Aims this years...
justal - 11-3-2003 at 07:41
Right, seeing as lots of people managed to get out on the water this weekend, (some for the first time since last autumn), I thought it
would be a good time to start thinking about our aims for the coming year.... If you've told everyone about it here, then theres no
getting away with it and wimping out, you've GOT TO go for it!!.
So, here are mine:
Surfing
Just get out a little bit more and try to recover some of my skills.
kitesurfing
Just get out there. At the moment I use my crappy kite and directional board as excuses for not going out, but even getting out on them
will be good practise, even if it won't make for a really good session.
Windsurfing
If I get the chance, get more comfortable in big SW conditions. I can sail OK in them really, I'm just not relaxed enough and therefore
don't stay out as long as I should.
Other than that, if on flatter water, learn to duck gybe and maybe go for some simple freestyle moves (not ones that will hurt
though!). So if anyone sees me blasting back and forth with a normal carve gybe at either end, sort me out and make me duck gybe!!
Others
Get out as much as possible, have fun and manage to earn some money in between sessions to build a house!! 
So, come on, tell us your aims so that you have to GO FOR IT!!
Al.
Olly - 11-3-2003 at 09:03
After careful and serious thought my aims are as follows:
Windsurfing - do it on the sea more!!!
I want to be planing out of my gybes, I suspose this will happen earlier if I just concentrated a little harder and thought about what
I was doing.
I feel it is about time I cracked on with a smaller board. At present my fav board is 124L, whilst the other board I have is 103L, but
no matter when I use it I don't feel as confident as when on the bigger board. Therefore another aim is to become more comfortable on
smaller boards.
I know this may not seem like a pretty good aim but I want some new kit, a smaller board, mast, boom, and two sails. This however is
probably going to be the hardest to achieve due to the fact that as a poor masters student I can only dream about what money looks like
let alone actually see any!!
So their are my three aims, to make them realistic I suspose I better make them time based, so, I would therefore like to spend next
winter sailing on the sea, confidently and with some appropriate kit.
Olly
hiett - 11-3-2003 at 09:22
Its got to be the forward loop baby. I've got a mad year lined up including Fiji, NZ, WA and the Canaries. Its now or never. It reminds
me of a poem by Kipling, he dos make exceedingly good cakes...
If you can sail - and not make sails your master;
If you can loop - and not make loops your aim;
If you can meet with torn sails and broken fins
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can fill the unforgiving van
With spanking new kit worth a ton -
Yours is the Beach and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a windsurfer my son...
SeanBo - 11-3-2003 at 11:44
Similar to Olly (and with less prose than Hiett) my windsurfing goals for the year are fairly simple stuff really;
1) Get comfortable with a smaller board (this may mean buying one instead of borrowing my friends F2 Ride)
2) Chop Hop (got to start getting some air somehow!)
3) Sail comfortably on the real sea
4) Carve Gybe (well, no early intermediattes list would be complete without it!)
In the longer term I also have a windsurfing related goal that has been in mind since I started sailing:
- Sail to the IOW and back (got to be cheaper than using the ferry all the time!)
There are many others that involve shed loads of cash, time or both....so I thought I would stick to the realistic ones.
badexcuseforasailor - 11-3-2003 at 14:45
My aims are much the same as seanbo's
1: Comfortable on 112lt board including turning round and coming back the way I came.
2: Planning Carve gybes
3: Sail in waves(only little ones) and not get munched
4: Get airbourne in a controled manor (and land safely)
I know a couple of people that have sailed to IOW from lepe not sure if Im ready for that though maybe next year or the year after.
paul - 11-3-2003 at 17:10
Surfing
Actually get out and get paddle fit and get that jump up sorted
Windsurfing
Improve my sailing in waves, improve my early planning, try and get the mrs to get some pics of me airbourne and wave riding instead of
just blasting up and down. Try and land a table top.....
