Aesthetically it is like lungs and/or wings have been added. You fly all the time.
And I thought about asking the guys in surfing or coastalwatch. you know, because they sit in line ups, crowded, waiting, just sitting there, that could be nice if it weren't for the crowds, and all summer when the seabreezes come on creating onshore slop it is perfect for windsurfing, or kite-surfing, whatever.
Dunno where I'm going with this.
Windsurfing is not Surfing set free.
Windsurfing is not even surfing.
It's sailing.
Sometimes it's sailing (in waves).
It will never be surfing.
It doesn't even come close.
Surfing is the coolest thing you can do on this planet.
A damn fine waterman who had surfed his entire life and taken up wind/wave sailing in his twenty's, once told me over a few Sunday session jugs that surfing is Zen, a place of self paced reflection and growth. Wind/wave sailing was the same, just on drugs. Everything is amplified, more out of control and its more like you are along for the ride, even though you think you are in control. The conversation twenty years ago still sticks with me every time I am out in 20knts+ with descent swell is running.
That's a pretty good description of why I took it up.
MInd you, snowboarding is also "surfing set free", as there are no crowds and bugger all waiting, and while you line up for a lift, that adds a civility to the process that is sorely lacking in surfing.
Surfing brings out the worst in people, I find, and hence, not always the coolest thing. Uncrowded surfing is OK, but when does that happen.
"Windsurfing is Surfing set free. Discuss."
Sounds too much like an examination essay question... 
"Windsurfing is Surfing set free. Discuss."
Not quite interesting enough to be an aphorism.
I like
"To be stupid and selfish and to have good health are the three requirements of happiness, though if stupidity is lacking then the other two are useless" (Flaubert)
or
"If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure is for it is not to dream less, but to dream more, to dream all the time." (Proust)
Hmmmmm, well, I don't ski in Australia, and I don't ski on runs much.
I make the schlep to Canada every year and ski Whistler, mostly off-piste.
I can relate to your comments as applies to ski-ing in Oz.
My experience in Canada is very different to what I've had here in Oz. Short if any lift queues, big mpuntain, friendly people, no attitude. HAving attitude does not get you far over there. The mountain sorts most peopl out, and to be frank, no-one else is paying any attention. They are all having too much fun.
I don't see much aggression when I surf here on the GC, but even a mellow crowd is a crowd. There can be a lot of aggro though.
Vicco used to be famous for localism too, with slashed tyres etc, according to a guy I knew from there.
Hey, feel free to rip apart my hypothesis/thread title. That's what it's for 
and they certainly don't look any better than 20 years ago.
hey panda, i try to keep it as quiet as possible. i tell surfers that the gear is expensive, its dangerous, on the verge of being banned etc. anything to put people off.
keep the breaks uncrowded for as long as possible i reckon. selfish i know, but better than fighting for blown out waves as well as glassy ones
Zen, schmen.
Sure, I've had a zen moment while surfing, but then I've had one playing hockey too, and possibly while riding a motor-bike very fast, but I'm not sure about that one.
flame away
^ da vecta.
you could open it in a photo editting package. 
i've spent hours staring at it and as far as i can tell no nip is visible. 
now to the question at hand.
yes!
Surfing is more pure and free than dancing or kiteing.
Surfing you are just harnessing the pure power of the wave ,
If you head too far away from the main power source(where the wave is breaking) you lose all power and speed,
Where with dancing and kiteing,
its really cheating, your not completely useing the oceans power but the winds power so you can just play with the oceans power.
Surfing on its own is more "zen" so to speak, way more free(your not connectd to a huge sail and mast or a kite) .
Riding waves useing a pole dancer or kite is really the lazy,un-patient(is that a word
)oh,,impatient,, surfer.
Most people that have surfed all their lives will understand that feeling of pure wave rideing.
As the saying goes "only a surfer knows the feeling"
Been surfing for nearly 40 years and loved it, (and still do) but one thing that has really got me in with windsurfing is the commaradie of the crew. No aggression and "f--- off" It's always a sharing of experiences and knowledge, helping the lesser mortals like myself to improve. I have never had agro windsurfing but I reckon it happens at least 1 in every 8 sessions surfing. Still love the surfing though but looking forward to getting into wave sailing.
Yeah, but I am a surfer, so I do know the feeling, so I can reasonably compare them.
Surfing is a cool feeling, but I think surfers blow a lot of gas about the "purity" or "zen" of it.
It's just fannying about at the end of the day. A joyous waste of time indeed, but of no constructive or higher purpose, any more than any of these activities.
Surfing is also a bit slow and dull a lot of the time. Lots of hanging about, and unless you are in head-high or better waves, the speed on the wave is often sluggish as well.
I waste a lot of time at the beach and I see a lot of doughy waves being ridden.
WIndsurfing, OTOH, has the potential for a decent speed-rush every time I go out, with MORE POWER !!
)oh,,impatient,, surfer.
^^^^^you seem to think they want to be???????
Most crew that surf only, dont think much of dancing or kiteing.Which is ok by me,if they all thought it was awsome the crowds when the wind comes up would be the same as surfng crowds.
So SSSSHHHHHHHHHH, kiteing and dancing both really suck
The term "windsurfing" was offered to Jim and Hoyle when they were testing prototypes in Baja. An excited hippy said something like "Wow man, that wind surfing is cool man".
Notably it had nothing to do with surfing and waves. It was just a slightly oversized mal with a centreboard propelled by a sail. To the hippy no doubt it struck him as surfing set free.
They are not the same and never will be.
If anything the increased amount of gear, techo babble, cost and time spent rigging means it is hardly as free as surfing to me.
I still love it, but I also love being out without a sail just as much.
What a crock of sh!t the topic statement is - the G string is the pure form of undies - just doesn't catch the follow thru
