I've made some progress with the new 'Are you a Force-of-Nature' questionnaire section, so I need a few people to test whats there so far..

Any offers?... Let me know if you fancy trying it out for me and I'll U2U the URL to you.

Cheers.

Al.

Im Game, and I will obviously be able to test the lower scoring part of the questionaire

I'll give it a go Al Got plenty of time as the wind just seems to be really crap

Nice questionaire, let us know when you switch it to live.

Joe

OK, the feedback so far has been excellent, and I've tweaked a few things this evening, so I'm releasing it now.

Slect this link for the Are you a Force-of-Nature Questionnaire

And remember its not a competiton!!!

I'll add the kiting section soon, and let me know if you like it or not, or find any bugs

Al.

Well I have been reading the questionairre entries and the compeitive part of my nature is coming out...I NEED to get on the water this weekend to try some new things and improve my score

Well done Al. I am sure this section of your site is unique and I have already visited it more than I should whilst at work

Part of me whats to know what the weighting is behind each element, but then that adds to the challenge and mystery (and allows me to seek improvement without focusing too hard on improving my score rather than my sailing )

Can't wait for more scores to be posted

Hi Sean.... Glad you like the Are you a Force-of-Nature questionnaire... If it motivates you to get out there and try some new things (as soon as theres some wind) then its been a success!!!

I did think about showing you what the scores were, but as you pointed out, it might then make people focus on the actual figures rather than the skills themselves (which was half the problem of the Claimer or Flamer feature in Boards Magazine).

I'll get around to doing the kiting questions soon, but have the mammoth task of moving the whole site to a new webhost to complete first.

Al.

been thinking about a new (second hand) board and suddenly realised that it would score more if I get one that is slightly below 100L instead of the 100-110L we were planning.......anyone got a 99L board for sale?

(would add the smilie for 'evil grin' but there does not seem to be one!)

Sneaky!!!!

How about a Fanatic Cross 100. I'm not selling mine, but it is 99ltrs.



Al.

What is it aimed at.

As you can probably guess we would like it as a freeride board, but I do see there being a possibility it will be our first board that ventures into the rough stuff.

Would the fanantic be OK on that basis.

NB must admit I like the size, unless there is a 99.9L board it is absolutely perfect!

I added a little to my score this weekend not very stylish not very big but done some chop hops
But I guess it will be easier on little kit rather than 150 lt board and 8.5 sail

Just read Bads diary and reliased what sailing front to sail means...great....I can add some point(s) to my questionnaire score as I have tried it a number of times and had some reasonable success on a couple of occasions

FOUR MORE POINTS - YAHOO!

Somehow I feel I have probably cheated here. My sucess rate is not that high, but it was a straight Yes/No question. Oh Well...I think I will just bask in the glory until someone tells me what it really means, or I try it again and realise that my nominal success to date was a series of flukes

Nice one Sean.... I think I should try to think of a way of showing what has been chnaged whenever someone updates their 'Are you a Force-of-Nature' questionnaire, so that as well as seeing their score increase we can see what new skills they have learnt as well without having to compare the two questionnaires... Its not gonna be that easy to do though so I will have to have a think about it.

Al.

Alright - I've just noticed the 'Front to sail' bit and I'm having some of that - can't have SeanBo sneaking past me with something I can do anyway.

I can see a bit of rivalry starting here.

AL, what's the difference between a Heli tack and a Push Tack ?

If you can explain I'll work on getting some more points.

OK.... with a Heli tack you turn the board through the wind, then sail backwinded/front to sail, then flip the rig and sail off.

With a push tack you first throw the rig over the front of the board and to windward, get backwinded and sail front to sail, then turn the board through the wind, sail off clew first and then flip the rig....

Simple!!!

Al.

Ive upped your chop hop score a bit today was getting some good air (even in control) some of the landings were a bit on the heavy side. How do I ease the board down rather thatn coming down with a slap?

Glad your scores are going up.... its about time I tried some new things and increased my score.

As far as slapping down from chop hops goes, then thats nothing unusual, you wait until you land flat from a big jump.... You'll be sure the mast is going to punch a hole staight through the board, or the board just snap.

