iKitesurf sucks!

[Unimog Bob]

I shouldn't post until I get a few cups of coffe in me. On a more positive note FDOT has a network of sensors on their bridges. I can see the ultra sonic one on the skyway every night on my way home. Also I call the structure E bridge (from pinellas bayway to TV) to get a wind reading from time to time. Someone with a little get up and go that hasn't gotten up and went should be able to get access to this public sector data to paint a more complete picture of our winds. Heck with a little effort it might be something worth paying for.

Bob

[toby wilson]

Well then I can bitch about all of the days I have been skunked by the PAG or skyway sensor like everyone else! Besides, if it were my site, I would avoid putting up sensors that I knew had inaccurate readings on it...

[dstjohn]

All great input, guys. Yes, I absolutely agree the proof will be in our pudding. You guys don't have to listen to me. But we're actively installing weather stations all over the country (about 40 in the last 12 months). The priority list for where they go in is all driven by demand.

The St. Pete/Tampa area *will* rise to the top of the list at some point - all I'm trying to say is there are things that can be done to make it rise faster. And yes, it's not just kiters. We are talking to yacht clubs, sailing schools, marinas, windsurfing shops, universities, shipping companies, etc. It's the combination of interest/demand from all groups that drives our priorities. You guys, like many kiters, are just more organized than most.

I'm not asking you to give us anything *before* we give you something back. Contrary to what Toby said, someone who shows his support by signing up via the install-a-sensor program at www.ikitesurf.com/ftdesoto is *not* locked in. Even after we install a new station (or two or three) and activate your account, you can cancel your membership with a full refund if you're not satisfied with it.

As for promises, I have tried to be careful about making any. There are simply too many unknowns - priorities, permissions, politics, logistics, etc. I can't say "if you get 30 guys to commit we'll install 2 stations in 3 months." All I can tell you is that if we had 30 commitments rather than 12, this area will get a lot more attention. And it will cost you nothing.

Bob, those FDOT sites are definitely interesting, especially the bridge-mounted stations. It's actually a partnership between FDOT and a bunch of universities. I've talked to a couple of the researchers working on that project and I'm trying to get them to put the data in an easy to digest format. It still seems to be very experimental, and they say the data quality is not so great, but hopefully they'll get it together soon.

Finally, if you guys collectively agree some of the public weather stations on our maps are truly worse than nothing, and should come off, please let me know. And just being inaccurate is not a good reason to take it down. The quesiton is whether it's *useful*. It wouldn't be smart to pull a site off our map just because you got skunked once. Even inaccurate weather data can be useful.

In fact, *most* weather stations don't give you a totally accurate reflection of the wind on the water right where you happen to be kiting. Most sites have to be "calibrated" for where you kite, in your own brain. For example, I know Ponce Inlet reads low on west wind, so I add a few knots to it from that direction. I know Matanzas reads a little high, so I adjust it.

Toby, you can definitely bitch to me about P-a-G, but Skyway's not ours either - it's a PORTS site :wink:

The P-a-G sensor is on top of the Hurricane Grill. If it reads high, it's because it's 50 feet off the ground and the buildings may be accelerating the wind. I'd love to put a station out over the water, 30 feet off the surface. But where does such a location exist? I've looked and I couldn't find a better place anywhere from P-a-G to Treasure Island. But you guys know the area better than I. We thought we had a better spot on one of the Redington piers, but the owner didn't see having a station there as a benefit. Find a better spot and I'll try to get it moved!

David

Yo' Toneeeeeee!!
(Inside joke about unwillingness of pier owner to help out)

Well, I just logged in to that site and did the "in support of DeSoto FX membership. Sounds simple enough. Just show interest.

David. Unfortunately the Skyway sensor is not just a few knots off.
It is quite common (on a NE) for it to read 17 and have it blowig sub 10.
Then some days its "in the ball park". It is truly a crap shoot.. no rhyme or reason.

PaG was even worse. It might be better in the last 5 months, I wouldn't know. But it consistently gave readings of 17 when in fact, no exaggeration, it was sub 7.

Anyway, I showed interest by signing up for that "can't lose" deal. It's kind of like getting a free lottery ticket is how I see it at this point. :wink:
Hopefully other guys will sign up, too.

[dstjohn]

Thanks, Scott. I see you in the "support Ft De Soto" list - so we're up to 13 now!

David

Sure.

Hey guys. It's free, nothing to lose. David basically just needs to demonstrate interest to his bosses.

Please sign up. I would not have signed up if I thought I had to pay for something I didn't want. We might get a vid cam or a working sensor.
We might NOT... but, its zero risk.

Please, pretty please

It only took about 5 minutes. It looks like you are paying thru a credit card (but you aren't).

I know that the guys that signed up for this initially never got charged and have access to all the FX stuff for free (otherwise I would not have done it).

It's kind of the least amount of effort we can do to "possibly" get a good sensor here in St. Pete, isn't it?

Hey, if it sucks, you never pay! AND we can really badmouth Ikan't then! :evil:
But, maybe David can get us our FIRST dedicated vidcam on the hurricane?! or somehthing better. Its worth it to have faith at zero risk, IMO.

[pdfox]

I agree Scott.

Alex and Jordan are signed up under this deal.

If everyone shows an interest maybe we can get something good to happen.

We can't lose.

Since you love to post here how about another topic to attract peoples attention.

"Ikitesurf sucks now, but might not later"
"Free Ikitesurf offer"
"Lets all get together and make something good happen"
"Free wind"

Paul

Hey, I already have an ikitesurf account and I have had one for some time now, maybe a few years. Can I sign up with the link, or just give my info to David so he knows that da' Bone needs mo' betta 411?

[dstjohn]

e-bone, give me your iK username and I'll hook you up.

David

[pdfox]

E-Bone,

From what I understand if you have an existing account your billing will be put into suspense for the period of time that it takes for them to get a new sensor installed. No brainer - do it. I did.

Paul