Does anyone have a link to a summary of the history behind each brand in windsurfing? I like to know who is local, who is international, who is a small brand but growing, etc. Trawling their websites it seems like many of these brands have gone "global" with little reference to their roots, their origin, their manufacturing base, etc. I'm making a rather rude stereotype and assuming that its because their manufacturing is offshore where wages are cheaper... but i'd love to be told i'm wrong.

If anyone could write a basic rundown (without upsetting the brand of course) i'd be fascinated to know some of the history. I'm particularly interested in things like which brands are actually based in Perth WA, which brands are Aussie, who are the actual guys behind the shaping of boards and sails, and what are some of the "classics" from the 80's and 90's that are worth tracking down?

Maybe you should kick off the research project with the info you have sourced from googling? This might be the best start.

Start with Severne.

Ben is a South Aussie I believe, but the base of operations is here in Perth. a lot of the race end sails are tested by local sailor (and a previous Ledge to Lancelin winner amongst other things) Robby Radis.

Once they've been tried and tested, they're produced overseas though.

Subsonic - thanks for the info! Little tidbits like that are exactly what i'm after... very interesting.
If anyone knows bits about other companies, please share. Or if the companies themselves are interested in commenting on their history?

What you're asking for could be a very tall order, here is a list compiled from a thread on iWindsurf's forum in the U.S., where somebody just asked for the Windsurfing brand names over the years, and nothing else. If Oz is anything like the U.S., the list can be quite long. And this list isn't even complete.

Aeroforce
Aerolite
Aeron
Aerotech
AHD
AirInside
Aitken
Al Winner
AL360
Alpha
Ampro
Angulo
Arrows
Avanti
Bassett
Bic
Black Point
Black Project
Blade
Briand
Bull
C3
Carbon Art
Carbon Creations
Carpenter
Cascade
Challenger
Chinook
Choco
Clip
Copello
Corona
Curtis
Da Claw
Dakine
Deboichet
Demon
Dill
Drops
Dynafiber
Easy-Uphaul
Epic
Exocet
Ezzy
F2
F4
Fanatic
Fathom
Fleetwood
Flikka
Flying Objects
Flymount
Folkfinn
Freedom
G-Sport
Gaastra
Gale Force
Gasfins
Gorge Animal
Gorge Technology
Goya
Grandall
Guess Who
Gulftech
Gun
Hale
Hansen
Haut
Hi Per Tech
HiFly
HiTech
Hot Sails Maui
HPL: Hawaiian Pro Line
HTS
Hurricane
Ianovated
Ifju Fins
Insect
Jimmy Lewis
JP Australia
Jump & Jibe
K3
K4
KA
Kartwright
Kashy
Kinetic
Klepper
Kona
Lefebvre
Lessacher
Lester Polyester
Lightning
Lipsticks
Loft
Logosz
Lorch
Magnum
Makani
Mast Hero
Maui Project
MauiSails
MaverX
MB
Meritex
MFC
Mike's Lab
Mistral
Moo
MUF
Multi-Sail
MXR
Mystic
Naish
NeilPryde
Nelson
Nolimitz
North
North Pacific
North Shore Maui
Northern Boardworks
Northwave
NP Surf
O'Brien
OES
Open Ocean
Original
Pacific
Pacifico
Patrik
Petit
Point 7
Poison
Powerex
ProLimit
ProMotion
Quatro
Rainbow
Real Wind
Reptile
Roberts
Rogue Wave
RRD
Rushwind
Rutger
Sailboards Maui
Sailloft
Sailworks
Seatrend
Select
Severne
Sheldon
Simmer
Smart
Sonntag
SOS
Spindrift
Starboard
Stealth
Streamlined
Tabou
Techart
Tectonics Maui
Teknosport
Terrasail
TFC
Thommen1
Tiga
True Ames
Tushingham
Unifiber
UP: Ultra Profile
Vandal
Vector
Virus
VMG
Waddell
Watson
West Wind
Wind Obsession
WindSpeed
Windsurfing Hawaii
Windwing
Witchcraft
World
X.O
Xbooms
Z Fins

A reasonable place to start is the trademark databases of various countries. Not all businesses register their marks in every country they sell to though.

The Australian database is at : search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/quick

US Patent and trademark database at : tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=4810:wj1ezp.1.1

Enter the name and see what comes up. E.g. in Australia, the SEVERNE trademark (Reg. No. 1089343) is owned by Svein Askland Rasmussen. He also owns the Starboard registration 916844.

