55
You must go through a stage of prototyping, as
with all brands. What numbers are we talking here?
We go through lots of prototypes for each model. Just
kidding! It depends but usually I ll make one real proto,
sometimes two. With my shaping program I can play around
with a shape first as long as I like. I can imagine pretty well
how a board will behave when I see it. Usually after working
on a shape for an hour, you lose ‘freshness’ so I stop and
continue the next day. Often then with a fresh eye I spot
small things that the day before I did not. When I have
looked at a shape with a fresh eye for a few days in a row
and each time think it looks right (for what I want to
achieve), I will press the button on the CNC machine. Then
the first proto may be altered until it is right. Usually we ll
make some for team riders over the period of one to two
years to get more feedback from different locations and
styles. Like with the Wave V5. I made one first for Will, then
after a while Andrew Fawcett in Cornwall and Jonas
Handekyn came with similar ideas for their new boards so we
made some for them with similar shapes, which they have
been sailing for over a year now so now it is time to take
these into our semi-custom line.
Who helps you with the testing of said prototypes
(mainly)?
That depends as well. It is good to have a specific sailor or
type of sailor in mind to get inspiration, this can be myself,
Will who is always pushing very hard and is very demanding
of his kit and I need to adapt the equipment to his needs.
Yannick: his sailing is very different, very fine, he has a very
good feeling as well but can adapt himself very well so he
can work himself into a shape. So he can tell me more about
different shapes and board types. Sometimes it takes some
adaption and things turn out for the better in the end. For
other shapes I may also start with any of my team riders up
in Europe, a customer that I know and I think I can help his
sailing with a better shape or a customer who specifically
asks for something
uk
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