done both.James Douglasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15380226220764974087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-55085423822929334072008-04-19T07:20:00.000-10:002008-04-19T07:20:00.000-10:00Stuart,please don't apologize from posting such a ...Stuart,<BR/>please don't apologize from posting such a good comment again.<BR/>That's the kind of discussion I wanted to promote.cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-51588508666259543272008-04-19T02:26:00.000-10:002008-04-19T02:26:00.000-10:00Hey GP - the whole dragging your hand in the water...Hey GP - the whole dragging your hand in the water thing definitely brings kiting closer to surfing, but I don't know if it makes kiting or windsurfing any more dynamic than the other one. Robbie Naish's kiteboarding and windsurfing bottom turns are equally hard, full-g, and badass. <BR/><BR/>Kiters drag their hand the same way a windsurfer lays the rig all the way down to the water, turning their bodies back up to the wave.<BR/><BR/>I look at my favorite riders from both sports - felix pivek and ben wilson kiting and polakow and angulo for windsurfing (sorry for my choices, folks), and you can't really say that one sport can do something any more radically or 'stylie' than the other, and the power/style range is still super-broad for both sports. Also, more really good surfers are learning to kite (as apposed to windsurfing) as their high-wind alternative and it's bringing the overall level of game up more quickly in kiteboarding than it is in windsurfing. I feel many windsurfers don't know the waves as intimately as surfers, and so that will affect the style and progression of the sport in relation to kiting. Ultimately, though, you should ask Robbie or another crossover great (Sean, Cabrinha, etc) for their expert opinions and just settle the matter. I guess what I just want to see is kiters looking at windsurfers and being like "man, they rip" and for windsurfers to say the same thing about kiting - something that just doesn't happen enough here on the east coast (of the US), where there's still so much residual hatred and misunderstanding on both sides because people feel the need to be better than another person and Americans always feel like they have to be on the winning team (ergo the other has to be the loser). Last comment, and I'll be done: here on hatteras island, the overall level of kiting is higher than the overall level of windsurfing, largely because all of the top kiters also used to kill it windboarding. While wavesailing has always looked super-cool on maui, wavesailing is just now starting to get to a respectable level of cool again way over here on the EC. So far, kiteboarders here have been much more willing to progress gear/style wise, whereas windsurfing is still stuck on the astrorock and 30% carbon masts. Again, sorry for the longwindedness and thanks for the post and for the awesome blog. - stuartAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-33128605149072530212008-04-18T22:45:00.000-10:002008-04-18T22:45:00.000-10:00Stuart,thanks a lot for a remarkable contribution....Stuart,<BR/>thanks a lot for a remarkable contribution. What do you think about the advantage of having the possibility of sticking one hand in the water in the bottom turn in kitesurfing? I think it's huge. That guy I saw was bottom turning like a slalom snowboarder...<BR/><BR/>Jeff,<BR/>thanks for the link, you guys do some pretty amazing jumps. Sure, I see what you mean about kite and wakeboarding. I personally hate ever sport that involves the use of an engine, specially in the water. To the point that even though I love riding waves, I refuse to do any tow-in surfing, because of the stinky smell and annoying noise of the jet-ski.cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-25371050953701639892008-04-18T17:13:00.000-10:002008-04-18T17:13:00.000-10:00Look, kiteboarding is basically wakeboarding, with...Look, kiteboarding is basically wakeboarding, with a kite substituted for the boat. I can tell you for a fact that many kiters I know came to the sport from wakeboarding. Don't believe it? Click my link, and see for yourself where kiting comes from. Now what does that tell you? Some people find a thrill in getting dragged around like a teabag in a big cuppa. Others find their thrill being whipped and beaten by a leather-clad dominatrix. After that pig post of yours, don't get any ideas, Cammar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-13763321074397713292008-04-18T16:35:00.000-10:002008-04-18T16:35:00.000-10:00to windsurf or kite (or both?)?I just happen to li...to windsurf or kite (or both?)?<BR/><BR/>I just happen to live, sail (I dabble in kiting, surfing, SUP and longboard wavesailing as well), and work on Hatteras Island myself, and I think there are advantages to both sports (kiting and windsurfing) in the waves. But before I compare the two, I just want to let people know that the new kites go and stay upwind really well, maybe even better than windsurfers. And windsurfers can, have done, and do downwinders -- they're normally just much shorter than one you'd do kiting because you can't go dead-downwind.