I'm off to Maui soon for a holiday, any tips on places to get cheaper stuff ? I'll be after a couple of wave sails, and a bigger race sail. Has anyone been over there recently and seen any good deals on the last season or two old sails ?

I'm looking to buy, as I have stuff to borrow over there already off a mate on maui.

Didi you see any good deals on last years models in any of the shops ?

Hi Mr K.

There really are no retailers close by anyway. There is someone not too far away, but I would rather shoot myself in the face at point blank range with a shotgun.

Plus I think there is cheap stuff to be had in Maui.

sounds like he's been ripped off

You can find some good deals over there, i bought a 370cm powerex for only $300 US brand new. But because of the fact that there are so many windsurfers over there shops rarley sell stuff much cheaper than they do in Aus.

Mr K is right you should support the aussie stores wouldnt it suck if there werent any? What would we do when we need to get a new uj quickly or test out a new board we are thinking of getting?

If you really are keen on getting a bargain just go to the stores and ask them for what you want, thats how i got my 370 mast. I just asked if they had a 370cm they wanted to sell cheap and they did.

DaveMen,

There used to be a shop near Kyeeymagh (Long Reef) but it closed a few years ago due to lack of support by local windsurfers.

I to found that new gear isn't that much cheaper in Maui (even with the current exchange rate). These days I simply try and plan my purchases a little ahead of time... ie. I buy things at the beginning of the season (right about now) when there is plenty of new stock.

Ok just to clear the hear say.

Long Reef was owned by Peter and David Ford both the shop that is now wind surf and snow in Collaroy and the shop in Brighton. We originally offered the store to our Manager to purchase for the cost of fittings and fixtures and stock. But he declined and he is now running his own thing. We then sold the store at collaroy to wind surf and snow and under the conditions of that sale we removed windsurfing from the store at Brighton. We kept the store running as a surf shop only for another year but my wife had a baby and didn;t want me working in a shop every weekend when I should be spending time with my son. So now we continue to import Gaastra and Tabou under the company Gybesports PTY LTD and we do not work weekends anymore.

Effectively the sale of Long Reef windsurfing shops removed the competition in Sydney,but you can buy from us or from Adrian at Southside Sailboards.

I think there is enough business for two shops but you got to look at whether the return on investment and time is good enough. You know you can make 10% ROI and sit on your arse, but you can't pay yourself a wage in these shops and make a return on capital. Not like you can in Real estate or Stock market so it just doesn't really work. Last year I sailed about once a week the previous 5 years I had sailed once every month at best.

We are not complaining about it we sold our shops and we continue to be involved in the business but with a better lifestyle.

Azz,

Think carfully before rushing in for a bargain in Maui. I was over there last year with some mates and can share a few lessons! There are definitely some good deals to be had in Maui and it's worth checking out all the stores - they are really easy to find and all pretty close to each other.

HOWEVER!!! There are 2 big hidden traps - EXCESS BAGGAGE and CUSTOMS DUTY!. My mate bought a heap of gear because it was so cheap but clearly the airlines in MAUI are sick of windsurfing stuff on their planes and charge an arm and a leg to get your stuff to Oahu for the international connection - it literally cost more for the windsurfing gear than for the passenger seat! Then you still need to get it to Australia where (depending on the airline) you'll be hit up again with excess baggage fees - alot of airlines specifically exclude windsurfing equipment from baggage allowance or sporting equipment allowance. It's not over once you get home either. Unfortunately windsurfing equipment is fairly conspicuous and not easy to sneek through customs - there is a reason why sporting equipment is more expensive in Australia than in the US - it's called TAX and you will have to pay it when you bring the gear into the country. After all of this it ended up costing my mate about the same as if he had just bought it new in Australia and it really would have been a lot less hassle not carrying the gear around airports etc.

