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Old     (inland_surfer)      Join Date: Aug 2002       09-03-2010, 10:14 AM Reply   
Inland Surfer Announces the acquisition of Flyboy Wakesurf Boards and the founding of its new Flyboy Division

Bellevue WA-
Inland Surfer, the leading and original wakesurfing company announced today that it has acquired Flyboy Wakesurf Boards and has added James Walker to the Inland Surfer Team.
James Walker joins an already stacked team of wakesurfers including Keenan Flegel, the 2010 World Wakesurfing Champion. James brings some of the sport’s most technical tricks and highest aerials and is a consistent guest to the podium, most recently winning the surf division at the 2010 World Wakesurfing Championship.
“James is one of the best surf-style wakesurfers competing today. We’ve been friends with James and the Walker family since we first met them at a wakesurfing comp, back in 2003. It’s been a true pleasure to watch James evolve into such a talented rider. James is a great ambassador for our sport and we are honored to have him as a member of the Inland Surfer family and a principle in our new Flyboy Division”, stated Jeff Page, Owner of Inland Surfer.
James, assisted by his father Jeff, will head up the new Flyboy Division of Inland Surfer. Flyboy will focus on developing and perfecting competition level wakesurf boards for riders who want the lightest and most maneuverable board available today. The Inland Surfer line of Flyboy boards will utilize the most technologically advanced materials and manufacturing processes to build boards that will help take competitive riders to the next level.
“I’m really excited to join the Inland Surfer team. It’s going to help me focus on my wakesurfing while getting the shapes that I help design to riders all over the world. Hold on, this doesn’t mean that I have to listen to what Jeff Page says?..... Does it?” added a clearly excited James Walker.
Look for Inland Surfer Flyboy wakesurf boards at your local board shop for the 2011 season
Old    JasonDJ            09-03-2010, 10:36 AM Reply   
Congrats to James and Inland Surfer.

Good to see Inland Surfer now in the premium "Surf Style" board market.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       09-03-2010, 10:36 AM Reply   
Wow! Congrats on the deal! I think that's a great match up!
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-03-2010, 10:41 AM Reply   
You know, one of the things I love about wakesurfing is the people. We didn't have that experience wakeboarding so much. Many of the wakeboarding pros are very untouchable, etc. We love the walkers and not only is James an amazing surfer but he is a hella good kid. He is respectful and a great role model. He takes the time to talk to and play with even my youngest kids, and this was way before wake9 even. Way to go James and the Walkers.

And then there is Inland. We cut our teeth on Inland boards, heck I think we won 4 of them at various comps. They have done so much to promote the sport. My kids met Jeff Page at Worlds in 2007 and they had no idea he owned some board company. He just befriended them, I think Jeff was curious about this crazy Garcia family with 6 kids. My kids talked about "that nice old dude with the white hair and crazy shorts". I don't remember what shorts he was wearing, but for some reason it made an impression.

And then the first time we went to the NWWSA open and one of RJ and wake9's heros is Mark Sher. RJ and I used to watch Mark on the inland videos on that green loogey shredding it up. Mark was so nice to RJ at the open, and took him out on his boat for a run and let him ride his sweetspot. RJ couldn't shut up about it. Dad, Mark Sher took me on his boat for a demo, RJ was not yet 14. The kids also took a liking to Mac Page at the open, another great, hospitable person.

All that to say, I am excited about this partnership/takeover, or whatever you want to call it. All great people pushing the sport in the right direction. I enjoyed helping Jeff get the word out about the Flyboy, and doesn't look like he needs much help now! Its an exciting time for wakesurfing.

By the way, if Jeff and James start riding a Centurion Enzo, I take all of the above back.....