Sailing
get out regularly and have a go at sailing a single handed dingey with an asymetric kite
Other
Lose 5 to 10kg 
Give wakeboarding a good go on holiday
Actually get out and make some use of my mountain bike
[Edited on 11-3-2003 by paul]
Dave - 11-3-2003 at 18:01
It seems I'm not alone -
I've got to work on my Carve Gybe and Waterstart, which I will do in the Estuary and on the smaller board. (I'm another one that has
got a little bit too comfortable on my nice big board:blush
And I will spend a lot more time in the waves, no doubt Al will take it upon himslef to drag me out there, but I accept that I've been
having too much fun blasting and I've got to challange myself again.
dazzamuffin - 13-3-2003 at 17:45
to forward loop before i can carve gybe
i know it sounds daft but it might be the case
i can front side wave sail, back side, quick tack, jump like a mad man
but cant carve gybe it must be the most difficult move to do or is just me ???
so im going for the full monty FORWARD LOOP. gybing to difficult. i can get round but plaining out its like a magical force that i cant
tap into.
kiting BIG BIG BIG AIR nothing else. and not to much swimming back to shore when the kite dumps its self in the water.
mountain boarding just to have fun.
last of all
another trip to brandon bay where big waves ARE big waves.
i guess thats it
it will be nice to see how many goals every one achieves by the end of the year
GO FOR IT EVERY ONE
justal - 24-4-2003 at 19:40
Just thought I'd have a quick look to see what I wrote in here and if I'm on track!!!
quote:
Originally posted by justal
Surfing
Just get out a little bit more and try to recover some of my skills.
Hmmm. haven't suceeded on that one yet.
quote:
kitesurfing
Just get out there. At the moment I use my crappy kite and directional board as excuses for not going out, but even getting out on them
will be good practise, even if it won't make for a really good session.
Well I did get out yesterday without making any excuses and mananged a few (fairly) controlled runs back and forth acros the
estuary.
quote:
Windsurfing
If I get the chance, get more comfortable in big SW conditions. I can sail OK in them really, I'm just not relaxed enough and therefore
don't stay out as long as I should.
Other than that, if on flatter water, learn to duck gybe and maybe go for some simple freestyle moves (not ones that will hurt
though!). So if anyone sees me blasting back and forth with a normal carve gybe at either end, sort me out and make me duck gybe!!
Well, the SW's haven't showed up yet. I have tried a few carving 360's though and enjoyed going for them. My duck-gybing hasn't
improved yet, but I've only made 3 or 4 attempts. If you consider just how many attempts I had to make at carve-gybing (or any of the
more basic things such as waterstarting that I can now do) , then its likely to take me a while to succeed. 20 attempts just isn't
going to get me there... 200 and I might start getting a feel for it, 2000 and I might pull one off!!
I'm still enjoying every minute of my time on the water though and thats the main thing.
Al.
badexcuseforasailor - 25-4-2003 at 06:22
quote:
1: Comfortable on 112lt board including turning round and coming back the way I came.
I've managed this one at Borth over easter even the turning round part a few gybes and a couple of tacks without falling in, then the
winds went mental and it was survial tactics for the next two days
quote:
2: Planning Carve gybes
You must be joking 
at the moment a dry gybe is a good gybe
quote:
3: Sail in waves(only little ones) and not get munched
Not had any waves to have a go in (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it)
quote:
4: Get airbourne in a controled manor (and land safely)
Had some very hairy airboure sorties at Borth its just that I was trying to keep the board on the water and there was no control whats
so ever. Didn't have any big crashed so I guess they was a bit safe
I guess I need lots more practice
befs
justal - 25-4-2003 at 07:08
quote:
4: Get airbourne in a controled manor (and land safely)
Had some very hairy airboure sorties at Borth its just that I was trying to keep the board on the water and there was no control whats
so ever. Didn't have any big crashed so I guess they was a bit safe
I guess I need lots more practice
Befs.
BEFS.... I saw you airborne (just) a couple of times last weekend... Unfortunately, I have to say that is was more than obvious that it
wasn't intentional and you're weren't exactly in control!.. But I won't tell anyone! 
The practice is the fun part!.
Al.
geordieboy - 25-4-2003 at 18:29
My aims have gotta be to quit my job which i stupidly started yesterday!!................
Live off my overdraft for another year........
Then declare bankruptcy and escape to sunnier climates
oh and finally to to get back to borth for a much needed and missed session
justal - 19-6-2003 at 06:00
quote:
Originally posted by justal
Windsurfing
If I get the chance, get more comfortable in big SW conditions. I can sail OK in them really, I'm just not relaxed enough and therefore
don't stay out as long as I should.
Well, I was out in big SW conditions for about 4 hours yesterday. I launched from the Golf Course Car Park, Borth, sailed around there
for a while and then worked my way upwind for three miles to the Lifeboat Station which took about 12 big long tacks. I sailed around
there for a bit, playing in the waves before heading all the way back downwind to the Golf Course Car Park... I'd say that I felt
pretty comfortable in the conditions, especially as I was out all on my own.
