BLOW OFF:
Julian Da Vall and Brian McDowell let rip - ROUND 2!!

Fresh off the ferry from the Whiteair competition, Jules and Brian stop in at Pompey Greyhounds for an evening to drink Snowballs and put the World to rights once again.

At the bar, the conversation swings from choosing dogs to choosing boards and predictably, Brian gets hot under the collar straight away. Mohair coats and flat caps to the ready……

Brian. Check it out Jules (as he holds up his dog card). One dog, one race, one bet: a nice simple choice. Like this bar here sells a few simple drinks, no fancy cocktails (although you can be flash like us and drink Snowballs). Whereas some manufacturers brochures have more content than Boardseeker Mag, and that’s saying something!

How the hell am I supposed to work out what board to have and in what construction and why are there so many? I don’t believe large product lines represent much real improvement year on year to the average sailor you know, nor much at the top end.

It’s too confusing and not, in my opinion, in the spirit of progress. More cross-functional boards would make things easier.

Julian. All right Brian, I’ve been doing a bit of research on this and I have some actual facts on the amount of choice we now have:

Exhibit one: (Jules holds up a PDA full of numbers) I found 16 production brands available in the UK offering 416 boards for 2005, including different constructions. That’s a lot of models in anybody’s book. Starboard have 85 alternatives, almost 4 times more than everyone else! 20 years ago the entire production market had less choice than that! Granted Mistral are banging on about ‘less being more’ with a nice simple line. Even you Brian can choose a board for a given use without having a brain haemorrhage although they do have 20 to choose from.

Brian. And another thing: how are the retailers supposed to stock enough of the right stuff? The industry all complain there is a slump in sales and they have too much old stock, which in turn hurts new sales. Yet they’re still cramming the pipeline full of stuff that is arguably no better than clearance gear still on the shelves and has more variants than a CJD lab gone mad. Only the Tushingham marketing believe in 'Evolution not Revolution'. A very sensible approach I'd say. The world has gone mad and I’m so angry I’m gonna get a vodka put in this Snowball just to complicate things!

Julian. An interesting point Brain. But please neck this before that vein on your forehead bursts! Listen, I don’t know, but this plethora of choice could ultimately be a good thing? The problem is, marketing wins & sometimes brilliant boards get misunderstood or overlooked because they aren’t marketed properly or marketed enough. Also magazine tests are given way too much importance by most windsurfers. But is there a better way? One thing is certain though, the chance of a retailer actually having the board of your choice in stock is pretty slim. I notice you mentioned a certain sail brand Brian. They on the whole seem to be a bit more sensible, and a few others have embraced the concept of simpler ranges with wider use without necessarily losing performance. A lesson to all board manufacturers I’d say.

Brian. I’m glad we had this rant Jules. I feel a lot better you know. But I’m still angry.

Julian. What seems to be bothering you Brain? Is it that you just lost a tenner on Sven the Omnipotent in the Supa Snaps stakes just gone?

Brian. I don’t know. I just can’t let it lie!

Julian. Spit it out man!…No not the Snowball you idiot!

Brian. It’s the Olympic thing. They’ve only gone and chosen the Pryde Board and not listened to us haven’t they?! I’m fuming. In fact that’s it. I’m going to put all my money on this dog here. It’s all a lottery and there’s no sense anywhere. Here we are. Race 3, a Monkey to win on World Gone Mad! There’s a choice for ya!

Julian. You calm down & have another ‘Advocat Delight’. After all Brian it is nearly Christmas.

The boys about to blow up!

"Some manufacturer’s brochures have more content than Boardseeker Mag, and that’s saying something!"

"All of the manufacturers are cramming the pipeline full of stuff which has more variants than a CJD lab gone mad."

"Sometimes brilliant boards get misunderstood or overlooked and magazine tests are given way too much importance by most windsurfers."

"Simpler ranges and wider use without necessarily losing performance: perfect!"