Good Point Sterlings (Joanne & Michele sp?? - apologies in advance)

I have underestimated the psychological as well as physical challenge that seeing a 3 (or a 4 for some) has in front of the numbers.

The mere fact that we can have a 5 page thread with much debate is good, the fact that the thread runs to 5 pages also suggests that the system as it stands must be pretty close to 'right'

Having thought somme more, lets keep it as it is, run it for another year and then change it there are biases.

One option to consider might be a 'special challenge' class for a month. eg: 30 minutes - distance travelled, 1km, 250m, 2km, alpha 100. or alpha 1km - there's 7 different challenges to start with that could add some extra fun.

I'd like to see a bit of expansion on participants' pages - a few more photos, info about yourself (height, weight, years windsurfing etc). It should remain optional, but I think we have really built a community here and that being able to get a bit more info more will only enhance that.

This is really more down to to the participants to update their page as the facility is already there in a rudimentary form.

How can we encourage more people to reveal a bit more about themselves?

As a starting point, could we introduce an avatar that comes up in your comments every time you lodge a session, much as we have here on this forum?

The handicap system is in place, why not implement it so the womens teams can be competitive? (if the women agree of course).

Any handicap is going to be unfair to someone. What about the povo sailor who uses old gear? He or she may be poor due to circumstances outside of their control such as a sick partner or being made redundent or perhaps they needing to pay off their mortgage quicker. What about the people living in places that are not very windy or lack the super smooth runs? Similarly the people who lack fitness or ability due to physical ailments? For example I suffer from a heart condition and would never be able to run a marathon or windsurf 300kms in a day. Do I get a handicap on my distance?

A handicap would be impossible to make fair to everyone so it would be disadvantaging some over others. So there would be no difference over the current system of no handicaps. Probably what would happen is the top sailors stay at the top and the middle to lower ranking sailors without the handicap get disadvantaged the most. So you are penalising people who are giving it their best shot but for whatever reason can't achieve the best scores.

Female participation is to be encouraged but not at the expense of excessive rules and probable bad feeling. The way to encourage females or anyone else to get involved is to praise their efforts, give encouragement, and tell people how great it is.

Everyone I've told about GPS sailing and the challenge is quite impressed, especially when showing them tracks on Google Earth. Its amazing how technology is now intertwined with our recreation.

Agree it would be good to post info about sessions. I try to download an image of my tracks, give a bit of a spiel of what happened and have started posting pictures if there are any. Its a bit of a blog of my windsurfing exploits.

re handicaps

I believe there is enough data already logged to set up a handicap system.

Look to the difference between the lowest placed team without any penalty points (for not posting in a month) and the top team, your teams handicap would be the difference between your teams points and the lowest teams with say a 10% reduction.

That way at the end of the year everyone will be within a gnats willy of the top and doing a lot of tactical sailing to try and maximise points.

Run side by side with the existing comp I feel this could open up a whole new year of mad addiction where any team can take it out

firiebob said...

I'm with Moby

not that there's anything wrong with that

My handicap - I can't sail fast. All I need is a 10 knot head start.

sausage said...

firiebob said...

I'm with Moby

not that there's anything wrong with that

Hey Snags not in Queensland mate

BundyBear said...

Is it possible to have have the individual rankings broken up by year?

Anything's possible

Mobydisc said...


Everyone I've told about GPS sailing and the challenge is quite impressed, especially when showing them tracks on Google Earth. Its amazing how technology is now intertwined with our recreation.

Spot on Moby! I've only recently stated participating in the Team Challenge and aside from the thrill I'm getting from constantly challenging myself, I'm still amazed at what this technology can do. I have shown a few friends and people at work and they are all like WHOA!!!!!

Sorry, I know a bit off topic, but just wanted to say that the Team Challenge adds a whole new dimension to this sport. Keep up the good work on this site, as Borat would say "Is Naice"

elmo said...
[>>

enough and the right filters and you to can be Nº 1

Ahh that must be the "filter every body else" button.

elmo said...

decrepit said...

Aren't they already????
filter state.
FILTER YEAR,
filter age
filter team.

enough and the right filters and you to can be Nº 1

Dont think Nebs have filters for furry animals elmo

AUS1111 said...

Now here's one I would definitely like to see;

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - PLEASE PUT NUMBERS ON YOUR SAILS!!!!

If everyone puts numbers on their sails, we'll all get to know each other even quicker.

With 80 participants in WA alone, you so often find yourself drag racing someone out in the middle of the river and then you have no idea who it was. It we all had numbers, maybe Nebs could fix it so you could search for someone by sail number.

You'll need them for the big race in January in Lancelin anyway.

If you have seen my numbers, they cost $30 each and they are super easy to take on and off. You can design them any colour, font style or whatever.

If anyone wants the number of the guy who did mine, PM me.

I always used to put my number on all my sails. It got to be a bit of a pain removing them when I changed them over and constantly making new numbers for the new sails. Not to mention the confusion of having people sailing my old sails around with my numbers or partial numbers on them. In the end I realised most people recognised me from my 30 year old yellow canoeing helmet and my ancient appearance anyhow so I gave up with the numbers.

Oh bugger, I have got a new helmet now. I guess I will have to look at getting sail numbers again...... Even my number is old school!

Seriously though, AUS 1111 has a good point.

Cheers: KA20

The old black sticky-back dacron numbers were a pain-in-the-ass to cut out, stick on & take off again, but the new ones now are a piece of piss, and they look better!

Just because I have the sail number AUS27 doesn't mean I go as fast as choco though...

nebbian said...

Just because I have the sail number AUS27 doesn't mean I go as fast as choco though...

Nebs, sail numbers make you jump higher and slash the waves harder too