As it was bought to my attention in another post re EXPLODING KITES there has been a question raised as to wether kiteboarding is a legitamate Industry in OZ.When you consider that there is less than a thousand people joined to the aksa, double that number and you are probly closer to the actual number of kiters in Oz.So you are looking at somewhere at 1500-2000 people who actually actively kite or own a kite in 0z and thats being generous.Take into consideration that there is some 80-90 stores in Oz that claim to supply kite gear.this number broken down is that each shop looks after about 20 people.not a huge customer base is it.however then you have the likes of Australian based kite co's like Monkey who distribute worldwide as do Catapult ( I'd put in Airush but arent their headquaters in Thailand?)and to some degree Force ( kiteboarding is a part of their diverification into other boardsports)Some of the local retailers are becoming more online based to capture a part of the national and to a smaller degree then global market i.e Kitepower.So no wonder everybody is trying to pimp that their product is the best at the best price, its just so damn competitive in a sport with limited numbers and that is still in its infancy.There is a way to improve it but it all takes time.

I reckon there are more than double the amount of aksa members kiting. ask at your local launch, most kiters dont even know aksa exists. I'd say between 3 and 5 times the number of aksa members are kiting in oz.

Of course it is........where there is trade, there is industry.

are they sick of eating cabbage yet ?

psylor agreed if you only sold kite equipment youd be on your arse in the street the demand just isnt big enough yet.And the figures that you are quoting are if every kiter bought a new kite and/or board every year,and i dont think that is happening.remember you have to also take away the team rider dumping at the end of every season as well.
Gruezi, no doubting it is an industry

i thought that between 300-400 riders each state would be about it. everyone in the sport seems to know each other or knows someone who knows them.

full timers greenleader part timers dont tend to spend alot of money on gear and their gear tends to last twice as long.i dont know about you guys but i can go down to my local and tell you who is out on the water just by looking at what kites are in the air and if there is one that i dont know it is normally a visitor.i am sure that every shop owner will tell you how many riders there are in each area.numbers wise the sport is not even a pimple on an ants arse,about .1 to .2 of a % of the population in Oz actually kite ( not that that is such a bad thing at times)

You are a smart lad Awaken. I don't know nuddn about #'s, but for a country with wind and water, I would think the whole population could be in to it.....give it another decade or so.

Look at rollerblading. I live in rollerblading paradise and no one does it.........must be all those safety crats (mums and dads too. People have just not seen it. However, with time they'll catch on and want to do what looks like fun. Every day there are more rollerbladers out there, and it will be the same with kiters.............maybe.

It has taken 100 years for good food to get here, but it has arrived.

Alex from stonker did or was told some market research from St kilda, and a figure of $300G was spent in lessons there per year.

Some one may be talking it up but even though It's crowded there, if those figures were right, kites would probably line the bay by now.

But size is not what determines an industry, just a chain of supply and demand.

Hippies making and selling beads from their Kombie are an industry.

Hope my imput here doesn't cause this thread to be hijacked, Sorry in advance.

best winds
Tony L

I think you can definitely say that it is an industry (Industry Definition: Commercial production and sale of goods) - and whilst we live in a capitalist society you can safely assume that those involved will want to make $ - and given that it verges on being (or is) an extreme sport the market share will remain relatively small. Let’s face it: boosting your self 20 feet in the air or barrelling across the water at mach 10 in a wall of white wash is not everyone’s cup of tea.

quote:

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Originally posted by RAL INN

Alex from stonker did or was told some market research from St kilda, and a figure of $300G was spent in lessons there per year.

Some one may be talking it up but even though It's crowded there, if those figures were right, kites would probably line the bay by now.

But size is not what determines an industry, just a chain of supply and demand.

Hippies making and selling beads from their Kombie are an industry.

Hope my imput here doesn't cause this thread to be hijacked, Sorry in andvance.

best winds
Tony L

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What have you got against Hippies ?

You should stick to ute linings !

Sorry,could not resist !

I saw a ute lining explode for no apparant reason recently.

look into my eyes look into my eyes look into my eyes
your feeling sleepy sleepy very sleepy
now when I count back from three your going to wake up and when you wake up your going to think hmm I would like a lemington and not going to worry about it again ok oh and you will lay out my lines and pump up my kite 321.

User,
That's Steel dropside Ute trays.

maybe you need to show that link again.

On the point in question.
Is just being a Hippie, and industry?
or do you have to be in Nimbin?

best winds
Tony L

quote:

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Originally posted by professor

look into my eyes look into my eyes look into my eyes
your feeling sleepy sleepy very sleepy
now when I count back from three your going to wake up and when you wake up your going to think hmm I would like a lemington and not going to worry about it again ok oh and you will lay out my lines and pump up my kite 321.

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the Nutty Professor

anyone else notice how as the weather warms & snippets of wind begin passing from sea to land that the tone of this place changes color
& even the reducing agro is tinted a lighter hue - wtg

funny thing happened to me yesterday.
my mate barney and i went fly fishing for bass at nimbin's dam.
well clarry hall dam had no bass and no hippies.
not a kombi in sight.
p.s. there was no wind and indy grandstands block our beach for a month.