just found this video on the tube.
is this guy got bad balance or wot..
bit of a noob

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The real retard thing is to put beginner stuff like that on the Tube. I mean, what gives?

After today, I retract my comment about wanting to have a crack at kiting...

Spent the arvo in the bay, 20+kts, bump'n'jump with 3 other guys, playing in the waves and basically having a ball of a time.

As we were carrying our gear up the beach (completely spent) I noticed a lone-kiter setting up on the beach, I wandered over to see if he needed a hand.

He asked me to get the kite in the wind zone, and all's good from here on in, at this point, as he nodded, and I released his kite, he powered it up and got dragged along about 10m before losing his footing and faceplanting the sand, dragging for another 5...(by this time I was thinking "I hope this guy knows what he's doing?") He walks back to grab his board and proceeds into the water...

As he was about to get on his board, another small gust hits and launches him (boardless) about 10m away, whilst his board gets washed back into the beach...I (thinking I was still helping) grabbed his board and started walking downwind, where he had been dragged to, and slid his board back to him, nearly getting decapitated by the lines that darted past my head...

I took off back to the ute where the others were watching with fascination...The poor bugger got dragged several times over the next few minutes, (and nearly took out a lady walking her dog on the beach) until common sense kicked in and he obviously decided that he was overpowered...He made it back onto the beach and proceeded to pack up (where he was treated to one last drag along the sand before dumping the kite). He then packed up...

I wandered down a bit later as he was walking up to his car to see if he was OK, all good, and still had a smile on his face, commenting that he underjudged the wind/kite size, and hopefully tomorrow will be a bit lighter, I wished him luck...

My take on the situation was that even if overpowered, you're not in any mortal danger when windsurfing, and not a hazard to others...one good gust and that guy could've been smashed into the cliff-face, or worse, seriously injured other beach users...

This guy seems like a nice enough guy, and good on him for getting out there, but honestly, taking up half a beach and the danger he put himself and others in was a bit ordinary, and worst of all, he missed out on a good sesh...

I think that by and large kiters are aware of the dangers. Safety is a high priority topic on the forum and across the industry. They tend to be a little defensive about it though. You get comments like "That was the old days. The new kites are MUCH safer" (paraphrased) to imply that there is absolutely nothing to worry about any more provided you kite responsibly. Of course responsibility is not a common attribute of thrill seekers (or dills). The guys that sell the kites point to their safety features. Statistics point to serious injuries. I wonder what the insurance actuaries say.

The dangers can be classified as - 1) Hazards due to thrill seeking extremism - 2) Hazards due to carelessness and errors of judgement - 3) Hazards due to unavoidable circumstances or bad luck. The first two can be avoided but the third cant.

I understand the fear factor (from high boosts) is part of the attraction. There was a value expressed on the smelly skater troll there that the danger, and learning the skills and judgement to handle the danger, is one of the attributes that makes kiting a superior sport. I don't know if that's a generally held view or if its just the kids that think like that. On another thread one of the older kiters expressed the sentiment that kiting scared him and that was the attraction. I don't know that the thrill of nearly losing a finger has any appeal.

I too would like to give it a try, not because I am into self harm, but just for a change. I took my daughter for a kiting lesson but we didn't follow it up because I got cold feet about the prospect of her getting injured. To this day I don't know if I am being overcautious. I just can't tell. It seems safe enough watching the crew at Wello cruising about with the occasional boost. I wonder what their individual experiences would imply about the hazards. Anyway it has no pressing attraction for me.

I find the far-out extreme videos hereposted have nothing to do with the question "is windsurfing good?".

Those fancy extreme moves are performed by perhaps 0.01% of the overall sailing population. If windsurfing was good because of that, then everybody would drop out and move on to macrame and, huh, kiting.

Windsurfing is good on its own merits, that's all.

KitingCasey said...

if i was being completely ht id have to say wwindsurfing is a complete load of rubbish just being honest

If I was being completely honest I'd have to say you need to get back to school and learn how to construct a sentence. Maybe during your remedial English class you will learn some social skills too.

It must be cool to come onto a windsurfing forum and tell us all what a load of rubbish windsurfing is. Such a constructive comment that makes the forum fun and friendly. Saying wwindsurfing (sic) is rubbish, is a great argument and is going to convince so many people based on your incredible wisdom and undoubted intelligence.

Go away and achieve a pass result for year six literacy standards. If you have nothing positive or constructive to say about windsurfing then piss off. Few people here would think your opinion is worth pissing on if it was on fire.

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surfingboyo said...

hey all. just wondering if windsurfing is anygood. i want to start but all my friends think its gay, and for old men. can you get much air off a wave or sumpthing (speling???). and how to you get in to it. do you need a leson or wat.

thanks felas.

Wet Willy said...

Not you? Oh I get it...hey, I'd like to see the kiters go that high without a parachute!

This guy can get high without a "parachute"

I cant believe you windsurfers are sooooo worried about what the kiters think about you.
This thread is like a grade 1 argument,you are,no you are,you are,no you are.................

Why so insecure about your selfs?????

Why are you so worried about if others think your not cool?
grow up

Cant believe you all have gone on for 5 pages