WindsurfingUK Issue 9 December 2018 | Page 55

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 WIND SURFING