This whole discussion is akin to prostitution. Why knock/bust the ho's? They're just selling product....
Greg Knoll once said something like, "real surfers don't buy surf clothes..." and I would add, "at least until they're 50% off!"
REMINDER: THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to monitor the Forums. However, THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to review any materials submitted to or posted on the Forums, and remove, delete, redact or otherwise modify such materials, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, at any time and from time to time, without notice or further obligation to you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to display or post any materials provided by you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to disclose, at any time and from time to time, any information or materials that we deem necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, contract obligation, legal or dispute process or government request. Click on the following hyperlinks to further read the applicable Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Legendary surfer/shaper reviews Firewire Surfboards
- Thread starter surfwhere
- Start date
Greg Knoll once said something like, "real surfers don't buy surf clothes..." and I would add, "at least until they're 50% off!"
First fact is "Kelly" has never actually bought anything. It's a small equity group that brought him in to use his name and spin any acquisition as being Kelly's. And they did approach CI first. CI declined.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I had heard basically that before. What I heard was that ”they” didn’t offer enough money. Don’t know if that‘s true, don’t care and you don’t have to answer.
BTW I’m happy you guys bought it back from Burton (I don’t know if you personally went in on it and don’t feel like I have to know either).
Name dropping Kelly to secure acquisition, great trick. FireWire is apparently both underhanded and generally stupid.
Not sure about stupid.
Having the GOAT as your frontman if you want to own a surfboard company would seem to make sense, no?
Having the GOAT as your frontman if you want to own a surfboard company would seem to make sense, no?
Prostitution akin to shipping trans Thai lover boys all over the world to displace the local girls.
Thanks for the kind words. Yep, proud to be 2nd largest shareholder, Britt Merrick being the first.
16 other team and employees make up the whole group.
I'll share some of the story, I think it's telling.
So after these guys make their venture capital pitch, and ask to name a price, I get ahold of Jake (Burton) about his thoughts. He says I'll need to come out to Vermont to talk this one through.
Next on the plane, to Burlington, and into Jake's office.
I don't recall him ever even having a proper desk, but there were plenty couches and coffee tables.
After some brief small talk, he looks me square in the eye...
"So you want to be sold?"
I pause 5 seconds "No."
"Meetings over then." Jake states, a Don Julio 1941 bottle appears from under the table. "Let's drink"
1941 were the only numbers used in the negotiation.
I remember BASE in Torquay. I worked in Melbourne for 4 years from 2005-2009. After the airlines completely destroyed one of my boards I bought a few boards from BASE off the rack. This is unusual for me since I typically order custom or make my own.
I had never seen anything like BASE - hundreds and hundreds of boards to fondle. And they moved them through pretty fast so there was always fresh stock moving through. I still have a couple of Dahlbergs and a Simon Anderson I got at BASE which go real good.
As I recall they closed shop sometime in 2011, right? I think I bought my last SA for my youngest son in 2010. It's actually am overseas epoxy but it is bulletproof and he still rides it occasionally.
Nothing like that in NW USA, so I'm back to customs - usually from CA shapers.
-
ive talked Murray Bourton about base and they were super innovative when they were around. One of the first to offer diagonal glassing as a standard option and carbon tail strips. The manufacturing was great and the scale was perfect too.He said business people who didnt understand surfing ran it into the ground
I panic bought a used BASE Simon Anderson 6'6 SXE2 off C-list over a decade ago. It was dirt cheap ($120 or something) and looked to be in really good shape in the ad's picture.
I had broken my step up. My new one was a week out and there was a solid swell that looked like it'd be amazing at a local lefthander for the next day or two.
When I went to check the board out the night before the swell and I was pretty shocked. I had never seen a board so twisted in my life. It was either give the thing a go or be relegated to catching in-betweeners (plus, probably getting cleaned-up a lot) on my 6'0. I ended up getting some of the best local barrels I've ever gotten on that board so it was worth the price paid. I would have never been able to get into the DOH+ sets on any of my shortboards at the time.
I ended up giving it away to a local grom. It was not worth trying to sell as I'm too honest and would have pointed out the twist if someone didn't notice it. I only rode it twice and never went right on it, so I'll never know if it would have been a complete dog on my backhand.
I had broken my step up. My new one was a week out and there was a solid swell that looked like it'd be amazing at a local lefthander for the next day or two.
When I went to check the board out the night before the swell and I was pretty shocked. I had never seen a board so twisted in my life. It was either give the thing a go or be relegated to catching in-betweeners (plus, probably getting cleaned-up a lot) on my 6'0. I ended up getting some of the best local barrels I've ever gotten on that board so it was worth the price paid. I would have never been able to get into the DOH+ sets on any of my shortboards at the time.
I ended up giving it away to a local grom. It was not worth trying to sell as I'm too honest and would have pointed out the twist if someone didn't notice it. I only rode it twice and never went right on it, so I'll never know if it would have been a complete dog on my backhand.
@ChaseTMP that’s awesome. Totally worth $120!
Asym twist is the next hipster trend for 2023
Asym twist is the next hipster trend for 2023
I had a board from a well respected shaper that had a significant twist and it was one of the best boards I've ever owned.
Haha. Beautiful.
I know a few of the “team and other employees“.
I wish I would have known about it before it went down. I would have been stoked to invest in CI.
May your risk be rewarded!!!
Best board I’ve ever had was an OG CI Pod that was slightly off center. The stringer was very slightly diagonal to the nose and tail. I’ve had a few pods since, all good boards, but none had that do no wrong magic of the crooked one.
