Just to clear the air with my wife (Hi babe!), she never denied me going kite surfing. She loves it. She'd rather be with a guy that is out in nature than a BoofHead wanting to lock himself in the garage with his Monaro.

I go most time I want and I pick the days carefully for maximum fun for myself. However, we have a child and that takes precedence which is called parenting and involvement (yes.. funny how kids love parents that are present ain't it?).

Therefore I deliberately decided that I don't really need to go kite surfing every day (Townsville has been windy for at least 10 months now almost daily), and there is more to life than kiting - well yes there is.

There is the little ones and there is nothing I hate more than seeing my son doing nothing all day but watching TV or playing iPad games. But my wife works a full time job from home and so she cannot just flick a day to be entirely with our son just so I can go kite surfing. We have a plan and we share the parenting as best we can, plus everything else that needs attention around the home, garden, maintenance, etc.

That is life and living with a family and responsibilities is not a bad thing and is not a denial of freedom and "shock horror' denial of kite surfing. I think a moderate balance is a great thing and in a way, it actually makes me appreciate kite surfing more because I put myself less at risk of injury less often, allowing me to enjoy a great session the next time. It's called give-n-take.

Yep, I am happy, and if your wife is complaining well maybe then she is not right for you. If kite surfing is that important, then nothing should stand in the way. Do it, but be prepared for the cost later on. Just saying.

Loftywinds said..

Just to clear the air with my wife (Hi babe!), she never denied me going kite surfing. She loves it. She'd rather be with a guy that is out in nature than a BoofHead wanting to lock himself in the garage with his Monaro.

I go most time I want and I pick the days carefully for maximum fun for myself. However, we have a child and that takes precedence which is called parenting and involvement (yes.. funny how kids love parents that are present ain't it?).

Therefore I deliberately decided that I don't really need to go kite surfing every day (Townsville has been windy for at least 10 months now almost daily), and there is more to life than kiting - well yes there is.

There is the little ones and there is nothing I hate more than seeing my son doing nothing all day but watching TV or playing iPad games. But my wife works a full time job from home and so she cannot just flick a day to be entirely with our son just so I can go kite surfing. We have a plan and we share the parenting as best we can, plus everything else that needs attention around the home, garden, maintenance, etc.

That is life and living with a family and responsibilities is not a bad thing and is not a denial of freedom and "shock horror' denial of kite surfing. I think a moderate balance is a great thing and in a way, it actually makes me appreciate kite surfing more because I put myself less at risk of injury less often, allowing me to enjoy a great session the next time. It's called give-n-take.

Yep, I am happy, and if your wife is complaining well maybe then she is not right for you. If kite surfing is that important, then nothing should stand in the way. Do it, but be prepared for the cost later on. Just saying.

Haha... some muppet red thumbed you. How dare you suggest you need to have balance in your life!

Yeah man it gets more complex with kids.

You have to work that wive,kids,work,chores,man time balance to get the most out of life.

I think i have mine down pretty well at the moment. I get in quite a few sessions a month, most of them are short 1-2 hrs and then back to the family.

8Phill8 said..

"Just go for a Kite or you'll be grumpy later"
and
+1 for "I'd come down but its too windy"

I have to say I'm one of the lucky ones. My partner doesn't kite, doesn't whinge, doesn't hassle me in any way. She even comes down to a session with me when there's a nice sunset and takes photos now and then..

I am a lucky obsessed guy with a great girl for a companion. I live on the beach and get to kite everyday, literally.

Here's one she took a few days ago, awesome photography skills (after I set up the camera) but whatever it takes to maker happy I'll oblige without regrets.

austin said..

or just don't have kids

Yep sensible advice. The partner you married gets totally rewired once the pluggers come along...

lthough I have to say I'm getting more of a kick in seeing my son progress with his surfing, supping and kiting than actually doing it myself. Weird hey.

Thumbs up there! I don't have to act it: 2-3 days of no wind and I'm tearing the house apart, so it makes it easy on everyone when it finally starts blowing again. Winter gets to be a hard season, but then there are other water things to do.

It's all control and games really, isn't it. I've gone through a couple of ex-s who got a very definite answer to "either me or your kites". Anyway, you don't have to be a bastard about going out every day; plus there are plenty of ways to make up for it. It comes down to what matters to you most...if you see yourself as a kitesurfer, than that's what you are and you stand up for it. If the girls matters more, than compromise...priorities.

The odd thing is that if it gets to the stage where you have to limit your kiting, the relationship goes down the drain anyway, with or without the sacrifice. This is personal now - for myself, I'd never negotiate over kiting, it's impossible.

I've seen the same thing happen like a lot of people here tell - the interest wains very quickly and the harping starts. Some people are lucky with partners; most - I say it's mostly jelousy, because you have something that makes you live, while they don't.