<BR/><BR/>Okay, but now to the point: kites pull you up, windsurfing rigs push down on the board. So: for good waves bottom turns are better on windsurfers, topturns are better for kiters. On crappy waves, kitesurfing is much more manueverable on the wave. When it's big, kiters have the advantage in getting out because of being pulled up; but once on the wave kites can stall out and fall out of the sky so you can't really push that bottom turn as well, whereas the windsurf rig just buries the rail and pulls you up to the top of the wave and it doesn't matter whether there's wind on the inside or not. Windsurfers can ride backside (upwind) on a wave either towards the peak to get deeper into the wave or towards the shoulder if on the backside of the wave, whereas kiters are pretty-much limited to stalling out and waiting for the wave to move to them (when it's side-sideoff). Windsurfing is better from 25-50 (5.0-3.4), kiting is better -way better - from 13-20. oh, and arial-off-the-lips are sicker for windsurfing than in kiting because of the negative dangle factor with a kite, and nothing is more soulfully badass than a tweaked backloop on a windsurfer; but if you've ever been schlogging on a windboard and had a push a tweaked move over your head on a kite, it all evens out. kiting is sicker 'cause you can get barrels whereas if you've seen josh angulo upside-down under the lip you realize there's some things you can't do with a kite....and lastly, kiting is easier to learn than windsurfing, easier on the body than windsurfing, and you Can launch/land by yourself but you'd better not kite side-off by yourself and not until you're legit. but neither are necessarily better than the other.<BR/>Ultimately, it's a feel thing: with windsurfing you're directly connected to your gear, whereas with kiting the kite is, to an extent, just a slightly-attached motor that pulls you where you want to go. I love the feeling I get from windsurfing, but I'll rig up with a kiter any day and have no problems sharing waves with someone on a different vessel.<BR/><BR/>sorry to add yet another long thread to an already long discussion.... stuart proctor, avon ncAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-42474363178786321392008-04-17T07:38:00.000-10:002008-04-17T07:38:00.000-10:00Olaf,Kuau is a demanding place that requires a lot...Olaf,<BR/>Kuau is a demanding place that requires a lot of local knowledge, even more than Hookipa. <BR/>Not recommended to any visitors.<BR/>I think the injured was an Israeli guy, don't know his name.<BR/>Hope you had a successful happiness pursuit in the powder.cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-43990962774898892892008-04-17T04:29:00.000-10:002008-04-17T04:29:00.000-10:00"Kitesurfers have sailed/surfedmavericks.http://ww..."Kitesurfers have sailed/surfed<BR/>mavericks.<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0n9ACA0gro<BR/>what about windsurfers?"<BR/><BR/>Yeah that was cool! They also surfed Jaws many times but in my opinion it was more about dropping in the shoulder that a 'legitimate' ride.<BR/>Windsurfers and tow surfer are really riping Jaws...<BR/>MarcosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-72297469387487766862008-04-17T04:21:00.000-10:002008-04-17T04:21:00.000-10:00GP, Who broke thier leg while wave sailing?I only ...GP, Who broke thier leg while wave sailing?<BR/>I only hear horror stories about that place. Heart attacks from exaustion swimming aganst the strong channel current.Shark,whale, fishermen,agro local incounters,not to mention ocasional swarms of down winding kiters with out a clue as to wave edicate! Lots of lost and never found gear,rescue after rescue nothing really that good!<BR/><BR/>I live in a world that is supported by kites and sails, with only a few exceptions all the partisipents of each activity are great and stoked folks. It seems like we are all getting along just fine.<BR/><BR/>There is a foot of fresh powder where I am this morning and I am just about to meet up with my bros.Some of us will be snow boarding and some sking. It's sort of like the kite/ sail thing we are each exercising our inalienable right to persue happiness!I gotta go and shovel out my truck and warm it up, lock it into four wheel drive and bust out of this drive way and go SCHRED!!! See ya (on the Rock and in the straps) in a few days.Ahoha,OlafAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-57226828913212305522008-04-17T04:14:00.000-10:002008-04-17T04:14:00.000-10:00"he said it was to protect the neopreen :)"This is..."he said it was to protect the neopreen :)"<BR/>This is absolutely true. Specially at the beginning when kites had no depower, you got dragged a lot on the beach. I was dragged over some rocks with my 2-line Naish and ripped my new wetsuit. Started using short on top for a while. Now with the depowering kites not only you can ride waves, you also avoid getting dragged most of the time. So now the shorts on top are just an obsolete identity statement.<BR/>MarcosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-76326875165356889702008-04-16T22:45:00.000-10:002008-04-16T22:45:00.000-10:00ow, sorry, will try to pay attention to it...quote...ow, sorry, will try to pay attention to it...<BR/><BR/><I>quote carles: "Apart of that funny look of the shorts over the neoprene suits. I can't understand that!!!"</I><BR/><BR/>didn't understand it to, i asked a guy on the beach last year, he said it was to protect the neopreen :)<BR/>it's because they do a serious amount of scraping (is it scraping?) on beaches, climbers (again, don't know correct word, wave breaker perhaps?), etc ...<BR/>otherwise they have to renew their suit quit often...