Just food for thought but I personally think you are better to buy in OZ. Most stores have killer deals on superseeded gear and are happy to freight around the country. I've had good experiences with SHQ in Melbourne, Windsurfing Perth in WA, Goodtime in Qld and Wind Surf n Snow in NSW and they are just the places I've dealt with. There must be over 20 windsurfing retailers in this country so plenty to choose from and heaps of bargains to be had.

Anyway have fun in Maui and spend your time sailing instead of shopping!

Cheers,
Fletch

Yep I certainly agree I think people should support Sam as much as they can in Sydney but I also think there are powerful forces that have stopped another shop opening and my product is not well represented in Sydney so I deal direct in Sydney or through SS sailboards. If anybody needs something I usually deliver it southside if they are not located north. I agree they can't get a mast base etc on the weekend which is the bad thing but i am looking at ways to help that especially at Brighton on a saturday in summer.

I am also very keen to support someone with some vision who wants to open a shop. If anyone is silly enough to give up a few hundred k and all their weekends to get into a windsurfing shop then I and other under represented wholesalers would be very happy to support. I don't think a shop really needs JP NP and North, Mistral, F2 etc to survive there are other great brands, more than enough to fill 3 or 4 shops.

So anybody want to open a shop?

Thanks for the replys

I may get a couple of wave sails, a boom and a bigger race sail. So I should be ok with excess baggage, as I am taking nothing over there, just the bare minimum, as I am borrowing gear over there, and I am travelling with my Lady, so we will have enough in excess baggage allowance between us. I figure a few sails (dry) and a boom should only weigh about 10kg at the most with some padding around them. A board would be a hassle to bring back, but I wont do that.

you can avoid discussions with airport ground staff by getting an offical statement from the airline regarding excess baggage prior to either booking the flight or at least getting to the airport.

I am always surprised how many people simply rock up at the airport with excess luggage without having done their homework prior.

Today you can get most of the information from the airlines web site. Alternativelly call the airline and get them to fax their official rules around excess baggage.

Due to increased fuel cost and outsourcing of checkin ground staff airlines tend to be less forthcoming with concessions these days.

I've never bought windsurfing gear from shops over the net, I always thought the costs of frieghting stuff all over Australia would be a bit of a killer, is this the case ?

The only frustration I have had with local windsurfing shops is from ordering stuff which seems to take 6 weeks to get from Perth to Melbourne sometimes. Even though I prefer to shop locally, I think if I could order stuff over the net and have it turn up in two days and not get hammered on the freight costs I would be very happy.

Living in Nth Qld the only way to get gear is on the net, Al at Caloundra city sailboards does free post on most stuff aus wide. Dieter (sunshine coast sailboards) is also very reasonable, I support both dealers and find I get great service and cheaper prices, All you have to do is ask.

quote:

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Originally posted by mr bagus


Maybe we should carry spares or borrow from friends if we don't want to drive to the North side for emergency parts....called planning.....

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Yeah right - just buy two of every thing! Thats planning! No thats just a ludicrous statement....

Lets see, next time i'm in the shop:-
I'll have 2 of thoose JPFSW
and 2 of them carbon booms
oh yeah 2 no better make it 3 of fins....etc

Some people don't work in the minning sector and have limited budget.

Getting stuff back from Maui can be easy or bloody hard.
In 06' I managed (with the help of mates) to bring back a high wind slalom board in a bag packed with towels, impact vests etc and 2 sails rolled as one for nothing. We rocked up to the Hawaiian Air counter keeping the windsurfing bags relatively out of sight. The 3 of us checked 5 pieces straight through to Sydney. When the lady asked where the other 2 "suitcases" were I showed her the board bag and sail bag. She raised her eyebrows but just put them straight through. Picked them up in baggage claim in Sydney. Then watched the customs guys struggle to get them through the X-ray machine. 4 guys scratched their heads over what they were. They asked, I said windsurfing gear and they said "seeya later".
This year a mate bought 2 sails back on Jetstar no worries as well.
But be prepared to get out the Visa if your not so lucky.