NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race

[burchas]

We will have some at Hood river even if i have to fly over with my own but my plan is to send the very first one we made that is on its way to Hawaii for Kenny to do Molokai and then once he is finished with it try and get it to Hood, this one is a bit heavier and not as stiff as the newer ones but still goes unreal.

We will have more info on this project as we get more into it but at the moment it is all pretty exciting.

Yeah 18 to 24 months could be stretched out but when every other company is on a 12 month cycle and alot of people still support this we just have to be careful we don't disappear  between releasing boards and we also have to give the retailers something new to sell every now and then. We already split our range up so one year half the range will be updated and then the following year we will update the other half which works well and we also run on the if it is not broken then don't try and fix it so if something is selling well even after 2 years we will not replace it but this also has to go the other way and if we have a model that maybe has peaked and is no longer being ordered then we have to look at why and if it is something that needs to be replaced by a better version or even a whole new model depending on what we have been working on.
We have always run a pretty flexible business model that has needed to change over the years and is still changing now but i feel if you don't learn to move a little then you just get left behind.

The split rate cycles sounds like a good strategy. As you stated, if a shape works and sells, no reason to replace. Naish Maliko, as Luc stated, is a good example. Pretty much the same board for the past 4 years including
the new upcoming model. SIC RS is another one, my first time with it was the 2017 Carolina Cup just about 2 years ago. shape hasn't changed either and it seems it's going to be the same for another season.
Nothing wrong with updating graphics and better construction, the one thing we're all crying for in the sup world is better construction

[ukgm]

The 12 month development window is one of my biggest bugbears of the sport. It's crippling the race board market. Most brands who do it don't have engineers or the R&D resources or credibility to be able to evidence it and when you consider other forms of highly technological forms of sports technology (i.e. bikes, kayaks, boats), they have far longer development cycles (merely relying on colourway changes annually instead). Starboard seem to be scaring other brands to follow their ridiculous practise which anyone with any relevant experience can see straight through.

Sorry, rant over.

[burchas]

The 12 month development window is one of my biggest bugbears of the sport. It's crippling the race board market. Most brands who do it don't have engineers or the R&D resources or credibility to be able to evidence it and when you consider other forms of highly technological forms of sports technology (i.e. bikes, kayaks, boats), they have far longer development cycles (merely relying on colourway changes annually instead). Starboard seem to be scaring other brands to follow their ridiculous practise which anyone with any relevant experience can see straight through.

Sorry, rant over.

Starboard has been the biggest offender in this market, not only on "development" cycles but also on pricing and strong-arming tactics towards retailers. I stay clear of their products on principal.
Unfortunately, I see up and coming brands copying their tactics. Now rant is over.

[JEG]

The 12 month development window is one of my biggest bugbears of the sport. It's crippling the race board market. Most brands who do it don't have engineers or the R&D resources or credibility to be able to evidence it and when you consider other forms of highly technological forms of sports technology (i.e. bikes, kayaks, boats), they have far longer development cycles (merely relying on colourway changes annually instead). Starboard seem to be scaring other brands to follow their ridiculous practise which anyone with any relevant experience can see straight through.

Sorry, rant over.

Starboard has been the biggest offender in this market, not only on "development" cycles but also on pricing and strong-arming tactics towards retailers. I stay clear of their products on principle.
Unfortunately, I see up and coming brands copying their tactics. Now, rant is over.

apparently, this is an ok business practice 

[Area 10]

The 12 month development window is one of my biggest bugbears of the sport. It's crippling the race board market. Most brands who do it don't have engineers or the R&D resources or credibility to be able to evidence it and when you consider other forms of highly technological forms of sports technology (i.e. bikes, kayaks, boats), they have far longer development cycles (merely relying on colourway changes annually instead). Starboard seem to be scaring other brands to follow their ridiculous practise which anyone with any relevant experience can see straight through.

Sorry, rant over.

Starboard has been the biggest offender in this market, not only on "development" cycles but also on pricing and strong-arming tactics towards retailers. I stay clear of their products on principal.
Unfortunately, I see up and coming brands copying their tactics. Now rant is over.

Yes, I have avoided buying Starboard for the same reasons. Well, that and what I perceive to be the poor value for money of their race board constructions, and some pretty silly (IMO) marketing claims.

[JEG]

same here, I have avoided a few big brands because of bad business practice, example 1 - short term gain & BS claims  etc... though this doesn't stop me from buying products and then find out its another BS product 

[burchas]

same here, I have avoided a few big brands because of bad business practice, example 1 - short term gain & BS claims  etc... though this doesn't stop me from buying products and then find out its another BS product 

I think you're in the wrong thread You need to go to the "Board Anonymous" section. If you have hard time finding it,
it's right by the "Star-board Anonymous" and you just can't miss that one

[Jacko]

Lucky i didn't say our hollow board was 25% quicker and 50% lighter and a 23 is as stable as a 28 wide or i feel i might mot have been believed in this thread!! 

[Luc Benac]

Lucky i didn't say our hollow board was 25% quicker and 50% lighter and a 23 is as stable as a 28 wide or i feel i might mot have been believed in this thread!! 