<BR/>that's what he told me..fswphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07987240708934821709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-36980788951227943362008-04-16T21:46:00.000-10:002008-04-16T21:46:00.000-10:00Anon,if you're really tired of reading things writ...Anon,<BR/>if you're really tired of reading things written on this blog, there's a very easy way not to read them anymore... <BR/>I love when people tells me what I should or shouldn't write on my blog just because it touches their nerves... amazing how many masochists out there!<BR/>Justify? Defensive??? ... next, please.<BR/><BR/>Jamie,<BR/>as for your point 1 - I believe you can go places kitesurfing. Two years ago, the wind for the Maui Molokai challenge was light and only a bunch of kitesurfers could do it. Most of the windsurfers had to be rescued. I did it on my longboard together with Matt Schweitzer and it was a blast. Here's an <BR/><A HREF="http://www.windsurfingmag.com/article.jsp?ID=43584" REL="nofollow">article</A> I wrote for Windsurfing mag.<BR/>And even if you were right, we don't windsurf or kitesurf to go places, we do it 'cause it's fun.<BR/>Been SUP wavesailing for four years... it's a huge amount of fun. The perfect sails for that are CLEARLY the Superfreaks.<BR/>You're welcome for a great blog. ;-)<BR/><BR/>Anon,<BR/>your point being?<BR/>Oh, I see... that's your very profound way of telling us that kitesurfing is better than windsurfing... thanks! How old are you... three?<BR/><BR/>Hola Carles,<BR/>funny how most people thinks that the advantage of having light gear is for transportation mostly... for me that's very marginal (I live in Maui and don't travel much...). The weight advantage is in the water!<BR/><BR/>Marcos,<BR/>tremendous good point. If you heard that from me, this one I didn't make it up myself either... I heard it from Sean Ordonez...cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-62112492002010560892008-04-16T11:48:00.000-10:002008-04-16T11:48:00.000-10:00Hey GP,Nice post as always. The inverse situation ...Hey GP,<BR/>Nice post as always. The inverse situation to the 'pull up' of the kite is the down pressure of the mast foot in the windsurfer. This is like having a 'third leg' that adds stability when riding big and/or choppy waves. Like Alberto, I did not make this up myself, I think I heard it either from you or Robby Seeger.<BR/>Cheers!<BR/>MarcosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-67391081279331187092008-04-16T08:29:00.000-10:002008-04-16T08:29:00.000-10:00Great photos as usual!!!.I agree with the main adv...Great photos as usual!!!.<BR/><BR/>I agree with the main advantage of kitesurfing regarding the equipment volume and weight. Also surfing is more advantageous than windsurfing, but the real thing is that I think that kitesurfing loses a bit of the freedom spirit of windsurfing.<BR/><BR/>Apart of that funny look of the shorts over the neoprene suits. I can't understand that!!!<BR/><BR/>From BarcelonaTesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01115109506284595206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-50500020434946272362008-04-16T08:09:00.000-10:002008-04-16T08:09:00.000-10:00Kitesurfers have sailed/surfedmavericks.http://www...Kitesurfers have sailed/surfed<BR/>mavericks.<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0n9ACA0gro<BR/>what about windsurfers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-28382609791882328712008-04-16T07:47:00.000-10:002008-04-16T07:47:00.000-10:00GP- Many good points here, but I would like to ad...GP- Many good points here, but I would like to add two more.<BR/><BR/>1- Windsurfing is really surfing and sailing combined - it is about the wind and the water, it is a kind of transportation. Kiting is about something else - it is related to sailing, sure, but it is not like it. It is related to the water, but is is really in the air. It is flying. But it's not transportation (at this stage of the sport's development) - you can't go places with a kites. In this regard, the comparison is like a bicycle to a skateboard.<BR/><BR/>2- It lacks windsurfing's elegance. I don't really know what I mean by that, but I know it to be true.<BR/><BR/>I am jealous of the size of a kiters kit for sure, and have in the past considered envying the light wind performance. As a practical matter, though, I think longboarding in light wind is more fun, and MUCH more reliable. I think we are still at the beginning of something with the SUP boards - now we need some sails to match.<BR/><BR/>Finally, a windsurfer can launch anywhere. This is theoretically true for a kiter, but simply doesn't work out that way. You need an empty beach, or lots of shallow and flat water.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the great Blog<BR/><BR/>-JamieJamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08983330490436132999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-17391554332102713862008-04-16T07:36:00.000-10:002008-04-16T07:36:00.000-10:00If you have the time, money, and it has caught you...If you have the time, money, and it has caught your imagination why not try it and let us know how you think it compares with your other sports after you have some real experience.<BR/><BR/>Have to say though I'm really tired of hearing how much better kitesurfing is, shred like kelly (sorry you won't be, but you might have a great time trying) blah blah blah. Why do you feel you have to justify kitesurfing? Sounds a little defensive to me...