Kiteboarding Forums

Hi Marc ,

 

Check out www.cyclonekiteboarding.com , we have been making custom boards for over 9 years and are at the cutting edge of design and  technology . Having produced well over 5000 boards we have all the experience to produce world class boards ranging from the Twintip to our latest range of Custom Wave designs . We are now also producing boards for an Internatioanl Kite brand for their 2009 range .

Ray Long from Long Ocean Kiteboards did an article for Ikiteboarding a while back on the benefits of buying custom boards , try and dig it up . Worth the read ............

 

 

    

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Regards
Gavin Spowart

Cyclone Extreme Products
25 Hunter street Durban
27 31 3686864
083 4638025

Slingshot CT
shop 38 Seaside Village
Big Bay , Blouberg
Cape Town
021 5543418
www.cyclonekiteboarding.com

Now were getting somewhere, any other local shapers out there.

Here is the article by Ray Long :

http://www.ikiteboarding.com/kiteboarding/news/61/buyers-guide-to-kiteboards.aspx

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iKiteboarding.com

HI

 Nice topic!

It is interesting for us at Cape dr. as we are involved with both importing and local production. My production facility up in Killarney Gardens ( back end of Table View ) keeps me busy most of the time so that is why I do not get much time spent in my showroom in Blaauwberg Rd. For about 15 years now I have been involved in making boards. Firstly windsurfing boards and then later on in about 1999 - kiteboards! The R&D is fantastic and we loved every moment of it !! I had a big staff , huge factory , export orders , local stockists and all .... Over the years we have just adjusted the business according to demands. Certain models of boards have stood the test of time and we now have a good following of loyal customers. The quality , weight , ride and attention to detail on our locally made boards is a form of art !! All the stuff is handmade from the basic twin tips up to the high end customs The trick is not to try and compete with china , do something diffrent and offer unique goods and service !!! I fix everything made in China so dont throw it away next time - get it fixed and someone can carry on using it !!! Its a form of recycling. All packaging from imported goods is re used in our factory.

Harley Davidson comparison - I like that one. David we need to take a unit together some time !!

Kites , boards , repairs , bush , mud , rain , huge surf , no surf , wind , no wind come on in to the dr. HQ and see what we get up to !! Its all about action !!

Goose dr. 

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Cape Dr HQ
64 Blaauwberg Road
Table View
Cape Town

021 556 8257

www.capedr.co.za

Hi there,

This is an interesting discussion!! I recently have been wondering why we at Xelerator Kiteboarding sell 95% of our boards overseas? Xelerator is quite popular in Europe and the UK. We are also slowly getting our feet on the ground in Asia,, which currently is a fast growing market. I have the feeling that most of our overseas customers buy an Xelerator because they want something different and the fact that it is manufactured in South Africa seems to help.

Besides our standard board range we make a lot of custom boards varying from speedboards, course race boards, custom twintips and directionals for the pro's. Strangely enough there seem not to be that many custom boards builders around any more outside SA.

The fact is that it is difficult to compete with the big established brands but it makes it challenging and forces us to work as effectively as possible. Local manufacturers work together to increase buying power - for example on our imported accessories from China. The rand is very weak against all other major currencies which is good for the export market, however a lot of the materials we use are imported so the cost of materials do rise as well as transporting costs ($USD). Quite a few bigger brands are manufactured in Europe which means no import duties when distributing to the European market.

If a Lekker Local SA Kiteboad sells World Wide then it is time for the South Africans also to consider buying local. As we are able to keep our worldwide customer base satisfied it proves that we must be doing something right!!

If you want more information visit our website: www.xeleratorkiteboarding.com

Cheers,

Fred.

 

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Xelerator Kiteboarding
50 Caernavon Crescent
Parklands
Cape Town 7441
Phone/Fax +27 (0)21 556 7394
Cell +27 (0)72 740 4611

Interesting point from a retailer.

My different and humble opinion: The shaper will always have his channel through which both retailers and end users will benefit. I believe if a retail store has qualified staff who entrench themselves in the board shaping craft then service revenue and loyalty will increase from both sides of the channel.

Shapers are too busy doing what they do best to deal with the many riders a retail shop can service - bar the few loyal friends and team riders. The sport has enough scope for people to be educated and stoked inside a shop. I deal mainly with Cyclone. However,  if someone shows real interest in Goose or Raymond's boards then I help them out.

I find if the right focus is given in store to custom boards and paint jobs then that's a start to a long term supplier/store relationship. Stores now days give up too easily because after a custom board or spray is highly specialised and personal product. You may not get 100 orders in the first month - but then at least you create a new channel with in a flexible retail environment...

From another retailer
Dave

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Regards
David Mommsen

Slingshot Cape Town
Shop 38 Seaside Village Big Bay

t : 021 554 3418
m: 084 477 2640
w: www.slingshotsports.com
w: www.cyclonekiteboarding.com
e: slingshot@telkomsa.net
s: Slingshot Capetown

Carlo, I have both the Cyclone and the Jamie Pro and in both cases were they replaced without question! It is obviously not a gaurentee that it will always be like this but I'm sure the local okes accomodate us where they.

I also say that you dont owe anyone anything. Go with what suites you. If you support the local guys, sure it will grow locally but in the end you will be out there riding the board!

Can anyone shed some light on how badly the rocketing interest rates and dropping rand value will affect both local and international product sales?

`Hey ET ,

 

Well just to put you in the picture , all or almost all of the materials used to make kites an kiteboards are bi-products of oil so you can expect an increase accross the board . For instance we have just received an increase in our fins of up to 40% on some models . All epoxy , resins and vacuum materials have increased over the past few months by at least 10 % .

This is excluding the exchange rate factor that as you know is not helping , so the answer my freind is not waht you would have liked to hear .

Expect an increase , how big will is the question . Probably in the region of 10 - 15 % up on last season . 

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Regards
Gavin Spowart

Cyclone Extreme Products
25 Hunter street Durban
27 31 3686864
083 4638025

Slingshot CT
shop 38 Seaside Village
Big Bay , Blouberg
Cape Town
021 5543418
www.cyclonekiteboarding.com

Oil.... not much we can do about that one !

Some action on the homefront.....

The dr. has developed a superb new concept board. Last summer we had cracker conditions on many occasions at Hakgat. Sometimes monster swells / waves and hectic winds. On two ocasions I had a feeling I was at "jaws". I needed a board that could handle these conditions. SPEED and CONTROL is vital !! I started investigating what style of surfboards are being used on big waves !! This led me to develop my new "kite gun".  I also combined atributes from the speed boards we make. All this done I now have something that can handle Hakgat ( with an intermediate rider ) in monster waves. Its way different to the standard style of surf directionals out there but out preforms a lot of them when it comes down to handling. Its LONG and narrow with a deep concave.......  tri fin ...

Cape Town ( summer ) is a ideal place to test boards so when one buys local you are generally getting something pretty good!!

If anyone is interested we have some of the lightest twin tips available on the market ( globally ). These boards are built using fine exotic materials , combining Hd foams / wood and epoxys.

Price one would ask ? Not to bad at all !!

Want to wave ride? Not wanting to gybe ? If this is you then take a look at the dr.X wave. A twin tip style directional made to perfection !!

All developed and made in SA !!!

Yip , its raining but look around .... everything is so geen and lush here in the Western Cape !

Got to love it !

Goose

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Cape Dr HQ
64 Blaauwberg Road
Table View
Cape Town

021 556 8257

www.capedr.co.za