Watersport continuously evolved over these past years. As more people are getting hooked into this kind of sport, the need of some modification was needed. This gave way to the birth of different types of watersports we enjoy today. Kiteboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding are getting popular this day. You may wonder what type of watersport is the best for you and what are their differences.
Is Kiteboarding and Kitesurfing the Same?
Kiteboarding and kitesurfing are different names referring to the same extreme water sport. Both of the sports use the power of the wind with a controllable large kite and a board to propel through the water. Most people used it interchangeably in conversations however there are technical differences between these two water sports.
Kiteboarding and kitesurfing differences are determined according to the board used. Kiteboarding uses a twin tip board while kitesurfing uses a directional board. Depending on the context kitesurfing and kiteboarding are used interchangeably in casual talks.
What Is the Difference Between Kiteboarding and Kitesurfing?
The technical difference between kiteboarding and kitesurfing is the kind of board they are using. Kiteboarding uses a twin tip board which is much easier to use than the board used for kitesurfing which is a directional board. A beginner kiteboarder usually uses a twin tip board than a directional board.
A twin-tip board is short and lightweight. You also can ride fast using a twin tip and it is also good for doing jumps and tricks. Directional boards are bigger and more buoyant. This board is great for riding waves even though they may not go as fast as twin tip boards.
What Is the Difference Between Kiteboarding and Windsurfing?
Kiteboarding and windsurfing both use a board to ride through the water. The major difference between kiteboarding and windsurfing is kiteboarders use a large kite that is connected to the harness of their body while windsurfers use a sail that is attached directly to the board.
Windsurfing is also known as sailboarding uses the sail to glide across the waves by controlling and steer. Kiteboarding uses a control rod to move the kite to catch the wind to gain speed. Kiteboarding can get more wind power than windsurfing because it uses larger kites.
Which Is Easier – Kiteboarding or Windsurfing?
There is a big difference between the learning curve for kiteboarding and windsurfing. Learning to get on the board and ride on water is much easier in windsurfing than in kiteboarding. To start kiteboarding, you need first to learn to control and direct the kite on the seashore before riding your board on the water. A beginner windsurfer may already be gliding away on the water while a kiteboarding student is still at the shore practicing to steer the kite.
Even though it is easier to get on the water on windsurfing than kiteboarding the mastery between the two is different. After both kiteboarding and windsurfing student learn to ride the board a windsurfer may find windsurfing improvement much slower. Riding waves and doing tricks requires more advanced skills in windsurfing than kiteboarding. Usually, windsurfing can take much more time to master than kiteboarding.
What Is Faster – Kiteboarding or Windsurfing?
There are lots of factors to consider when it comes to speed between kiteboarding or windsurfing such as wind speed, gears, riding upwind or downwind. Though most of the time the speed between the two is somewhat similar.
Kiteboarders need less wind than windsurfers. Kiteboarders accelerate faster than windsurfers on low wind. But when both are riding upwind windsurfers are faster while kiteboarders are faster when going downwind.
Are Kiteboards and Wakeboards the Same?
Even though kiteboards and wakeboards have some resemblance there are significant differences between these two boards. The key difference between kiteboards and wakeboards is the rocker. To put it simply rocker is the curvature of the board or the way the board bends.
Commonly, wakeboards have more rocker than a kiteboard. Wakeboards have more pronounced curves than kiteboard to prevent them from going too fast. Kiteboarding requires more speed to get big airs and do air tricks thus the need for a much lightweight and smaller board.
What Is the Difference Between a Kiteboard and a Wakeboard?
The main difference between a kiteboard and a wakeboard is the rocker. A rocker is the bend along the bottom of the board running from the tail to the nose. Having more rocker affects your speed on the water and can make your board jump much easily on wake.
When looking at a wakeboard and kiteboard side by side it is very noticeable that a wakeboard has more rocker than a kiteboard. An additional difference between these two boards is that a wakeboard is heavier and thicker while a kiteboard is shorter, more flexible, and lighter. Having less weight makes kiteboarders do bigger jumps and do exciting tricks on air.
Can I Use a Wakeboard for Kiteboarding?
Wakeboarders often wonder if they can use a wakeboard for kiteboarding. The answer to this popular question is yes, you can use a wakeboard for kiteboarding but it will have its limitations compared to using a kiteboard. Wakeboards have too much rocker for kiteboarding that will prevent you from doing big jumps.
Another downside of using a wakeboard for kiteboarding is its size. Wakeboards are usually larger and weightier than kiteboards this may affect you in gaining speed, making transitions, and getting big airs. Even though you can still use it for kiteboarding, wakeboards are well designed to ride behind a boat at a constant speed.
