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Hi all Kiters!

I am new to Kitesurfing but very experience in business and manufacturing. I am appalled by the ridiculous price of kiteboards in the market; US$400-$800 for a kiteboard is daylight robbery!

I need all of your help to bring justice to kiteboard prices! I am now going to do us all a favor by sourcing a carbon fibre glass manufacturer in China to make kiteboards. I will make 2 types of twin tips boards, one a beginners board (141x41 cm) and one for season riders (120x37cm). The rough specs for both boards is both will have ABS sidewalls, divinycell core, 2 glass and 1 carbon layer top and bottom, plus inserts for 4/6 fins, foot straps and handles.

To help us all, just need to reply to this post and I will see how many members in this forum is interested. By replying I will not hold anyone in ransom as I just need to give myself the confidence to place a large order from my manufacturer; also only with volume will the price come down, the more orders and the price will come down, I will negotiate with the manufacturer. Let me know if you guys want fins, handles and footpads and straps, if the numbers is large I will also get a manufacture to supply them!

This is not a scam or to cheat anyone, you do not have to send me any money or register with me, just reply this post. To help me and you if you want to see this happen, let all your friends know of this and let them show me the number of interested parties, remember more orders means lower prices!

Once the figure reach the minimum pieces required, I will order the manufacturer to make it. I will then set up a website and inform all of you, you can then visit the website and if you see what you like, then place a secure order thru the net, no obligations! I am willing to take the gamble and bear the losts if there is not enough orders.

If we are successful, all beginners will have a cheap board to learn and trash, and all season riders can have a tough cheap board as spare, no more paying royalties to the rest of the kiteboard manufacturers, and they will be force to drop their huge margin and profit! Give us value products! People Power will rule!

Okay, first you seem to need a little understanding on kiteboards.

The layup you're suggesting is NOT strong enough. You will not be able to sell as much of a bulk as you're planning on buying the bring the prices down.

Also, these boards will only last another month or two before you can't make anymore... why?

Carbon fiber is going WAYYYY UP! And won't even be available next year to most people. You can all blame boeing and airbus for this, they are making new planes for next year to lower gas consumption they are using carbon fiber.

You DEFINENTLY can't make boards for any cheaper then 250 and make a profit. Especially with the price of carbon fiber now. Even though I am buying in smaller quantities it'll still be rediculous in the higher quantities too. It jumped about 300% in cost. I was buying a 5.6oz weave for 14 dollars a yard and now it's 45-55 dollars a yard.

Also, why would someone buy a crapass board from china when they can get a nicer board for a few hundred more new, or about the same price used?

Especially with Not annonymous and his nice wood boards (although I'd only recommend the lightwind versions)

I'm sorry, but people aren't going to be going in for this... especially with such a weak construction as one layer of Carbon fiber and 2 layers glass...


People will pay more for quality.

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thanks for the comment, the board specs is not final, but will definitely make it strong and last!

You making and selling boards? hope i will not affect your business in the future. I will not be making money on this, for money is not worth the effort.

By the way i think most kitemanufacturers get their kites from China, so you know what quality they can make.

By the way, a few hundred dollars more is alot when you are considering using a base of US$150, (for example $400 is just $250 more but 266% more and i call that a rip off).

Symbol (the kiter formerly known as...)

I think you're going to hear what you already know: we all would love less expensive gear if it works as well as the more expensive stuff.

But I won't lay out a dollar until I can see it in action, hold it in my hands, talk to someone about it in a store, read about how shitty it is while it gets pimped by others, and finally until it proves its durability.

If you know how to do this then you should name your company something like "GREATEST" and we'll all be there.

soooory guys ......., but I would buy a custom board for 150 bucks......for sure, you do not need to use carbon.....

You make a nice board.....send it to Tarifa and we test the board........post the test here and we all know better....

Tarifa has one of the best conditions to test boards.....many manufactories do it here and many brands around sell boards shaped in Tarifa.....so I think we do have a fairly good idea about boards.....

And....I am willing to pay ( together with my friends ) the $ 150.- you want for the board...assuming you are talking for a complete board with pads,straps & fins other wise it would double the initial price.

You have my word

Regards

Symbol thingymajig...

What board building and design background do you have or chose to employ ? can you talk us through the design features of the proposed board including materials breif ?

Cheers.

Ron.

150 from China! Good luck. D-cell, Epoxy resin, inserts, cloth, top and bottom sheets, labor, duty and shipping. Even if you went with regular fiberglass you are going to have to order well over 500 boards or more to maybe be able to meet that price and that will be cost.

I used to think the same thing how board prices were so outrageous, especially for a mold popout board. But for a hand made custom you should go and price out a materials list to make your own. Thats what I did and now I make my own boards. Even without calculating things like a rocker table, vacuum pump, and heaven forbid my time involved, materials will run you $250-$300.

You really want to revolutionize the business go to school as a molecular chemist and develop a new material that doesn't require painting, floats, has similiar mechanical properties as a shaped board, is non toxic, doesn't require glassing and easy to shape, oh and cheap.

Good luck!

if you can get them made and independantly tested then i might be interested.your going to have your work cut out getting them cheap and then to convince people that they are up to standard.good luck.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see this as possible. Not to get quality out of the board. Kiteboards are currently so expensive because they're made here in the USA, they used to make them in china but no longer do. I agree the prices are insane, the most a kiteboard should be is 450 complete and 350 board only... now 150... that's just not possible. Not if you're talking quality, high tech, good boards.

most boards are made in thailand. cobra are the comoany who own the factory there.