Neil Pryde Limited owns the JP Australia marks (807142, 812393)

If the marks have been assigned, this information can be found (but you need to know where to look).

Or you could use the fingers on one hand to count them.

I wonder why - sounds a bit like another 'do my uni assignement for me' threads

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Gos said...... and assuming that its because their manufacturing is offshore where wages are cheaper... but i'd love to be told i'm wrong.

You need to read up on the economics 101 of globalisation and free trade ... here is a start ...

www.hbs.edu/about/history/Pages/default.aspx
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_globalization
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade

.... or would you rather pay twice as much for half the quality.

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wind012 said..

Gos said...... and assuming that its because their manufacturing is offshore where wages are cheaper... but i'd love to be told i'm wrong.

You need to read up on the economics 101 of globalisation and free trade ... here is a start ...

www.hbs.edu/about/history/Pages/default.aspx
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_globalization
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade

.... or would you rather pay twice as much for half the quality.

there are a few local guys who turn out good boards for about the same price or cheaper. but its hard to compete with the brands with the big names.
And as we all know placing a custom order is never as easy as just placing the order.

Custom board orders go, if you want a board take money.
if you want a good board take beer,
if you want a great board take drugs,
if you want a great boards fast, take beer, money and drugs,..


HAHA

A perfectly reasonable question Gos. I have occasionally pondered this question too when buying gear.

I think Gos isn't after a peer reviewed report, just what people know off the top of their head. It would be interesting to know myself

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Mark _australia said..
Or you could use the fingers on one hand to count them.

I wonder why - sounds a bit like another 'do my uni assignement for me' threads

i don't know who you are... or why your "assignement" is to write these things on other people's posts.
I'm just a beginner trying to learn about the equipment, improve my skills in a difficult sport, and buy local if possible.

You can either add value to someone else who is trying to get by (not just me but others)... or you can just keep posting lots of nothing. I see you're up to 12390 posts... statistics alone would have indicated that you've been around a while and might have been the first to provide some worthy insight? Well, here you go, show us how much you know!

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jn1 said..
A perfectly reasonable question Gos. I have occasionally pondered this question too when buying gear.

I think Gos isn't after a peer reviewed report, just what people know off the top of their head. It would be interesting to know myself

Spot on - yep - I think that lots of people would be interested. Thanks jn1

Its all interesting. Some people have met the shaper. Some people have BEEN the shaper, or worked for the company and sewed some sails. In a niche industry like windsurfing there is bound to be some good stories and good people behind the shiny fluorescent gear.

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Gos said..

Mark _australia said..
Or you could use the fingers on one hand to count them.

I wonder why - sounds a bit like another 'do my uni assignement for me' threads

i don't know who you are... or why your "assignement" is to write these things on other people's posts.
I'm just a beginner trying to learn about the equipment, improve my skills in a difficult sport, and buy local if possible.
You can either add value to someone else who is trying to get by (not just me but others)... or you can just keep posting lots of nothing. I see you're up to 12390 posts... statistics alone would have indicated that you've been around a while and might have been the first to provide some worthy insight? Well, here you go, show us how much you know!

Sorry was not my intention to insult. It just sounds like a strange question. It would take somebody hours to reply to that question just to write about the board shapers in Oz or just the sail brands that exist and have existed.

Google australian windsurf boards / shapers
and australian sailmakers. ?

The detail in your question sounds a lot like some of the ones we have seen that actually were wanting peopel to write enough so they could do an assignment the easy way. I now see it is just indicative of a very keen beginner then. Sorry.

Here is a start ...

lmgtfy.com/?q=ben+serverne

And another ...

lmgtfy.com/?q=flying+objects

www.facebook.com/pages/Flying-Objects-Australia/143373702512264?sk=info

oesaustralia.com/about-the-shop/

www.nudeboards.com.au/

Hey mast bender i couldn't help that Aussie brand Tyronsea was misted in your awesome list sh#t there are lots of brands more than i thought!

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stroppo said..
Hey mast bender i couldn't help that Aussie brand Tyronsea was misted in your awesome list sh#t there are lots of brands more than i thought!

Bombora, Windrush. Its a seppo centric list.

Maybe you should be more specific.

Do you actually want to buy anything to use?

Or is this historical research for some new windsurfing museum that you are building?

eg .. do you care about some old Aussie brands that no longer exist and of which nothing is worth buying?