So, thats one of my aims achieved... I think I'll give myself a gold star!!
Al.
Dave - 19-6-2003 at 09:55
it's a bit sad when you start awarding gold stars to yourself. 
but well done anyway.
So have a gold star
[Edited on 19-6-2003 by Dave]
SeanBo - 21-10-2003 at 16:39
6 month progress check
Well I have been checking my progress and I don’t seem to be getting very far, but my excuse is two busted ribs during the summer
and a newborn infant.
Hopefully the autumn gales will kick in soon and let me get some TOW to progress.
I know BEFS has made some Gybes, but how is everyone else doing against their goals?
Jonah - 22-10-2003 at 22:01
Aims- The ultimate aim is to loop. Hadn't sailed on the sea in ages till I came to Borth and even though it took a while to adjust ,and
my boartd was too big for the conditions, had a thoroughly enjoyable time.
so near future aim is to come to Borth more, sail more , then the loop will come.
Al, have attempted a few vulcans and they don't hurt. Think that if there are 1 or 2 people trying stuff then feedback is a good way of
finding solutions to problems and also giving u the balls to go for it if the feedback is on the beach.
Will try to get down in the next few weeks. Anyone sail midweek?
justal - 23-10-2003 at 06:05
Jonah.... I sail midweek if theres wind, I can't promise anything, as it all depends on work commitments but I'm usually ouy.
Steve is around next week as well as he has a week off work and will be here if its windy..... Tuesday is looking good at the
moment.
Al.
justal - 11-1-2004 at 22:00
Just been reminded about this post in the chat room, and as its the beginning of a new year thought it was time to rekindle the thread,
see how we all got on with our aims and see what our aims for 2004 are...
quote:
Originally posted by justal
Surfing
Just get out a little bit more and try to recover some of my skills.
Hmm, didn't manage that one really, I think I'm gradually lossing my surfing skills. So the aims for 2004 are the same.
quote:
kitesurfing
Just get out there. At the moment I use my crappy kite and directional board as excuses for not going out, but even getting out on them
will be good practise, even if it won't make for a really good session.
Managed to fulfill this aim. now have a twin tip board and a crappy old kite, but I can now kite-surf to an OK standard...get out
through the waves, go upwind, downwind, turn around and get back to where I started from. Can also do jumps whenever I want. although
the landings aren't that clean yet.
Aims for 2004 are to get a more modern kite, clean up my landings, get a bit more speed up and to learn to go toeside.
quote:
Windsurfing
If I get the chance, get more comfortable in big SW conditions. I can sail OK in them really, I'm just not relaxed enough and therefore
don't stay out as long as I should.
Other than that, if on flatter water, learn to duck gybe and maybe go for some simple freestyle moves (not ones that will hurt
though!). So if anyone sees me blasting back and forth with a normal carve gybe at either end, sort me out and make me duck gybe!!
Not bad, big SW's are OK, although I did have a big swim after destroying my kit last time I was out in one. Freestyle stuff still
isn't happening though. Still can't duck gybe, have tried numerous carving 360's without success, but my carve gybing is much better
and I generally feel more in control in mad conditions.
Aims for 2004 are to sail in a few different locations and keep up the stoke!
quote:
Others
Get out as much as possible, have fun and manage to earn some money in between sessions to build a house!!
Yeah, I reckon I've done that. The house is built and I managed quite a few sessions last year.
Aims for 2004.. Get married, gets drains for the house and get out on the water as much as possible!! And this year try to earn some
money from website design.
Al.
Stevievee - 12-1-2004 at 06:59
I think my aim for 2004 will have to be to get out on the water at least once... Either that or just sell all my kit.
Steve.
bphiett - 14-1-2004 at 12:21
2004 is the year of the forward loop for me, 12 months in WA should suffice.
I remember a conversation in solent sailboards one time when I was informed that kitesurfing is a sport for failed windsurfers. Whats a
failed windsurfer I asked. One that can't loop was the reply. Nuff said
justal - 14-1-2004 at 13:44
quote:
Originally posted by bphiett
I remember a conversation in solent sailboards one time when I was informed that kitesurfing is a sport for failed windsurfers. Whats a
failed windsurfer I asked. One that can't loop was the reply. Nuff said
Uh oh.... lots of failed windsurfers here then... including me!!
Al.
Nick - 16-1-2004 at 12:31
As for me ...
