Windwing, what happened?

[D_Clark]

I have friends who ride older windwings and the were a great product, but this post sums up the current feeling better than anything I could say. This post is from another forum and hasn't been edited at all. Its a bit off topic, but it show some incite into whats going on at WW now.

Rampages are a nice split between the med aspect Rage 2 and the high projected flat kite, rapture2 , but very hard to relaunch from what I've heard from WW riders in the gorge. My friends say that you definatley want to have your technique down to relaunch those babies. I have not flown any and can't elaborate any further. I hope they have the bar isues figured out too....I have one good one and one bad one.

FYI - I am jumping ship from WW to Naish this summer.

I have not been very stoked on the WW products as of late. They have lost the magic and attention to detail ever since Bill Hansen has left the company a year ago....poor build quality and lack of knowledge of products and aerodynamic design has left me scratching my head looking for a better company to invest in.

Naish is it for me this summer/fall.....can't wait to try the new kites out. Seems like the most logical approach for me. Naish rules...always have always will.

I would like to see who is riding the rampages this summer.....they look like great kites, but the new WW saleman tried several times to sell me a different kite than the raampage....stating that the new ones would be better, but that is all thay could tell me...they didn't even know what sizes they came in.....THAT is NOT what I wanted to hear from the salesperson...that is a big turn off to me.....If i am going to spend a few grand on kites I'd at least would like the sales person to know what sizes they come in....right?

I will say that I have been very happy with my Bill Hansen designed and produced Rage 2 kites. I have had them for 3 years and love them.....bought a new 8m recently (without Bill) and it has already begun to fall apart and is not safe to ride anylonger until it gets repaired at Airtime kites. Bad bad stitcing in the critical seam area and poor quality materials used in canopy....too bad...they were such a GREAT company a few years back.

Now that Bill is gone...WW isn't really WW.....you aren't purchasing the real deal.....you are getting leftovers so to speak. Buyer beware.

[Windwing C+S]

If people knew the real story of how Chao (C+S as he posts here, posing as a kiter but has never kited in his life)...

C+S... Is this really true... that's pretty fraudulent behavior

LOL...Let me just say that I've spent more time kiting than Bill Hansen...There are some pretty desperate comments here...we will let our NEW kites do the talking...thanks...

[Hansen Design]

If people knew the real story of how Chao (C+S as he posts here, posing as a kiter but has never kited in his life)...

C+S... Is this really true... that's pretty fraudulent behavior

LOL...Let me just say that I've spent more time kiting than Bill Hansen...There are some pretty desperate comments here...we will let our NEW kites do the talking...thanks...

John:
The fradulent behavior being mentioned is misrepresenting yourself in various postings and as a business, not kiteboarding ability or relative TOW. To set the record straight, I was regularly kiteboarding in Sri Lanka with the kite in the attached pics before you or Boarding Bob had any association with Windwing. There are plenty of witnesses to substantiate it. The reality is, you kept me pretty busy designing foil kites, inflatable kites, Wipika kites, custom kites for Lou Wainman and Flash Austin and a complete range of windsurfing sails including top level professional Formula racing sails for Devon Boulon and others to the point I didn't have enough time to be a 'regular' at the sand bar, east point or any other popular windsurfing or kiting beach. I logged over 20 trips to China in this 4-year effort which also took incredible energy and time. If you feel the need to denigrate me as a kiteboarder to defend your position or legitimize my absence from Windwing, my guess is it is not a good approach in the eye of the consumer. After all, I am a designer with a strong technical post-graduate education and over 25 years of direct and related experience, not a pro-rider. I don't pretend to be or need to be an expert rider to understand physics and aerodynamics. And, you know that I can proficiently fly kites and airplanes - plenty of them and all types. On a positive note, I'm looking forward to seeing your new kites and bars and finding what progress you have made since I completed their development last November. Again, for the record, that would be before your supplier difficulties when you uncermoniously let go of the few remaining 'bad apples' who stood by and supported you to the end.
Best regards,
- Bill

[Halomon]

Flash Austin was out at Canoe Hale Beach this past week in strong conditions killin' some big airs on an old WW C kite wind bag, All around him were Cabs and Naishes but he was head and shoulders way over them. His kite was a total wind bag but he made up for it with consumate skills!!!

[purdyd]

i don't know about anyone else but Bill has more cred in my book

David

[Toby]

this is no place for mud slinging.
We want info, no fights.

Both parties involved can now show who makes better products.
Then we, the consumers, will decide! And then there is your answer who is better!

Topic closed.

Toby