Windsurfing vs surfing compare contrast

A while back I wrote a post on the differences I saw between windsurfing and kitesurfing. The time has come to compare them to regular surfing. I want to clarify first off that I have tried to be as objective about it as possible.

That is not what I intend to talk about in this article. I think both sports are a great way to have fun on the water personally I do both and think that badmouthing one or the other is juvenile as these sports can coexist perfectly and share the water without any problems.

I will dedicated a whole other post on surf rage and where that comes from.

Here is a fun clip illustrating what happens from time to time. Working at a surf center I often get asked the same question: Which is better, windsurfing or kitesurfing?

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I usually give a rather quick answer to this as usually there are other people waiting to be attended. However, I thought I would break it down a little more to provide a more complete answer for those not knowing which of these to choose.

Usually the board bag with one or two boards and 3 sails will weigh around 30 kg and has to be dragged around the airport and ends up being a big of a hassle when added to the standard luggage we are taking with us.

Kiteboarders on the other hand will have their one board under their arm and one kite over each shoulder or just a long bag the size of a large set of golf clubs.

Kitesurfing turns out to be less of a hassle overall. Equipment cost The gear for both windsurfing and kitesurfing both cost roughly the same.

The difference comes in the life of each piece of kit.

Windsurfing versus Kitesurfing versus Surfing - Which is better?

In general windsurf kit will last somewhat longer before it needs to be replaced. A kite especially the lines will need to be replaced after about 3 years whereas a windsurfer can easily last 5 to 6 if maintained well ie.

Buying used kit is a little bit more tricky in kitesurfing as the integrity of the lines must be checked carefully and the leading edge must be tested to ensure there are no slow leaks. For a windsurfer it is pretty easy to evaluate the condition of a board and sail.

The gear for kitesurfing is more fragile than windsurfing gear. Tears and holes will be much more frequent due to wear in the mite material than in windsurf cloth because it is much thinner for less weight.

Learning The two learning curve for each sport are pretty different.

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For kitesurfing you have to spend a couple of hours on the beach to learn how to handle the kite, then do a few sessions of body drag through the water and only then is it time to try to get on the board.

This usually adds up to around 9 hours which is where you are at a point where you can continue to practice without supervision.So how does windsurfing compare to kitesurfing speed-wise? In the old days, when the windsurf boards were huge and heavy and the sails enormous, it was very difficult to get high speeds out of a windsurfer, but despite this, in , Fred Haywood became the first Windsurfer to go over 30 knots, an incredible achievement for those days.

Windsurfing is easier than surfing, faster than surfing, and more versatile than surfing.

Windsurfing vs. Surfing (Compare/Contrast) Essay Sample

It can be enjoyed on flat water or in waves, on lakes or the sea, and modern equipment means it's cheaper and easier to get into than ever before.

Feb 07,  · the muscle usage is pretty much the same, except that kitesurfing, wind surfing and wakeboarding will use more upperbody strength, whereas surfing relies mostly on regardbouddhiste.com: Resolved. Windsurfing is a derived term of surfing. As nouns the difference between windsurfing and surfing is that windsurfing is a marine sport in which one stands on a floating board (typically 2 - 3 meters in length) to which a sail is attached the board is steered by tilting the sail or ing the board some windsurfers use large waves to perform jumps and other .

While surfing is still the most popular sport, windsurfing is becoming the new hit on the shores. Windsurfing is easier than surfing, faster than surfing, and more versatile than surfing. It can be enjoyed on flat water or in waves, on lakes or the sea /5(1). Windsurfing is another generic term for sailboarding, although actually doing it in the surf is a minor part of its activities.

Mostly it is done in bays and lakes where there is little surf.