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-49581281729062362572008-04-16T06:50:00.000-10:002008-04-16T06:50:00.000-10:00Ted,what you say about shore breaks makes sense.Ag...Ted,<BR/>what you say about shore breaks makes sense.<BR/>Agree: in 15-20 mph breezes windsurfing can get boring for some... if there's no waves!!!<BR/>For me windsurfing is kind of boring even in 30 mph if there's no waves... but I'm Maui spoiled.<BR/>Thank god for the south swells and for the <A HREF="http://www.mauispeed.com/" REL="nofollow">maui speed challenge</A> (stay tuned for the announcement of this year's new format) otherwise I would go nuts in summer time.cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-6178101815857155792008-04-16T02:39:00.000-10:002008-04-16T02:39:00.000-10:00Hmmm, not sure why windsurfers aren't more into do...Hmmm, not sure why windsurfers aren't more into downwinders. My home spot is Cape Cod and I know of a few that do them on the outer beaches. For kiting, they are only natural since that is what you do with out trying when you are learning! But for Cape Hatteras, I don't think they are popular because when kiting you usually ride the inner break or shore break and you have to be able to change directions instantly and not lose your speed. I think trying to jibe constantly would be a pain and you would end up having to deal with the white water and shore break. I windsurfed for about 10 years before I started kiting. This is my 8th season kiting. Both sports are great its just like Paul said, the conditions on CC are more exciting for kiting (just my opinion). Our summer winds are generally 15-20mph which gets pretty boring on windsurfing gear. I usually get out windsurfing 2-3 times a year just to keep up my skills and its always a blast!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-19745795859140650302008-04-15T21:36:00.000-10:002008-04-15T21:36:00.000-10:00Anon,I don't see why you would NOT want to look li...Anon,<BR/>I don't see why you would NOT want to look like Kelly Slater. What motivates me is to have fun. Every time I surf or windsurf I try to push myself a little more, because I know that hitting that lip a little harder or later will make me have even more fun. And I know that being able to surf like KS would be an unbelievable amount of fun... so I would LOVE to look like him. And I bet my cojones that 99.9% of the world surfers will love that too. Surfing like Kelly Slater?... Fuck, yeah!<BR/>Totally agree that one way of riding is not better of the others... I made using the right gear for the right conditions almost a philosophy of life (just come and chek my garage...). That's why I don't surf much in Maui... 'cause it's always bloddy windy!<BR/>"If you want to look like Kelly get out your shortboard and start practicing"... oh, now you said an absolute truth! My whole post though was not about how to become as good as KS surfing, but rather how the latest kitesurfing gear allows one to absolutely rip and about the good and bad aspects of kitesurfing...<BR/><BR/>Tim,<BR/>thanks for the info. Anybody has news? Unfortunately looks like there was a worse accident at Kuau the day before with a guy with a fractured leg... geez, that must have been a gnarly wipeout!<BR/><BR/>Andy,<BR/>I tought both sports, here's how I see it. From the first lesson to the point in which you can stay upwind, windsurfing is easier than kitesurfing. Once you're able to stay upwind, the progression in kitesurfing is ridicolously faster than windsurfing.<BR/>I used the word easier and it was the wrong one. I should have used... mmm let's see... less hassles (tangles), less intimidating, less out of controls moments...<BR/>The conditions make a huge difference. If I lived in a place with light and steady wind, I'd be all over kitesurfing.<BR/><BR/>Alberto,<BR/>Q1: it might well be.. I checked the kitesurfers today and none of them was doing anything not even remotely close to what that guy was doing. For sure that guy was a really good surfer. You could just tell.<BR/>Q2: could be... with a blonde, curly wig!<BR/><BR/>Paul,<BR/>see my answer to Andy above. <BR/>Learning kitesurfing at 62... way to go! Respect!<BR/><BR/>Yo Filippo,<BR/>it's all good, you do what you feel like doing...<BR/><BR/>Telly,<BR/>:-)<BR/><BR/>fswp,<BR/>I'm going to use your comment to make the american readers aware that often european windsurfers refere to windsurfing like surfing. I used to do the same when I lived in Italy... confusing, I know.cammarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08319369737358774800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11399910.post-84757332742650886732008-04-15T21:18:00.000-10:002008-04-15T21:18:00.000-10:00quote:"Also I keep asking myself, when windsurfers...quote:"Also I keep asking myself, when windsurfers go to kiting , they usually give up windsurfing, why?"<BR/><BR/>Don't know, but you're right, most of the windsurfers who start kiting, stop with surfing<BR/>BUT<BR/>what i also see is that after a few year's the sell their kites and rebuy their windsurfing gear :)<BR/><BR/>---<BR/>that's about all i can say about the topic, cause i don't kite, i surf :)<BR/>for me the greatest nogo is idd the extra financials you needfswphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07987240708934821709noreply@blogger.com