This is a difficult audience. But overall more polite than the Breeze. As soon as the proof is in the pudding with several experienced users non-affiliated to a brand vouching for a design or model, then there is a captive audience and support is forthcoming without the need for any BS :-)

[Area 10]

Lucky i didn't say our hollow board was 25% quicker and 50% lighter and a 23 is as stable as a 28 wide or i feel i might mot have been believed in this thread!! 

This is a difficult audience. But overall more polite than the Breeze. As soon as the proof is in the pudding with several experienced users non-affiliated to a brand vouching for a design or model, then there is a captive audience and support is forthcoming without the need for any BS :-)

This is true. If the claims are reasonable then you’ll find a loyal and appreciative audience here. Gone are the days I think when brands could make ludicrous claims and it would work as a marketing ploy. Over the last dozen years too many people have spent a fortune only to be disappointed, and this has led to a widespread cynicism about marketing claims. But equally, if the board turns out to be really very good at what it’s supposed to do, and is well-made and respectable value, then word will travel very fast indeed: faster than wins at elite races will get ya.

[Jacko]

Lucky i didn't say our hollow board was 25% quicker and 50% lighter and a 23 is as stable as a 28 wide or i feel i might mot have been believed in this thread!! 

This is a difficult audience. But overall more polite than the Breeze. As soon as the proof is in the pudding with several experienced users non-affiliated to a brand vouching for a design or model, then there is a captive audience and support is forthcoming without the need for any BS :-)

Yeah don't worry i look at what gets put out some times and just shake my head at some of the claims, if i believed it all then i should be paddling at about a average speed of 20km per hour in the flat these days.

[photofr]

If you don't believe it, ask photofr who's now pretty much giving his board away at 1900 euros.

I don't think that's the fault of the board. In my experience, pretty much no secondhand board from any brand of any age gets more than 1700-1800 euros. It's just the victim of a perpetually weak secondhand market.

To clarify a few points...

Like most of you, I have also owned quite a few boards, but I have actually sold nearly all of them. Most of the time, I actually got what I would consider a very fair price, where most of my boards have left at the 2000 euro mark. With this in mind, I can say the following (in order of importance):
- Trying to sell a board in Europe during the months of Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan or Feb will pretty much guarantee you a sale under 2000 euros. I believe that's because people aren't yet motivated to getting back in the water until Mars / April. The sun sells!!!!
- 4 years ago, trying to sell a sub 25" board pretty meant that your audience was reduced to "nothing". By today's standards, the same thing might be true for boards in the sub 23". Heck, people are riding 21 and 20" boards nowadays.
- People are not yet super familiar with Nelo or even hollow boards for that matter. That's not exactly helping me sell my board.
- Me selling my Signature 2.0 for 1900 euros doesn't necessarily reflects the current market price for that board used. I am looking for a quick sale, and motivated buyers.
- To be fair, it's working! I have couple of interested parties pondering on the purchase - and it only takes one to hit the trigger.

Even though I would rather have money in my pocket right now, there's no denying that I would probably be keeping my Nelo boards if it were a 22 or 21" board - for I find this one having too much volume for my weight, and far too stable to get the leg workout I am usually looking for at my age (51 next month - time flies).

[photofr]

If you don't believe it, ask photofr who's now pretty much giving his board away at 1900 euros.

Or Ludovic might be keeping his favorite board and we can expect a new trend of videos where he down-wind with Zoltan. Kind of British-French "entente cordiale" event, unless Brexit prevents it and the border closes :-). SO expect to see the "Nelo run" soon on your screens. As a photographer, I am sure that Ludovic will go the extra mile to provide impeccable imagery.

Funny thing...
Actually, if you look on Bruno's page RIGHT NOW, you will see how the board (21" Signature mind you) handles a boat wake. Just go to FaceBook... and look for Bruno's page. I have even posted on my page: ludovic bacquet

[ukgm]

If you don't believe it, ask photofr who's now pretty much giving his board away at 1900 euros.

Or Ludovic might be keeping his favorite board and we can expect a new trend of videos where he down-wind with Zoltan. Kind of British-French "entente cordiale" event, unless Brexit prevents it and the border closes :-). SO expect to see the "Nelo run" soon on your screens. As a photographer, I am sure that Ludovic will go the extra mile to provide impeccable imagery.

Funny thing...
Actually, if you look on Bruno's page RIGHT NOW, you will see how the board (21" Signature mind you) handles a boat wake. Just go to FaceBook... and look for Bruno's page. I have even posted on my page: ludovic bacquet

I saw that but frankly he's got a freakish level of skills and he weighs the same as my left buttock.

[photofr]

If you don't believe it, ask photofr who's now pretty much giving his board away at 1900 euros.

I don't think that's the fault of the board. In my experience, pretty much no secondhand board from any brand of any age gets more than 1700-1800 euros. It's just the victim of a perpetually weak secondhand market.

No doubt. Especially for sub 24" wide boards (which I experienced my self). With that in mind, one should think long and hard before spending 3600 euros on a board, any board.

Regrets - probably part of the Relativity Theory

Couple of boards come to mind, all of which have cost me in excess of 3000 euros, and all of which I absolutely do not regret for a second. Interestingly enough, the following 3 boards didn't just cost me more than 3000 euros each, but they are part of the family of SUP boards that I have had the most of amount of fun on:
- Starboard UL 17'6"x23" (also racked the most amount of miles EVER on that bad boy).
- Starboard 14x23" Sprint
- Nelo Signature 2.0 (14x23")