Well my goals for 2003 were to get more confident on a smaller, narrower board (103l flow) which I feel I achieved when the wind
finally gave me a few chances to use it. As for mastering the carve gybe, well that may take a little more time, especially at only 20
sessions a year. I'm staying dry on most, but planing out of none...in fact, it's all a bit of a mess from the rig flip onwards.
As for 2004 ...
Get out more
Keep improving those gybes
Improve control in choppy conditions
Finally master double forwards ;-)
Cheers
Nick
adrian_janssen - 16-1-2004 at 13:25
I mastered the involuntary half-forward, does that me a half-good windsurfer or a half-crap one? Or just an entirely crap one? ;P
justal - 19-8-2004 at 06:26
Time to check up on progress before the real winds start for the autumn (yep, its nearly September, summer is on its way out and the
fun should realy start!)
quote:
Surfing
Just get out a little bit more and try to recover some of my skills.
Hmm, still not much joy on this one...just not enough surf. I have had some fun in the waves though on occassion..
quote:
kitesurfing
Aims for 2004 are to get a more modern kite, clean up my landings, get a bit more speed up and to learn to go toeside.
Well, I now have use of a full quiver of 2004 Flexifoil Strikes, so that part has been fulfilled, my landings are better and my jumps
better. I'm more confident onthe water (and in the air) and can sort of go toeside, but not brilliantly... Guess I still need to work
on the toeside bit and now start going for loops.
quote:
Windsurfing
Still can't duck gybe, have tried numerous carving 360's without success, but my carve gybing is much better and I generally feel more
in control in mad conditions. Aims for 2004 are to sail in a few different locations and keep up the stoke!
Well, my duck gybing hasn't improved, nor have my carving 360's.. Much of that is becasue I tend to kitesurf in conditions suitable for
learning flat water freestyle type moves. I have sailed in a few different locations (Overcombe, WSM, Outer Hebrides) this year, and
still love windsurfing so I'm 'keeping up the stoke'. The main achievement though just has to be the Forward Loop... I've now landed
and sailed away from about 3, but have gone for quite a few and just love the feeling. I'm always looking out for 25 knot SW winds to
try them. My jumping and gybing seems much improved as well.
quote:
Others
Aims for 2004.. Get married, gets drains for the house and get out on the water as much as possible!! And this year try to earn some
money from website design.
I'm now a married man, we have no drains still and I've been out on the water a fair bit... I have a couple of web-design projects on
the go, but still need more work!.. Theres still a few months to sort these things out in 2004!
How is everyone else getting on... Geordieboy, I haven't seen you back in Borth yet... And somehow Nick, I don't think you've managed
to double forwards yet!
And how about the newer members here, what are your aims??
Al.
IainO - 19-8-2004 at 08:01
Boringly straight forward my aim is a forward loop. I've spent 10 years of getting fired up talking about it in the pub and bottling
out on the water so this year has got to be the year.
Other aims are to complete a Vulcan/Spock instead of falling in backwards - maybe I should treat myself to a freestyle board
Nick - 19-8-2004 at 13:14
double forwards!.......a little way off those at the moment.
Getting out more.....not really.
Carve gybes + other - yep making progress here.
My spectacular hi-speed wipeouts are coming on a treat though!
Cheers
Nick
justal - 19-8-2004 at 18:19
quote:
Originally posted by IainO
Boringly straight forward my aim is a forward loop. I've spent 10 years of getting fired up talking about it in the pub and bottling
out on the water so this year has got to be the year.
Other aims are to complete a Vulcan/Spock instead of falling in backwards - maybe I should treat myself to a freestyle board
Vulcans seem much scarier to me... Too much potential for ankle snappage in my opinion!!!
I did loads of forward attempts today, until I spectacularly stuck the tip of the mast into the sand on one end-over-end attempt and
snapped it!
Al.
kelvin - 19-8-2004 at 18:32
kelvin - 19-8-2004 at 18:33
i,ll sum it up in one word for the windsurfing LOOP .
other than that a sub 3hr London Marathon .
IainO - 19-8-2004 at 20:13
Guess I've got past the bottle factor with Vulcans, it helped having one of the instructors at Margarita following me - made sure I
didn't bottle out
Also had some very sudden stops where I didn't rotate with no injuries.
Just need to get over that hurdle with forward loops - strange thing is I've got round a 20ft backloop (caught on video thats how I
know how high) but I've not tried them for years either