HaHa, Just kidding.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       09-03-2010, 1:19 PM Reply   
I don't know how I feel about this but I'm sure its a good thing for Fly Boy or they wouldn't have done it. Where will the FB's be made now?
Old     (dreamer)      Join Date: Nov 2008       09-03-2010, 1:52 PM Reply   
Cool. As soon as some of those Flyboy boards are in Washington I am going to have to make a trip down and demo/purchase one.
Old     (bac)      Join Date: Feb 2008       09-03-2010, 4:06 PM Reply   
I'm with you Hate, I was wondering about what they would do for manufacturing the boards now, seeing that they're all hand made in So Cal and IS mass produces overseas. But as you mentioned I'm sure its a good deal for all involved. I can't see Jeff or James allowing quality to drop

Congrats Jeff and James!
Old     (bac)      Join Date: Feb 2008       09-03-2010, 5:24 PM Reply   
From what I'm hearing sounds like all will stay the same except for an Inland logo being placed on the board and some new graphics. Everything else will be left as James and Jeff have been, aside from the fact that Inland now has them under their wing. Sounds like a really good deal for both parties. Sounds like an even greater step for the sport as a whole.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       09-03-2010, 6:17 PM Reply   
Thats good to hear.
Old    surfdad            09-03-2010, 7:24 PM Reply   
Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. The folks at Inland have been amazingly good to FlyBoy. They have been missing a high end surf style contest board and someone to ride it, FlyBoy met that need for them. As most of you now, Inland is built at the Cobra Factory or thereabouts. It's the biggest single manufacturer of surfboards in the world.

During the negotiation, they asked me to spec out the production for the FlyBoy division board. I did have to wrestle a bit with the Factory, but Inland is 100% behind the construction being identical to what it is now. The only difference being the change from american units of measure to metric units of measure.

As they told me: "if it wasn't going to be a contest level board, there wasn't any reason to do this."

The boards will be pop-outs, they'll mold a final shape from an existing board and then build to the spec's I've dictated.

For FlyBoy, of course James' gets the years Inland quality and stable production arrangement. They also bring the largest independent dealer network, including online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Inland gets James amazing technical riding ability and a high end design ready to enter a contest.

James really is excited to work with Inland and I believe it will be good, not only for FlyBoy, James and Inland, but it will be good for the sport as Inland Surfer's FlyBoy Division (a tony little division of Inland Surfer ) brings these high end, high tech boards to market
Old    surfdad            09-04-2010, 3:14 AM Reply   
I didn't do a good job of addressing the concerns of hate and bac. FlyBoy will fulfill all existing orders and any orders received up thru mid September. After that point, all orders received will be PRE-orders for the new Inland Surfer - FlyBoy division board. To give some examples, if you have an existing order thru Towanza or Wake9, FlyBoy will build you that board, Inland will not be involved with that production or sale. If you order within the next week or so, that order will also be built by FlyBoy and Inland will not be involved in the production or sale.

On the other hand, if you order in Late September or beyond, that will be a PRE-ORDER for the new Inland Surfer - FlyBoy wakesurf board, delivery of those orders won't happen until 2011.

I hope that clears things up on the production and barnd We are in Orlando at the moment for the USA WB Nationals - Wakesurf contest, so I am a little slow in responding. If anyone has any concerns, feel free to ask. You can shoot them to the FlyBoy contact email address, to me or James personally or just post them here.

This is a bold move for Inland, it represents a departure from their normal construction and their primary design and market. The folks from Inland communicated that the market for these high end boards is mature enough to support manufacturing on a large scale, now.

Also when I was spec'ing the production for the quote from Cobra, the folks from Inland did NOT get in the way. Not once did they say, jeez Jeff we'd like them to be heavier so that we don't have a return. They let me...not really argue with Cobra, but I placed a heavy demand on the board being developed and built as it is currently built (and for long-timers of WW you can see how I built the prototypes in the archives here) and I must have sent the spec sheet back 5 times getting it 100% and Inland was behind that. They are supportive of making these contest ready surf style boards.

If you've picked up a FlyBoy before you know your first reaction is Holy Crap that's light - that's what the Inland Surfer - Flyboy division boards will do also.

Off to the murky waters of central Florida!
Old     (tiredofthedrama123)      Join Date: Sep 2010       09-04-2010, 8:44 AM Reply   
Congratulations to both Inland and the Walkers!

The fruits of SD’s epoxy eating labor has paid off.

IS has taken my favorite board company and made them stronger by adding one more option to its customers .

Please remember

This industry is very, very small. The market for competition level boards is even smaller. Us the surfers will benifit from this acquisition. SD's ingenuity and passion would be lost and wasted in a 500 per year board market.

As far as James goes, more sponsorship will make you a better rider!.

@ ragboy
“By the way, if Jeff and James start riding a Centurion Enzo, I take all of the above back.....”

