Back in the 80s and 90s when I was windsurfing before, there were a few Aussie manufacturers who made reasonably decent boards. I may be looking at getting a new board later this year and I would prefer to support the local product. I reckon its important to keep dollars and employment in Australia if possible. I'd never buy a new imported car if there was a comparable car made in Australia. It sucks that all those Mitsubishi workers are now out of a job especially as the 380 was a pretty good car.

I guess JP came out of Strapper but from what I understand JP is owned by the same Hong Kong company who owns Neil Pryde and a few other companies.

Are there any Aussie board manufacturers who make boards comparable to the top overseas brands?

decrepit said...

Yep, as well as bluejuice, there's the Margaret River company Delta, and the Geraldton company Stone Surf Boards.

www.stonesurf.com/

http://www.kineticaustralia.com.au/delta.htm

Think there's also a SA firm, Ocean Eyre or something like that.

try this out

Ocean Eyre Sailboards
PORT LINCOLN
Peter Ross
(08) 8682 5466
www.oes-australia.com

pretty sure i posted this just before but you never know..

what is the go with kenitic delta now.. they don't seem to be doing windsurfing anymore.. and i only see new kite boards around margs.. no new windsurfers..

Probably not what you're after, but Windsurfer One Design boards are still Australian made.

Chris 249 said...

Probably not what you're after, but Windsurfer One Design boards are still Australian made.

Spoke to a guy a cuppla weeks ago & he was working back in the 80's for someone making W'Surfer 1 Design....
and they used to make up these special lightweight versions by putting a whole bunch of ping pong balls in the core[}:)][}:)]

Had to stop 'cos cheaters were using them in comps and blitzing the opposition

Thought you'd like that Chris249

I'll find out more

although nose heavy, i reckon the oes i had for a bit was indestructible. the sandwich construction near the footstraps was about 5mm thick

Wineman said...

Chris 249 said...

Probably not what you're after, but Windsurfer One Design boards are still Australian made.

Spoke to a guy a cuppla weeks ago & he was working back in the 80's for someone making W'Surfer 1 Design....
and they used to make up these special lightweight versions by putting a whole bunch of ping pong balls in the core[}:)][}:)]

Had to stop 'cos cheaters were using them in comps and blitzing the opposition

Pete I find this hard to believe, although I'm happy to be proven wrong. I used to work for Bombora as you know many moons ago and the process to produce the foam core inside the boards required a gun squirting a 2 part polyol and isosionate (sic) 2 part foam inside for a predetermined amount of time and mix. The pressure that built up inside the board as well as the heat would have been enough in my opinion to crush and possibly melt the ping pong balls. As I said, I'm happy to be proven wrong but it was certainly not a practice that we ever undertook at Bombora when we were making the one designs. The best we could do was make a slightly lighter outer shell using less powder than we might usually, but more often than not that resulted in a stuffed blank. At best you may have saved 1/2 a kilo in weight. You could save that by not having breakfast that morning!

Chris 249 said...

Probably not what you're after, but Windsurfer One Design boards are still Australian made.

That is just amazing for sooooo many reasons!!!!

Are there any manufacturers building Polyurethane/Polyester windsurfing boards anymore?

Last year I made some inquiries about getting some Polyurethane blanks and didn't get very far at all. It seems that hardly anyone one is making them anymore and even the ones that can have little or no stock.

Theres also Avalon Boards who make limited edition customs

decrepit said...

elmo said...

Theres also Avalon Boards who make limited edition customs

Haven't heard of them, are they my competition????

Sorry would it be "Wave Wands", the circular curling wave logo and the shear beautie of these works of art are so distracting that my memory fades for the correct name.

Banned for use by the general public for the psychological damage they can do to the sanity of the other windsurfers when they see such poetry in motion devastate the waves.

Only one board is manufactured each year with such meticulous care in the shaping with the use of 1200 grit wet n dry used for shaping the hand chosen polystyrene blank.

The Herex layer is caressed for weeks with a velvet glove till it fits the blank perfectly.

Only the best aeronautical grade carbon fibre is used, with rolls discarded due to one strand being slightly out of alignment.

The finish is an act of pure subtle genius, with the only identifying mark the circular wave logo. A true thing of beauty.

These boards are that rare and beloved that the owners wrap them in goose down quilts each and every night and gently serenade them with Metallica so as they do more damage to the surf.

Sigh

decrepit said...

Holycow!!!
Can I have some of that????????

Sounds like the sort of dream that I can only dream about!


Hmmmm, ----- this wouldn't be a butter up prior to a request for your very own "wave wands" would it.
Off course you realise you may not get it till next summer.
Bender's sort of got a tentative order in already.

Thats a 13 year waiting list based on current manufacturing times with the other dream machines in planning.

Perfection can't be rushed

lock that order in Decrep, after wave sailing in esperance i now know i need a smaller/better wave board than my Kombat. Will talk soon.

The wave wand surfboards are a thing of beauty as well... pity I'm such a kook I couldn't stand up

nebbian said...

The wave wand surfboards are a thing of beauty as well... pity I'm such a kook I couldn't stand up

Thanks Nebs, next time, we'll get you practicing getting to your feet on the shore, (just like all the good surf movies).
That getting on all 4s first isn't the way to go.