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Mobydisc said..

stroppo said..
Hey mast bender i couldn't help that Aussie brand Tyronsea was misted in your awesome list sh#t there are lots of brands more than i thought!

Bombora, Windrush. Its a seppo centric list.

Windsurfer

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Gos said..
Trawling their websites it seems like many of these brands have gone "global" with little reference to their roots, their origin, their manufacturing base, etc. I'm making a rather rude stereotype and assuming that its because their manufacturing is offshore where wages are cheaper... but i'd love to be told i'm wrong.

You seem to be aware that this is a pretty gross generalization so I will resist the standard internet reflex to tell you that "YOU ARE WRONG" because that would be a little dumb of me and a little obvious.

I think the impression from windsurf websites that companies have lost touch with their roots is a reflection of how expensive it is to manufacture "Authenticity" on the web. Huge companies spend big dollars manufacturing "Authenticity", its a whole industry in itself. This doesnt mean that the windsurfing industry is some sort of faceless global machine and this is pretty easy to confirm by going to a beach and speaking to people......crazy I know......communicating without a digital interface...old school style.....you may not meet a Ben Severne or a Craig Gertenbach straight away but you will probably speak to somebody who has spoken to them...the industry is just that small and authentic (yes I mean really authentic with a little "a" not the created stuff) If you go to Hawaii you will end up rubbing shoulders with all those folks, grabbing a Selfie with Robby.....they pretty much wont let you leave the island without one.....[insert smiley emoticon]

One of the english magazines (Windsurf or Boards) did a series of interveiws with the big windsurfing brand managers and thier passion for the sport was pretty obvious. Keeping any action based brand alive is not easy, the consumers are a fickle and flighty bunch, and dealing with pro athletes must be like herding sparrows or maybe seagulls.

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wind012 said..
Maybe you should be more specific.

Do you actually want to buy anything to use?

Or is this historical research for some new windsurfing museum that you are building?

eg .. do you care about some old Aussie brands that no longer exist and of which nothing is worth buying?

Hey thanks wind012 for all the links, that is a massive help and i appreciate you sharing them.

Do you actually want to buy anything to use?
My situation is that i'm progressing from learner to intermediate and looking to spend some money this Spring on upgrading my gear. I currently have a huge collection of bargains sourced via gumtree but its time for me to sell most of this crappy stuff and buy some items that match. I need to get out in the market and purchase 3 new sails, a 430 carbon mast, a new boom and mast base extender, etc. The only gear I am happy with is my intermediate boards... I have a Mistral 161 Freeride and a 120l Bic Techno - oh and a massive old 360cm Tyronsea if its been 6 months since i last went out. The Mistral and the Bic Techno should be appropriate for my level for a little while longer, although the temptation is there to pickup a JP Freeride or Starboard around the 140l mark. I'm 85kg.

So - having now accepted that i'm going to commit to this sport and spend some hard-earned on getting good equipment, i'm really interested in understanding who is who amongst the brands instead of just picking the pretty colours. Most of the equipment looks awesome, i'm told that there is little difference performance wise at an intermediate level... so my thing is to try and buy local because that will hopefully reward some smart and brave aussie who had a crack at producing something themselves. I admire entrepreneurs. I also like having a local shop or manufacturer in case i bust the equipment or need advice on the next upgrade.

Do I care about some old Aussie Brands that no longer exist... hm... not really. I'm most interested in the gear that you would commonly see down at the beach here in Perth. Severne. JP Australia. Ezzy. Flying Objects. Neil Pryde. Tabou. Starboard. Gaastra. (I already worked out where Hot Sails Maui is from...)

Windsurfing museum... not anytime soon. I currently live in a 2 x 2 apartment and get my butt kicked by the missus because it is overflowing with my current windsurfing equipment. If i had space for a museum it would be dedicated to vintage motorcycles

Again, thanks for all your posts in the last 24 hours - greatly appreciated.

Wow .. that helps a lot to narrow it down.

Now maybe you need to confirm if you are going to buy from the local store vs your 'buying aussie dream'?

eg if your local store only offers big international brands, then would you consider an aussie board brand?
eg are you only going to buy the brands listed in your email above?

btw ... still think you should read-up on globalization and free-trade. you don't have australia's best interests at heart if you buying aussie just for the sake of 'buying aussie'. if an aussie board or sail works out the best value for your money, then go for it and buy aussie .. but you shouldn't let the 'aussie factor' distort your decision. spend your money on the best global products and everything will work out better in the long-term. let australia focus in the areas where we have a competitive advantage. your view is a bit short-sighted.