As you get more control in the air you'll be able to bear away whilst in the air and land just nose first from a chop hop so that the rocker line of the board absorbs the impact a little. The landing will be smoother and you'll also maintain your speed better. Just think about bearing away in the air and it will happen automatically. It will also stop you spinning out on landing as well, which I'm sure happens sometimes.

Al.

Darn it BEFS. I was not going to target you specifically, but I confess I had looked at your score and wondered......what if?.......

MUST get out this weekend

Just noticed that there have been quite a few more members fillgin out the 'Are you a Force-of-Nature' questionnaire.

I'd lost track of it and hadn't realised so many people had used it... I think I'll have to add a line in the post-it note on the home page saying when the last questionnaire was submitted.

I'll have to get around to doing the kiting section of the questionnaire soon as well.... Busy busy busy.

Al.

Go for it Seanbo I couldn't sail last weekend and don't look good for this weekend, neck feels a little better not well enough to sail with yrt . I got tickets for motor racing at rockingham on sunday too so everyone should have a force 5 -6 this weekend

befs

New Orleans next week on business. then 2 weeks holiday in France

Hopefully should get some practise in as there is a great windsurfing beach about 5 mins drive from the Gite.

If not I guess BBQ's, Beer and sunbathing are the order of the day

Bloody hell!!

Check out the latest member - sg2003's scores!!

292 overall. Now we all know who to ask for tips on those tricky manouvres!!



Al.

Maybe you should get a green with envy smiliey face on here Al sg2003's got 50% plus for all the 360 stuff and duck gybes

befs (does a 3 point turn in my car count as a 360 )

Al,

Would it be difficult to grade certain manouvres on the ability to complete them on both tacks? I know that I am definitely biased to certain tacks for certain manouvres as I found out yesterday when I was pulling off 100% heli tacks on port tack and 10% on starboard (it wasn't a good day).

Also, on behalf of our larger brethren, I think its a bit unfair to grade people on the ability to sail a sub 80L board. Anyone weighing 95+Kg will probably be on an 85-90L wave board as a high wind board.

Overall though it is an excellent survey and has definitely spurred me off my learning plateau.

Al

if you want a hand with the Kiting one?

burgy@totalise.co.uk

IainO...
Grading for both tacks is of course possible, but would mean re-writing it all.... Besides, if you can do 10% on one tack an 100% on the other than that works out as 55% overall so you get top marks anyway so stop complaining!!!

Of course, there are others who would say that you can only do 10% of them and only core a couple fo points as you have to be able to do it on both tacks!!!

As far as the weight vs volume goes, then I could add a 'How much do you weigh' question at the beginning and then take the answer to that into consideration when calculating the score, but its probably easier to just put a note telling people to feel free to take their weight into consideration when answering the question.

Good points though, and I'll keep note of them when the time comes to re-vamp the questionnaire system.

At the end of the day its not supposed to be a competition, so it doesn't really matter how strict you are with yourself when answering it. If you are consistent, you can at least chart your progress.

As far as I am concerned, if the 'Are you a Force-of-Nature' questionnaire has encouraged you to move up from your learning plateau and the Personal Diaries have encouraged others to get out on the water more than they normally would then I consider them successful, and I'm a happy man.... Do I get some more Stoke Factor points for that!!!

Burgy... I'll get in contact with you when I have the time to do the kiting section... Cheers.

Al.

Sorry Al, I guess I'm being a bit over critical of my self but I developed a paranoia when I moved to Rhosneigr as a starboard tack only jumper. I went through a steep learning curve trying to stay in control whilst airborne on port tack.

Definitely agree that your questionaire has generated enthusiasm judging by the responses on your web site, so you definitely earn extra stoke points. That guy with 200+ points has inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and maybe rotate forwards this year. Just need some wind and a coastal location

No worries...I was only joking.

I'm the same as far as my comfort zone goes. And luckily there are a few things that I can go for (duck gybes, carving 360s) to increase my score without having to sheet in hard and look over my back shoulder whilst airbourne.... Maybe one day!!!