Here's a few quotes (wind speed is irrelevant):
"that's not enough wind!", "are you crazy, that's too much wind", "it's too gusty", "f**k this wind"
"there are sharks and stingrays out there", "jellies...algi..."
"You landed on a reef, broke a finger and shredded your feet on the coral! Finally! Awesome! So, no more kitesurfing, hey!"

I do feel sorry for you people with small children - that situation is one tough mother, makes me cringe.

Have you heard that one: "why are you here and not kitesurfing?" - I love that, just kiss and go!

Loftywinds said..

Sir V said..

8Phill8 said..

"Just go for a Kite or you'll be grumpy later"
and
+1 for "I'd come down but its too windy"

I have to say I'm one of the lucky ones. My partner doesn't kite, doesn't whinge, doesn't hassle me in any way. She even comes down to a session with me when there's a nice sunset and takes photos now and then..

I am a lucky obsessed guy with a great girl for a companion. I live on the beach and get to kite everyday, literally.

Here's one she took a few days ago, awesome photography skills (after I set up the camera) but whatever it takes to maker happy I'll oblige without regrets.

I bet you don't have kids!

Actually we do she's 15 going on 35 and not interested in kitesurfing at all. She's my partner's daughter but that's immaterial.. she's totally cool with it as long as I don't make them come with me

mick14 said..

Wife at 10:30pm... "I can't sleep. Tell me about your kitesurfing session"

I am so jealous.

Once while having lunch at a seaside restaurant with a girlfriend she noticed me glancing sideways when a gust came through. She, looked at me and said, “I know the wind is picking up. I’m not wearing any knickers; are you with me, or off kiting?”

faimanu said...
I do feel sorry for you people with small children - that situation is one tough mother, makes me cringe.

All that says is that your not ready for kids. I think if your in a healthy relationship there is no way you'd put kiting before spending time with your young kids.

theDoctor said..




I don't know what my partner says about kitesurfing... I've never actually listened anything she has ever had to say..

Hahahahahahaha. funny cause it's true.

Skid said...
Seriously though guys, it's all about communicating expectations early on in the relationship.
Your partner should know the term DOW (Depending On Wind) and that certain activities are DOW.

I've gone a bit more formal and now use this....

The Wind Clause

I the undersigned have read, understood and agreed to the following:

I will let kiter___________ (insert your name here) out of any previous plans we may have made if there is a chance the wind might come up. I will never ask him to reconsider our previous plans, OR give him ****e for breaking off said plans to go kiting

I will let said kiter ride as often as the wind blows and not make any plans for him/us if the wind forecast shows it?s gonna blow for days

I will let said kiter out of making dinner or cleaning the dishes if he needs to clean his gear, re-rig, or untangle lines.

I will pick up said kiter at any downwind location at any time if he has it in his heart to do a down winder. I will rearrange my schedule to fit the optimal wind window for his down winder

I WILL NEVER tell him he can?t spend money on new kite gear, equip, or related paraphernalia, even if the money comes out of our joint acct.

I WILL NEVER complain if he?s too tired after a day of kiting and he hasn?t the energy to engage in coital tenderness. I will eagerly await when he is ready to participate or simply do all the hard work for him.

I will NEVER COMPLAIN that he spends too much time on the water and not enough with me

I WILL LOVE MY KITER FOR BEING A KITER and never ask him to change

I ________________ (insert girls name here) have read and understood the above statements and agree to comply fully with the terms of this binding agreement.

I like it a lot think I'll have to print this out .
I was laughing so much my misses had to know what I was reading
So the first thing she said was he must be single and I think he's friends with Sheldon from the Big Bang theory .

A woman marries a man hoping she can change him....... And she can't.

A Man marries a woman hoping she won't change....... But she does.

^Gold! Dee sounds like a sensible girl.

mick14 said..

Wife at 10:30pm... "I can't sleep. Tell me about your kitesurfing session"

Yeah, hearing about it puts my wife to sleep too.

Since we moved to Canada a year and a half ago I've only managed 5 kite sessions, it's a bit sad. I brought 3 kites over with me, one of them has only been used once!

(Snowboarding and mountainbiking is a different story)

Anyway, GreenWife has categorically stated that she misses my kiting and is looking forward to me getting some sessions in when we move back to Aus (next month). Not sure why, I'm sure it won't take long for her to start complaining about me staying away late kiting and getting sand and stuff everywhere again...

First year i was learning i went on kiting trip to Fiji... took my wife and she loved it.
Next year went on kiting trip to Cook Islands... took my wife and she loved it
Moved from Melb to Sunshine Coast for work but has turned out to be great for kiting also... took my wife and she loves it.
She wants a holiday... i want to kite..... so we go on kiting holiday and both win.
Now i dont need the kiting holiday as we have moved to within 200 mtrs of the beach on the Sunshine Coast but im thinking Maui or Egypt would be nice .
Pretty lucky , married 25 years and lets me kind of do whatever i want .Its a good thing that the wind up here is warm though .