Select to expand quoteMadge said..
Anyone from the UK will get this:
1) Vinta.
2) Lodey custom.
3) Hifly.
4) Klepper.
5) Chapper channelled boards.
6) Vitamin Sea.
7) Tiga 265 slalom.
8) Alpha 230.
Lodey was the best board I ever rode I recon. The rest weren't nessaccerily the best but some of the most popular in Europe.
I get this, but they'd all be considered absolute **** to sail, compared to modern designs. And why do those brands no longer exist?
So I guess we need to distinguish between brands that failed because their designs or production methods didn't move on, and those which failed because the company accountants gave the wrong paperwork advice.
I'm not sure mistral is still a current brand, they had a few terrible years when Anders Bringdel was running it and they aint too flash now.
I had the 300CS it had a sliding fin that clipped into a track. Would like to sail one now to see how bad they really were.
The first and other shots (other than the second photo of Mark Paul) is Robby Naish sailing one of Mark Paul's Bombora Protos in the Wrigleys contest in Sydney in 1980. At the time this brand was top of the world in advanced windsurfing and Robby sailing it confirms it. Bombora inspired many young Aussies to start windsurfing through the efforts of Mike Maguire and Mark Paul. The mast position is very aft and it is a wide tail aft, revolutionary. Truly a great and legendary brand that makes it the best.
Select to expand quoteMadge said..
Anyone from the UK will get this:
1) Vinta.
2) Lodey custom.
3) Hifly.
4) Klepper.
5) Chapper channelled boards.
6) Vitamin Sea.
7) Tiga 265 slalom.
8) Alpha 230.
Lodey was the best board I ever rode I recon. The rest weren't nessaccerily the best but some of the most popular in Europe.
Tad who made the vitamin sea boards now works for cobra.
id take one of his older customs over anything that comes from cobra these days. He made me a slalom board probably 30years ago, carbon, thommen rocker line apparently, 270 long 58 wide 6kilos Went like a rocket and was really tough 2years use and no dings. Down side was It tried to kill you in the gybes.
would also love to get another F2lightening with the hideous Statue of Liberty graphics, loved sailing that board maxed out.
Select to expand quoteRichardG said..
The first and other shots (other than the second photo of Mark Paul) is Robby Naish sailing one of Mark Paul's Bombora Protos in the Wrigleys contest in Sydney in 1980. At the time this brand was top of the world in advanced windsurfing and Robby sailing it confirms it. Bombora inspired many young Aussies to start windsurfing through the efforts of Mike Maguire and Mark Paul. The mast position is very aft and it is a wide tail aft, revolutionary. Truly a great and legendary brand that makes it the best.
Hats off to anyone that can sail those things! Not even a harness...
Select to expand quoteRichardG said..
Bic, Mistral, F2 and Bombora. The last brand invented advanced surf oriented proto windsurf boards under Mike Maguire and then later from the fertile mind of Mark Paul came the short board and prototype boards way ahead of their time with the offset asymmetrical fin box. Mistral was and must be the Rolls Royce of Sailboards in its heyday. Its old boards are now still great, not so sure about the new stuff as I like the old stuff better. Here is the 1983 catalogue, looks great even now:
Bombora 1984 protos showing offset assymetrical finboxes out of Chris Crozier's shaping bay:
Loved my Diamond Head. Did not know it was marketed as a "funboard", anyway it was fun.
Also enjoyed the breakthrough between sailing powered up, centre board out, on a one design, and this thing called a Bombora Tri.
Basher:
But they were an OK product for a while. (Just try and name their team members, after Robby Naish). And then kiting happened.
Team member after Robby was Pete Cabrinha, and yes, legendary kiter.
Another good brand back in the day was Aquata. Not sure they ever came out here in Oz
i got started and progressed on Mistral but cant seem to find gear in their lineup that feels like it will fill whatever gap in quiver i'm trying to fill for quite some time now.
I felt like I mebbe i was a bit alone in nostalgia/fascination with M-dot but then I found this - www.facebook.com/groups/262517604734203
It is nothing less than amazing how much of their old kit is out and about, usable and well-loved.
The longest lived brand and most financially successful is probably Bic- they go back to the days of the Dufour Wing circa 1979-80. Still making money today ! They cover SUP, surfboards, windsurfers. The Techno class probably is where they are making money today.