Al.

For those of you who said you'd help with the kiting questions, this is what I've got so far, the scores in brackets are based on the level of difficulty (Max for any one question is 10):

Basic Skills
Can fly 2-line kite (0 pounts for no, 1 for yes)
Can fly 4 line kite (0,2)
Can fly LEI kite (0,2)
Windstrength/kite size:
Small kite in light winds (1 point)
Enough for skudding (3 points)
Enough to lift you off your feet (5 points)

Can launch and land unaided (0,2)
Contorlled skudding (0,2)
Controlled jumping (0,3)
Swinging jump (0,3)

buggying
Can buggy back and forth across the wind(0,3)
Can go downwind (0.3)
Can go upwind (0,3)
Gybe (0,4)
Tack (0,5)

I then need some help with all the other buggying skills and the scores 9either a yes or no score or as with the windsurfing scores based on a percentage success rate.

Mountain Boarding
Ride back and forth (0,3)
Ride upwind (0,3)
Ride downwind (0,3)
Tailslide (0,3)
Gybe (1 for attempts. 2 for 0-10%, 4 for 10-50%, 5 for 50%+))
Tailslide 180 into heelside gybe (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Jump (2,3,4,5,6)
Jump with grab (3,5,6,7,8)
Big jump (2,4,6,7,8)
Aerial 180 (4,5,6,7,8)
Aerial 360 (4,5,6,8,10)

I need some more help here too if there are any other definate tricks.

kitesurfing
Can body drag (0,1)
Can get up and planing(0,2)
Planing in chop.waves (0,3)
Kitesurf upwind (0,5)
Gybe (2,3,5,6,8)
Tack (3,5,7,9,10)
Jump (2,3,4,5,6)
Jump with grab (2,4,5,6,7)
Aerial 180 (3,5,6,7,8)
Aerial 360 (3,5,7,8,9)
Backloop (3,5,7,8,10)
Frontloop (3,5,7,8,10)
Inverted (upside down) jump (2,4,5,7,8)
Switch stance/toe edge sailing (2 for attempting it, 4 of you can do it)

Then theres loads of other stuff that should be included such as directinal/twintip boards, various grabs, wave-sailing, handle passes etc, but I'm not 100% sure of all the names etc. if you help me out with any in which the names of the tricks aen't self explanatory, could you include a description of what it is.

So, there you go, now give me a list of everything else that could be included in the questionnaire. I might not use all of them, but will definitely use most of them.

Cheers.
Al.

P.S. When/If I get time I shall change the way the details of the questionnaire are shown. At the mo it just shows the question form with the answers that that member ticked.. I shall make it so that it lists just what they can do within each category... one day.

I've just re-designed the 'See Details' bit of the Are you a Force-of-Nature section.
It used to just show the relevant members completed questionnaire. It now shows you a breakdown of where the points were scored and lits the skills you can do or are attempting.

Let me know if its better / worse.

Any suggestions for the kiting questions yet?? (see previous post)

Al.

In the freestyle section, are the moves in planing conditions or non-planing conditions?

You can have some of them in Non-Planing conditions if you want!!

Of course things like carving 360 only count in planing conditions, but if you can do a successful body-drag in non-planing conditions then I think you deserve extra points!!!

Al.

OK, I'll give those non-planing body-drags a try then! I'm really thinking of these moves which can be done easily in both planing or non-planing conditions:

- front to sail
- upwind 360
- duck tack
- helicopter tack
- sail 360
- sail and body 360

Obviously they are harder to do in planing conditions. So for the purposes of the questionnaire, planing conditions or non-planing conditions for these moves?

Apologies for being so pedantic!

[Edited on 18-11-2003 by Harry]

Well, for me, it would have to be done in planing conditions as I don't go windsurfing unless I can get planing.

Its up to you really thoough. If you're the sort of person that goes out in non-planing conditions and does tricks like that then you can count them if you want.

Al.
P.S. I can't do any of them in planing or non-planing conditions though.. In actual fact I haven't ever tried any of them!!