Shallow…. Really Shallow….. Once again you have taken an opportunity to try and slam Centurion and promote Tige. I know, your rebuttal will be that it was only a joke but search engines are search engines. Do you think people are fools? Why would you take the opportunity to destroy a great thread announcing a acquisition that will only make a minute, low revenue industry, stronger with your own agenda?

James is a fabulous surfer, one can only hope that one day the stars will align and a boat manufacturer will offer him a sponsorship and a boat. That will be a great day for him and his father.

I also hope that he gets to spend a huge amount of time behind the Inland Surfer boats. They are big, they are dialed in, and the waves are the standard for competitions. HE WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE OF THIS. I can not wait to see what this young man accomplishes over the next few years.

Hello Tige, hopefully you lurk on wakeworld

I now make it my personal mission in life to ensure that when I meet Tige owners at the lake who are learning how to surf and inquire about our wave I will not talk about ballast positioning/speed/lend bags out/ borrow proper boards/ give riding tips. I will simply tell them they should have bought a MC/Nautique/Centurion/Supreme/Malibu/Sea Doo wake…. Anything but a Tige and say something ridiculous like it’s the convex hull holding them back and offer them a pull behind my boat. The Dan Dulong Wakecraft style marketing does not work!

I will stop doing this when wake 9 is off of your web page and you give a rider a full sponsorship…. Take a look at a young man by the name of James Walker, he is going to do great things behind a boat and needs a full ride!
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-04-2010, 8:49 AM Reply   
WTF? This guy just gets more entertaining. Very creative with the names he comes up with.

FTR, my centurion comment was completely tongue in cheek, and just a joke. Which is why I added the "HaHa, Just Kidding."
Old     (caskimmer)      Join Date: Apr 2006       09-04-2010, 8:56 AM Reply   
I sure hope the price drops significantly with them being manufactured overseas. IMO nothing is worse than an overpriced Chinese popouts
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-04-2010, 9:07 AM Reply   
Well, if this is supposed to be the high end contest line, and that makes sense, then I am guessing prices will be similar or the same. They aren't going to be cheaper than other inland boards. I have no inside knowledge to that, but that seems to be the logical thing to do.

I think Inland and anyone else would prefer to keep made in america, but you have to compete. Its going to take the Government to do something to stem that tide. Even the smaller guys, smaller than inland are either moving in that direction, or seriously considering it. There are some interesting articles on CNN I read the other day, I will share them, enlightening about this issue.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/...usa/index.html
Old     (tiredofthedrama123)      Join Date: Sep 2010       09-04-2010, 9:12 AM Reply   
FTR - Not the same guy
Old     (rlsv211)      Join Date: Oct 2009       09-04-2010, 10:00 AM Reply   
@ Fred Burke Have you been around the Wake9 family? I have meet them a couple of times. I did the Polar Bear ride last year and spent a few hours at the spring ride they put on. That family is outstanding. They have great kids and they go over board to make you feel welcome. Do they have favorite product? Yes but I also see them try to help promote the entire sport. I would not except them to exclude someone because of the type of boat they have. Wakesuring is lucky to have the Garcia family.
Old     (tiredofthedrama123)      Join Date: Sep 2010       09-04-2010, 11:50 AM Reply   
@ rlsv211 - Lets move this conversation to a new thread titled "Flame Fred Burke"... I don't want to cause any more distraction to the original intention of this thread.
Old     (hawaj)      Join Date: Aug 2005       09-04-2010, 8:14 PM Reply   
Wow what a surprise!!!
Big congrats to James and Jeff. Things are moving very fast around them you this year. Hope this will greatly help to both parties.
Now James is a Pro wakesurfer and Jeff moved from backyard shaper to Pro technology expert in board industry. Right people on right places. What a ride
Old    surfdad            09-05-2010, 4:50 AM Reply   
@ Fred,

Thanks for the kind words and for eliminating the hijack issue, I appreciate both.
Old     (flyguy)      Join Date: Sep 2007       09-05-2010, 8:55 AM Reply   
So do I buy now and get an original Flyboy or do I wait and get an IS Flyboy? Pros/Cons?