A bit of trivia surrounding the Severne Loft..

The current Severne loft is in a set of factory units in Leeway Court in Osborne Park, Perth WA. Unit 4.
Back in the late 80's Windtech Sailboards was created by Neil & Sarah Scheltema - I was doining work experience with them in Neil's Midland factory and helped them transition into their new unit at 5/6 Leeway Court.
It happened that Robbie Raddis' father Tom had a performance motor mechanics business right next door to the new Windtech factory.
At the time, Peter Dans was the Bad Boy of windsurfing and the main sailor for Windtech. Neil was also one of the quickest sailors around, and Sarah was also a great sailor with sponsorship offers from Neil Pryde.
Scott McKercher came on board with Windtech and that team arguably became the leaders in design and construction over a stellar period in the first half of the nineties which saw Scotty at the top of the PWA circuit and forging Windtech a firm place in windsurfing history.
While I was working there off and on I recall guys like Svein Rasmussen and Anders Bringdal coming in and there were approaches by the likes of Capello looking for collaborations. Others working with Neil were Steve Allen, Colin Leonhardt, and Dan Engdahl who later inherited the unit at Leeway Court and established his own brand 'Vitesse', producing some innovative designs.
During this period Neil was also working closely with Willem(Willy)Blauw then designing sails for Neil Pryde. Willy was based locally in Perth and after a spell with Gaastra, Willy launched Arrows Sails under F2 and with Neil's help in R&D Arrows produced some very good equipment and some of the 'no cam' sails were ahead of their time - I had Trixx sails, windtech boards and Leading Edge carbon fins - some of the best sailing of my life blasting off City Beach and Scarborough. Neil also had a good relationship with Andrew McDougall of Ka Sail fame, and there were many prototyping jobs for big brands and a period where Neils designs were put into production under the Kinetic brand, with which Robby Raddis had success on the PWA World Tour.

There were many other significant partnerships during and after that period that others will have more accurate info than I.

On other partnerships I recall were that Lindsay Park had left Murray Smiths factory to go out on his own as Lindsay Park Designs - Lindsay worked with Col Leonhardt(working with Sail Logic), and Chris Lockwood was emerging as a young board designer for Lindsay. One of Lindsay Parks brands at the time was 'Tribal' Surfboards. Chris Lockwood is now one of the leading board and fin designers in windsurfing, working with Anders Bringdal to create the current range of Mistral Slalom and Speed boards, and Peter Weitenberg of Ka Sail to produce Tribal Fins. Chris also produces Chris Lockwood Designs performance carbon fins here in Perth in small quantities.

James Hooper of 'Nude' boards also frequents the Severne Loft and is instrumental in Starboard wave board design and R&D with Severne wave sails.

How things come full circle in time is a beautiful thing.

^^^ that is a good run down and brings back memories!! I used to hang around Windtech as a grom, looking at all I could not afford :(

Gos does that help? I can't see it will assist with sail selection but you will enjoy a quiver of Severnes in the 4.5 - 6.5 you were chasing.

Cobra

Interesting to hear that the local guys out source their services.

How did Cobra get their gig ?. Everybody complains about the quality of Cobra made boards. I take it that once upon a time, they were really good ?

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Mark _australia said..
Or you could use the fingers on one hand to count them.

I wonder why - sounds a bit like another 'do my uni assignement for me' threads

Last night I busted my kids doing some homework and I said "hey, have you checked that with Mark_australia first?".

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evlPanda said..
Cobra

Bridgestone?

Cobra boards, Thailand

Lam sails, Hong Kong

Reglass masts, Italy

Okay, that's 90% of the market covered.

Oh, and how could anyone have left Bombora off that list - the one board every one of us has owned at some point!

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Harrow said..


Oh, and how could anyone have left Bombora off that list - the one board everyone of has owned at some point!

Well what do you know. The BOMBORA brand is still alive and possibly well, now owned by Barron and Rawson Pty Ltd, Revesby NSW. Makers of fine wave skis these days http://www.brplastics.com.au/prod_bombora.html . Looks like the brand has changed hands several times over the decades. I wonder where the orange polyethylene from my Bombora Antarctica is now.