Ensuring supply of longboards
June 15, 2008 · Print This Article
The past 24 months has seen a number of new longboard windsurfers arrive on the scene. While, there are clearly some design improvements when compared to the longboards of old, in reality it is a clear recognition from the industry that they should have never stopped making long boards in the first place. Included in the new crop of boards are varieties of raceboards, the Kona family of boards and a range of SUP’s to mention a few. One thing that all of these boards have in common is that they are all longer than your average slalom board and generally speaking all come out of the Cobra Factory in Thailand.
‘So what’, you may say. Well, making longboard windsurfers requires a different set of skills and facilities to your average slalom board. For starters they are obviously longer, and secondly, most of the boards come with centreboards and associated casing not to mention a mast track. These elements make it harder to manufacture a longboard over other types of board. As you could imagine, it is a whole lot easier to just keep churning out boards that are less than 3 metres in length and only have a fin and a few foot straps.
While all of this may appear to be self evident it is worthy of further consideration. At a time when the industry stopped making longboards there was a shift to the manufacture of almost all of the boards available on the market to the Cobra Factory in Thailand. For example, Mistral stopped making boards in Europe as did most of the other big brands.
Warp-X Underbelly
There are clearly some advantages to manufacturing most boards in one factory, mainly cheaper production costs and a specialisation of skills. However, on the down side there are a number of problems including a monopolisation of the technology and skills to make the more complex longboards. Moreover, one could also argue that there is a decline in competitive manufacturing forces where one manufacture does something slightly differently to achieve a better outcome. To me at least, this is evident in all of the boards which come out of the Cobra factory today which all seem to have the same or similar construction and outcomes. Anecdotally, I have heard that the Cobra Factory struggles with the manufacture of boards which are greater than 3 metres in length and is always challenged by the ever present problem of the centreboard.
At the same time, manufactures are required by ISAF regulations to produce a minimum number of boards for the board to be considered a production board which can be registered with ISAF. Of course with registration comes the ability to use the board in grade 1 events such as world championships. The consequence of these regulations make it quite costly and time consuming to register a new board. For manufacturers after producing a new board must sell a reasonable number of units before they can modify or create a new version of it.
Thus, what I have pointed out is a two prong issue. Firstly, the manufacture of 90% of boards in the one factory and secondly a costly and long process for boards to become ISAF registered. To me at least, both of these issues conspire to make it difficult for smaller manufactures to create new longboards even if they were to be better than those already on the market. This issue is applicable to all types of boards. However, with the greater manufacturing complexity of longboard windsurfers, the issue becomes magnified.
Now that I have outlined the problem I am not sure if I know what the solution is. Some people have suggested that the registration process needs to be made easier, cheaper and quicker. Others have said that the registration process does not need to be there at all. While I am not sure of the answer, I am sure that I would like to see some longboard windsurfers manufactured outside of the Cobra factory. This would ensure the sharing of the manufacturing skills and a more lively market with a greater choice of boards. What ever the solution as a sport and industry, we will need to address these issues if the resurgence of longboard windsurfing is to continue.
Very interesting article. This would explain why the board companies dropped longboards from their ranges, pure economics or suicide, both I think have some truth.
If your into history, the windsurfing environment today could be compared to Easter Island, where all the resources on the island were heavily consumed without a thought towards sustainability and survival. The population eventually became extinct.
In windsurfing, longboards are the mechanism for sustainability. Although perhaps not economically viable, board companies may have to sacrifice some profit initially to ensure it in the future. In my mind, there is no doubt that longboards bring more people to the sport, of which many migrate to shortboards.
If other board companies fail to re-introduce the longboard (i.e. Mistral, AHD, Tiga) and avoid the situation in Thailand, longboards and windsurfing will be tantamount to extinction.
The Kona - well done.
Good stuff!
Industry veterans also say that the retailers today went so far towards shortboards that they now struggle to find racks that can take a big board. The big boards do take up more storage space but as Bob say, they’ve got to maintain the market and the supply of new sailors and longboards are the way to do it. After all, the kayak guys find room for millions of new kayaks each year.
There’s also the bizarre mindset that fixates on weight and is so used to the weight of shortboards, that they cannot get their mind around the weight of longer gear. One classic example was a German windsurfer magazine that started its test of hybrids by saying that the staffers could not physically lift the 19kg boards…….it’s deeply strange that these some of these guys pretend they are macho dudes in an “extreme” sport and then complain about lifting 19kg!
ISAF’s requirement for homologation also means that it’s impractical for smaller builders or builders from smaller areas to build Raceboards (as their chances of selling the required number) and also rules out the backyard boffin - the sort of people who created the sport in the whole place.
Some well-designed class rules could allow for controlled development. We could probably take a leaf from the Formula catamarans, the fastest-growing cat class. They have adopted some requirements to ensure that production boats are still competitive and have warned that they will ban developments that will obsolete older gear. Obviously there are political questions about the stuff that gets banned and the stuff that gets allowed, but it’s a possible future model.
I have been following the longboard race board issues for a litle bit . I am thinking of buying one ( used or new …?? i dont know) and starting to race like i did years ago with a Mistral Comp SST ( complete for $1300 ex VAT here in Canada 15 years ago… i gave it away).
I know of of a guy who has ordered one here in central canada other then that i havent heard anything other then the high sticker price(even at cost) .
As you know the only long boards available to race ” competitively” are old F2s lightnings ( rare) equipes, mistral ODs, at least from what i have seen on the net. Konas while nice, cant compete with this old crop of racers so i dont count them in, and it is unlikley it will get a following with the hardcore racers in central US where i am located.
The whole issue here for me is will the new 380 out class the older raceboards?
While some look for the best performance money can buy, i am looking for better competition without being outclassed by the newest gear.
GO O.D. you say? well when there no fleet locally theres no use.
Ramping up production on the assembly line for a product like this is surely to cost the manufacturer quite a bit of moola straight up without any guarantee of sales.
Simply put sales are important and a company needs them.
Starboard like other companies like exocet seem to be feeling ther way slowly and methodically before they release a tried and true product.
The last few years have seen boards like the shorter phantom come and go, along with the hybrids …a very confusing mix it seesm to me and evidence of some confusion at the manufactueres level as well.
Maybe it a if you build it they ( the buyers)will come.
they didnt seem to come out for the boards ive just mentioned so…. IMHO they are being carefull now.
shredulato
Hi Jeff,
The new Phantom and Warp X380 are both good raceboards and we are happy that the industry produce these boards.
In my opinion and observation until now you will not be outclassed with an older generation raceboard with 250 liters volume or more.
Mowind (the midwestern USA windsurfing group) just had a Starboard and Exocet join their fleet, and *board have publicly said the Phantom is coming out in modified form. So it’s all looking good.
There’s a brief note and pics from Mowind at:
http://www.mowind.org/wp/?p=109