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Gaastra, why they change radically the design?

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jankie
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Postby jankie » Thu Aug 01, 2002 6:25 pm

Hello kiters,
I like the long post on materials, maybe to long as you get lost in all the reading.
I like to open a new debate...
I think that we are starting to see in kitesurfing what happened with windsurfing for many years.
Companies try to fool us with new innovative design every year just to make us change the equipment with the hope to get more performance.
I think an example is gaastra, last year they came out with the innovative batten on the leading edge to keep it flat, for sure their kite looks different maybe better or not of the other I can't tell...
But for sure the message was that the kite with that design was the innovative to go...
But then this year instead of working on the design the just radically change to make something that looks more like the other.
For sure they found out that the marketing strategy doesn't work... I'm also sure that as Gaastra is a well known sail maker has also people that look at them as reliable, and if they use their windsurfing sail and they were happy why not buy their kite too.
Now for sure some people bought their kite and now changing completely the design the message is the old design was not as good as we like to make you believe so better you change to the new ones. Then in the 2nd hand market will be really hard to sell them at a decent price.
In windsurfing the sails, as stated by most of the manufacturer, every year got like 10% lighter and 10% more performance!!!!!!!!! What a crap in 1985 with my first RAF sail I was going as fast as the latest gear that just cost more and last much less.
Part of my business is also renting windsurfing gear, I’m pretty sure that as there are not many new player the sails are made to last just 1 year, then the material start to break down. Today they don’t make anymore sails in Dacron not because nobody wants them but because they last too long…… This will happen also in kitesurf.
I like company that develop their design every year and by that is mean to me that they believe in what they have done the year before.
Mr. Truth, what do you think about this….
Bye Jankie

TRUTH
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Postby TRUTH » Fri Aug 02, 2002 4:51 am

Hey Jankie,
I think that you make some interesting and valid points. However, if I were to comment too much on them, I would be pointed out as being biased. I will say that I agree with pretty much most of what you say. I don't like seeing a company swear by something just to discontinue it the next year as they have done. It indicates to me that they were and maybe are experimenting isntead of continuing development on their beliefs. THAT is just my opinion. I'm glad I don't own one of last years Gaastra's as I could imagine it being difficult to get rid of today. I wonder what the next year has in store for us...


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