Congrats to both companies. Sounds exciting.
Old     (guma)      Join Date: Sep 2009       09-05-2010, 12:57 PM Reply   
I ordered from Wake9 a few weeks back. This is not meant as a hit to IS, but I for one am glad I am getting an Original FB. I am quite certain, however that Jeff nor James wil allow the quality to go south with IS's manufacturer.
Old    surfdad            09-05-2010, 2:15 PM Reply   
Well, I don't want to give anyone the impression that Jeff P just gave James the reins, but they are committed to offering contest ready boards that you can pick up at your local pro shop. The molding will make all the boards identical, so it won't matter if you get the first one off the production line or the 83rd. They'll also all look exactly alike. The hand assembled ones haven't really been identical. James has tweaked the flyboy's a bit through production and the most recent batch were the most lively and lightest. Not that the first batched sucked, but there were differences along the production line...hand shaped typically has a tolerance of +/- 3mm (1/8 inch) molded will have a tolerance level measured in thousandths of an inch. SIGNIFICANT! The traction will be different also, IS has their own line of traction whereas the FlyBoy used aftermarket traction. Personal preference there. Also, Inland is manufacturing their own line of fins for this project.

To me, my greatest hope is that we'll see a change in the way boards are manufactured and developed. You may not like me, or the FlyBoy itself, but you can't dismiss that the composite sandwich construction is a significant departure from any previous wakesurf board construction methodology. That by itself will cause other manufacturers to look to their construction techniques to offer advances. Designs specific to wakesurfing and how the board interacts with our small little gutless waves and with the trough that is there. I believe that as larger manufacturers embrace these technological changes and design elements, all of us as riders and enthusiasts will benefit.

So with that said, FlyBoy will stop taking orders in another week or so. After that, it will a pre-order through Inland Surfer.
Attached Images
 
Old     (wakeboardingdad)      Join Date: Aug 2008       09-05-2010, 7:53 PM Reply   
Jeff, I guess we'll be seeing less of you around here now due to your busy schedule with the new company? Congrats to you, your family and Inland Surfer.
Old     (tonyv420)      Join Date: Jul 2007       09-05-2010, 10:23 PM Reply   
Congratulations Jeff,Jeff,and James. Guess they will be easier to demo now huh?
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       09-06-2010, 11:59 AM Reply   
No more Future Fins? Bummer...
Old    surfdad            09-06-2010, 7:40 PM Reply   
Look for a similar foil - same basic cant and toe, but a lighter and stiffer fin. Cast off all the pre-concieved notions here, and look for good things from this division. The natural futures material (plastic) isn't really well suited for behind the boat, but if you like the 3/2/1 you can't get it in any other material. You may not like the Inland tuttle base, but if you can get a better fin, in the foil you like, why not? The natural 3/2/1's are super heavy and could use a different material to increase "snap"

Having the ability to mold fins specific to the board opens up amazing possibilities. No more trying to make fins from a surfboard work for us behind the boat. The fin industry hasn't fallen in love with wakesurfing, how cool would it be to have a wakesurf company make 'em?

Sorry to the others, thanks for the congrats, I appreciate it!
Old     (wofrankwo)      Join Date: Jul 2009       09-06-2010, 10:05 PM Reply   
congrats to you and james!!

onward and upward!!
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       09-07-2010, 1:13 PM Reply   
@Jeff Walker - Is IS going to offer the same graphics or are will they be custom? Last, I wonder if IS will offer an Woody FlyBoy?
Old     (brucemac)      Join Date: Dec 2005       09-07-2010, 1:14 PM Reply   
cool news, congrats!
Old    surfdad            09-07-2010, 1:34 PM Reply   
Thanks guys, Jeff P and James worked out the graphics, so they'll be different than the FlyBoy, with visible carbon rails. I'm in Orlando Airport waiting for my flight back to Cali, I'll try and get a screen grab of the airtist representation of the graphics and post it.

There won't be any wood or wood laminate in this FlyBoy model, so a woody isn't likely. The standard Inland Surfers use a wood laminate in the wood loc process, that process isn't used in this flyboy division board. Saying that, James is testing a balsa composite - which will be all wood skinned and that could find it's way into production, as it lends itself well to the infusion and molding. Not sure how that will ride, so it's just a prototype.
Old     (scottnaz)      Join Date: Feb 2008       09-07-2010, 9:35 PM Reply   
Wow, you go away for a few days, and this happens!!

First off, congrats to all parties involved. I have all the confidence in the decision the Walker family has made. While I don't, personally, agree, I'm sure they weighed the decision very heavily before making it. So, again, congrats!!! James is an amazing rider, and Jeff has done some amazing R&D for this sport and board shaping. Kudos!!

