Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Enata?

For all foil kite riders
User avatar
davesails7
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2220
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:36 pm
Kiting since: 2006
Weight: 75 kg
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Style: Race
Gear: ML B3
R1V2 11. VMG 13, 15, 18
OR Mako 130x35
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Enata?

Postby davesails7 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:26 pm

Are Enata hydrofoils and kites going to be available soon? What's the point of sponsoring multiple top riders for over a year, but not making the product available?

It seems that the main point of the IKA rules is to allow everyone to be on widely available production equipment. They don't even have a website. It's not good for racing for the top guys to be winning on equipment that you can only buy if you're a sponsored rider.

Mossy 757
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1860
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:10 pm
Local Beach: First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Style: Kitefoil
Gear: Delta Hydrofoil and board. Cabrinha Velocity 9m, Flysurfer Sonic2 11m, Ozone R1V2 15m
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Enata?

Postby Mossy 757 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:35 pm

davesails7 wrote:
Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:26 pm
Are Enata hydrofoils and kites going to be available soon? What's the point of sponsoring multiple top riders for over a year, but not making the product available?

It seems that the main point of the IKA rules is to allow everyone to be on widely available production equipment. They don't even have a website. It's not good for racing for the top guys to be winning on equipment that you can only buy if you're a sponsored rider.
Also, Banga bought back as many of their foils as they could so you can't even find the old versions on the used market.

User avatar
f2020
Medium Poster
Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:34 am
Local Beach: Phuket
Favorite Beaches: Phuket
Style: Kitefoil Performance and freeride
Gear: Taaroa Sword RS Ti 2018 UHM
Taaroa Sword RS 2017
Taaroa Sword2 Race Wing 2016
Ozone R1V2
Cabrinha Switchblades
RRD Passion MK9
Brand Affiliation: NONE
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Enata?

Postby f2020 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:26 pm

Wondering the same...

FrederikS
Frequent Poster
Posts: 221
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 3:33 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Enata?

Postby FrederikS » Fri Sep 15, 2017 4:51 pm

It is the normal IKA joke. The rules are clearly not working. Both ML and Enata are unavailable and must be considered prototypes.

Mossy 757
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1860
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:10 pm
Local Beach: First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Style: Kitefoil
Gear: Delta Hydrofoil and board. Cabrinha Velocity 9m, Flysurfer Sonic2 11m, Ozone R1V2 15m
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Enata?

Postby Mossy 757 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:41 pm

FrederikS wrote:
Fri Sep 15, 2017 4:51 pm
It is the normal IKA joke.
Yeah, that's probably right. IKA leadership would rather run races that include the top 20 riders instead of tell them all to go home with their proto gear. I mean imagine if everyone on Enata and ML gear got turned away at registration for the event in Weifang, it'd be a media disaster for their goal of going Olympic.

Just makes me respect Flysurfer and Levitaz that much more that they've got comparably competitive equipment that's in-stock with their retailers.

User avatar
davesails7
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2220
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:36 pm
Kiting since: 2006
Weight: 75 kg
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Style: Race
Gear: ML B3
R1V2 11. VMG 13, 15, 18
OR Mako 130x35
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Enata?

Postby davesails7 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 9:07 pm

Yeah, seems pretty clear that the current IKA rules aren't working to provide racing on widely available production equipment. I though that was the whole point.

At least the ML foils are available now if you're willing wait several months. I kinda understand Mikeslab. Every time he enters a space, he makes the best there is. He's probably making money by hand-making one foil at a time, and they're the best in the world, everyone wants one, so why bother expanding?

I really am interested what Enata's motivation is though. They seem to be a larger company. They must've spent a lot of money developing and setting up low scale production of all these kites, foils, and boards for the sponsored riders. Why aren't they trying to sell anything? I'd imagine it must be hard to make money selling such a niche product, but they don't seem to be giving up. It looks like they've doubled down with more sponsored riders. I don't get it

TomW
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3585
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
Gear: TW Surfboards hydrofoil board 110
Gong Veloce M, 100cm carbon mast
Ozone Hyperlink V1 7m
Hyperlink V2 9m, 13m
Concept Air Wave 4,5m
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Sweden
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 193 times

Re: Enata?

Postby TomW » Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:17 pm

I've been following casually.
1. Wonder who these racers are and how they make a living on a niche sport. Are they tech billionaires, trust fund kids, or otherwise financially independent? ( no offense intended)
2. Same goes for the companies making the equipment that do not have a commercial footprint.

There is a similar thing going on in autonomous vehicle technology, but there it's about value and scarcity of competence. If you have the people with the competence, you are ahead.

FrederikS
Frequent Poster
Posts: 221
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 3:33 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Enata?

Postby FrederikS » Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:41 am

ML is not available and you are lucky to get one never sure if you get the most current. It is not commercially available if you cannot buy a production unit. Look at how many different versions are allowed in by IKA for ML. With Enata foils there is a wait but at least you get something that is a series production not a one-off. Enata kites on the other hand seem to be prototypes.

It is probably owned by some family member just like Levitaz. Levitaz of course plays by the book and make their foils in numbers that allows for regular foilers to get hold of them, and they are consistent in their production quality for the most part.

Jzh_perth
Frequent Poster
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:51 pm
Local Beach: Scarborough, wa
Style: Hydrofoil, Sufboard and TT
Gear: Flysurfer
Brand Affiliation: Flysurfer dealer
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 4 times
Contact:

Re: Enata?

Postby Jzh_perth » Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:13 pm

TomW wrote:
Fri Sep 15, 2017 10:17 pm
I've been following casually.
1. Wonder who these racers are and how they make a living on a niche sport. Are they tech billionaires, trust fund kids, or otherwise financially independent? ( no offense intended)
2. Same goes for the companies making the equipment that do not have a commercial footprint.

There is a similar thing going on in autonomous vehicle technology, but there it's about value and scarcity of competence. If you have the people with the competence, you are ahead.
I don't want to speak out of turn, but I know a couple of the Flysurfer Pro riders and they are normal guys with jobs like the rest of us. I also sponsor one young guy in the HPT with kites and that helps him in turn travel to the events. I guess like most non mainstream sports there are 1 or 2 riders who can make a living out of kiting and the rest have to pay their way.

As to who Enata are or why they don't sell kites, my guess would be that they are the result of a wealthy family who is prepared to spend the capital to get the results they want and have no requirements to sell anything. Makes me think of the Czech MotoGP rider Karl Abraham , who's family own Brno racetrack and the Cardian AB race team. Putting a kite team together must be pocket change for a family who are able to maintain a MotoGP team at the €50 million a season or whatever it costs these days.

TomW
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 3585
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:43 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
Gear: TW Surfboards hydrofoil board 110
Gong Veloce M, 100cm carbon mast
Ozone Hyperlink V1 7m
Hyperlink V2 9m, 13m
Concept Air Wave 4,5m
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Sweden
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 193 times

Re: Enata?

Postby TomW » Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:50 pm

Jzh,
I saw that Enata is Dubai based. Would be nice to have that kind of money to have a company that's an interest and passion. Honestly, no disrespect.
Same goes for anyone racing that doesn't have the money problem.
Kudos too any working people taking their passion to a pro level, and anyone contributing.
Without all of above, there would be less innovation and new stuff.


Return to “Foil Kites”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 49 guests