Hi Everyone. Had a quick couple questions. If you knew someone had stolen designs by copying another shapers boards, sent it overseas and mass produced it so they could sell it under their label, WOULD YOU BUY IT?

Not involving me but I happen to know something going on that is the second time for a certain company to do this. I won't mention names but it is pretty much a sure thing this person stole anothers designs and is now playing it off as their "New Models" The poor shaper/victim is livid and in my opinion, has every right to be.

With computer technology it is very simple to steal but it also very simple to prove something has been stolen. My question is again, would you support this company and buy their products knowing they are ripped off?

How's about this queston... If you knew a certain company built its client base based on lies and false information, would you support them?

Just curious peoples outlook on this sort of thing. As a business owner I pride myself on doing things honestly and ethically. I really feel there is no need to stoop to the point of ripping off and lying. It blows my mind certain others run their business without intergrity and they are still around... Am I just a dreamer?? Aloha, BC

I agree with the sentiment but I think you may be dreaming. Hard for joe punter to make a decision on which sup to buy with no background info on the shaper or company. The showroom in Australia is a long way from the design phase of most production sups.

Would need more specifics which may lead you to court.

Imitation is the greatest form of compliment, has been going on in the surf, windsurf and kiting industries for ages. Patents occasionally work. Don't think Simon Anderson got anything out of the thruster surfboard design but the 'bow' style kite designer gets royalties from his patent.

Would be up to the aggrieved person to pursue. If as you say he has evidence then it may be worthwhile.

Answer to your question though, if I knew the design was stolen/company lies then no I would not buy it. That would be a common answer but how do we find out?

blane: you should really name names. one of the great things about the internet is how it can really level the playing field in situations such as these. case in point: the whole pope bisect thing that played itself out over on the zone. how many people who read that thread are going to buy a bisect? few to none, would be my guess. anyway, your question is pretty much a rhetorical one. if you're going this far, you might as well cough up the name and be done with it.

These are a few of the companies that it is NOT... Naish, PSH, C4, Surftech, Boardworks, Starboard.

The reason I will not name names yet is the possible pending law suit and all that legal mumbo jumbo. I will however testify in behalf of the shaper if needed to show how something can be copied and how to identify a stolen design... I have a feeling all of you will know all on your own soon...

When they are doing it and then sell the board a a cheeper price to capture market share, because they do not have to cover the cost of R&D and team riders it SUCKS. However the sport is changing rapidly and they will always be 6-9 months behind because of there methods, so you can only hope that sooner or later they will get left behind and caught out with a warehouse full of stock!!!

As a shop owner i would not support any brand that was doing knock offs. We pride our selves on doing the right thing buy people and buying from some one who steals would not be right.
I had Shaper(not the shaper i worked with making my race board) come up to me a little while back and tell me how he was just going to copy the board i was riding at the time and pump out 20 or so, the only reason he told me is he didn't know i owned the shop. In the last 3 months I've had about 4 or 5 people come and tell me they are just going to copy a board and send it to china pretty sure they think they are going to make a million dollars over night Dreamers i recon.
SUPPORT R&D local or overseas companies.

Jacko

It is also NOT Jimmy Lewis.

Andrew.A

Blane.. I'm glad it's not you that's getting ripped off here but you'd think if anyone was going to copy they'd want to copy the best..they'd go for PSH..

DJ

I guess this is an issue with the surf industry, there is a very fine line between a straight out copy and learning from someone elses design, making only very minor changes. Innovations will always have followers, JP for instance are what I would call innovators in Windsurfing, and usually a few months after they hit the market with something new there are others out there doing the same.

Would I support an absolute rip off, no, I always prefer to buy the real thing. Do I want to see innovations taken and refined by many companies, absolutely.

What happens when you don't have other companies using your ideas?? well a long time ago the sail company Gaastra patented an invention called the Camber Inducer. The reality is that this was a huge innovation at the time, but no body else was allowed to take it and refine it. So Gaastra did well from this but had no reason to make it much better for a long time. history has shown that as soon as the Camber Inducer was open to Gaastras' competitors to use, sail development in this area went nuts.

What am I saying in this, we need to be carefull what we wish for. We need to support the innovators getting due credit for thier work, without crippiling the future innovation of the industry as a whole.

would it be a Surf " industrie" thats "Global"??????????

I can assure everyone that Global Surf Industries pays royalties for all SUP models we have in our range. We encourage every player in the industry or those thinking of entering to have the same standard for sure.

I can be contacted by email - [email protected] for any more information regarding this subject.

Cheers

Mark Kelly
Global Surf Industries

I agree Mark... It is not GSI. I just spoke to the shaper and he will expose the company that ripped not only him off but another shaper a couple years ago.

Blane.. Please mention names..

May I request that it remains unmentioned?

It's been my experience in administering these forums for 7 years that there are always many sides to every story, especially hot potatoe topics like this.

It is certainly bold for a business to post a "suggestion" (rumour / inuendo) that another business is corrupt.

I see GSI have already had to come in and defend themselves from possible tarring.

This has happened a few times before, and we wrote a section about it in the forum policy:

www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Help/ForumRules.aspx#h40

It was inter-business bickering that got commercial input banned from other forums on this site, it would be a shame for it to happen here also.

billboard,find a local shaper that will do what you need,they are about,keep aussie shapers eating.

Been watching this thread with interest........know how you feel Blane.....also Know where Laurie is coming from. But I'm sure we will all know who is the **hole is & AVOID the BAS...D........hope they get stuck with the lot

Blane Im guessing this brand has found its way over here, Australia?

mac