numerical controlled ) router , which allows me to machine mould accurately to make composite parts . I have all the associated equipment to make high-quality carbon fibre products , including 3D printers . This year I have been lucky enough to make some cool stuff , from 14ft Race SUPs to carbon-flax cross country skis .
What are the next steps in terms of bringing a product to market ? Once the prototyping phase of the product has been completed and the design has been finalised , the designs are typically sent to the chosen production factory , where they produce high-quality aluminium or steel tooling moulds to produce some pre-production samples . This is the most exciting bit of the process as you finally see a production finished item . Typically , prototype builds are only finished to a functional level without paint , graphics , logos , etc .
The marketing material is generated through the studio and on the water photoshoots at this stage .
Who does the testing of these designs to see how they perform ? During the initial prototyping phase , I tend to do the testing , and then once I am happy with the concepts , I have a few local riders that I look to for some constructive feedback .
Do you make other products ? If so , what ? Yes , I like to keep things varied !
I have produced various custom alpine skis over the past few years , which I tend to make on a word-of-mouth basis . They are built with modern composite materials , locally sourced wood and then finished with a wooden veneer , so they look very traditional .
On a day-to-day basis , I produce various parts for campervan conversions , predominantly VW Transporters .
Tell us what it takes for someone to end up in your position . Honestly , I feel privileged that part of my job is designing and building foils , SUPs and other watersports equipment . I had spent ten years designing , building , breaking , rebuilding , and trying new ideas before getting an opportunity to get paid for what I do . I think you have to love the process and not be put off your failures because you will have them along the learning process .
There are very few foil designers in the UK . Do you think that ’ ll change ? This is quite hard to say . Foiling is becoming more prominent in the watersports industry , but it is very capital-heavy to enter the market .
The cost of designing , prototyping and production tooling is high compared to designing and building a wingfoil board , making it harder for small companies to compete with the big players .
How do you see the market evolving ? This is a question many people are trying to work out . From a global perspective , we will see equipment being more developed explicitly for race , freestyle and surf disciplines .
I feel the inflatable wings are where the most development and improvements will be made over the coming couple of years . I feel that there are still a lot of efficiencies to be gained , hopefully meaning you can use smaller wings with less breeze allowing for longer sessions on the water .
Got anything you ’ re working on currently you can let us know about ? Yes , I have a few exciting R & D projects running .
I am currently waiting for the delivery of some pre-production samples for a new 2023 wing foil board range , which I ’ m excited to get on the water .
We are nearing the finalisation of the 2023 foil offering for a well-known international brand , and lastly , we are producing foil moulds for a two-person foiling dinghy – which looks crazy .
What are your plans for the rest of 2022 as far as work goes ? Hopefully , get the time to spend on the water putting the 2023 pre-production gear through its paces in the Autumn storms .
I will start working on some racey wing foils to hopefully start doing some of the UK Slalom events next year .
Any shouts and thanks or final thoughts ? Thank you , SUPM , for letting me share my thoughts and experiences . It ’ s great to be a part of this exciting foiling revolution we are going through . Also , thanks to Steve West ( Mistral ) for allowing me to put my experience to the test in the watersports arena .
91 s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k