With that said, I will offer my disappointment. I don't see the point of leaving TWP, starting your own BRAND, then offering it to someone else. What's done, is done, but I felt the Flyboy BRAND was going to revolutionize the wakesurfing world..... all on it's own! Personal opinion, I know, but....

Anyway, let me ask you this, Jeff....... I had plans of ordering a Flyboy this off-season, but simply WILL NOT if the board is planned to be manufactured outside of the United States. I'm sorry, but the change in "units of measure" leads me to believe the manufacturing will be sent out of the country?

@ Robert - would you please PM me through this site or my email for that matter, the "drop-dead" date for Flyboy's board construction before Inland takes it over? (that is, if you know it) - thanks

Last edited by wakeworld; 10-05-2010 at 3:54 PM.
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-08-2010, 12:01 AM Reply   
@scott, I will find out and let you know.
Old     (22vdrive)      Join Date: Apr 2010       09-08-2010, 5:08 AM Reply   
So now that the board will be mass produced will the price go down?
Old     (norbiv)      Join Date: May 2009       09-08-2010, 6:08 AM Reply   
Yeah Dudes! Cant wait to drop the movie
Old    surfdad            09-08-2010, 8:26 AM Reply   
Hey Norbi! Looking forward to your magic edit on that video.

Hey Scott, thanks for the congrats and I appreciate your disappointment, thanks for expressing it. I have a feeling this may turn into a lengthy post, so I apologize in advance. The first thing I do want to clarify is that the board will be manufactured in Thailand at the Cobra factory and I appreciate if that is your conviction - where you won't buy a board manufacturered overseas, but I would also offer that the LF wakeboard you mention that is in your garage, was also manufactured at the Cobra plant in Thailand. I think for most folks, that buy American can get fuzzy. The reality is the vast majority of the cost of the materials for the Original FlyBoy came from overseas production of the high density foam - Germany, Gurit and Diab are overseas manufacturers and there isn't a suitable replacement manufactured here in the USA. So trust me, if you support the FlyBoy original, you are lining the pockets of overseas manufacturers.

When James and I sat down to talk about the acquistion by Inland, we did a little research and talked about this issue, of sourcing american jobs to Thailand. It's no secret that FlyBoy was manufactured by Eric Roush for FlyBoy. Eric has no employees, so we are talking about a single "job" if you will. Eric was communicating that he wasn't making money on the manufacture of these boards and if you thought the $800 was expensive, you'd have been thrilled with the projected cost. Further, all Eric was doing was paying his rent with the money FlyBoy paid him and guess what? Overseas owner. So, while it sounds good in theory, in actual practice if you bought FlyBoy, that money was going overseas and is a reflection of US Policy, not choice of manufacturing location.

Some background before I make the next point. James is one of the best riders in the world today. He has had almost no support from board manufacturers before Inland - well and his own FlyBoy brand. He's had offers from manufacturers before that were on par with the deal that Duffy Mahoney gets. No offense Duffy, but I am sure you wouldn't consider yourself one of the best riders in the world. It's tough to rationalize supporting those folks when the best offer is "wholesale cost on a board." Gee thanks guys.

Alternatively, CMS is one of James sponsors and they have stepped up and supported him in a big way. This is a local retailer that pumps James online and fiscally. James and I talked about that at great length and we concluded that those are American jobs too. Not manufacturing, but in the manufacturing realm we were realistically looking only at 1 job. Inland has a rather vast dealer network here in the USA and the reality in retail sales is that the vast majority of gross profit goes to the retailer, not the manufacturer. That is as it should be and it's not millions of dollars, it's just that if the manufacturer gets a keystone and the retailer gets a keystone on a higher cost, the retailer will get more gross profit.

The retailers have been the biggest supporters of James. Towanza.com, Wake9.com and California Marine Sports (CMS) and those folks have American jobs and in just those three retailers, supporting them is a 300% increase in american jobs over the one manufacturing job we are talking about in this instance, especially when you consider raw materials are coming from Germany and the net cash flow was destined for an overseas land owner.

With Inland's rather large dealer network and it's somewhere around 100, we have a far greater chance of supporting american jobs through THEM than our previous manufacturing arrangement. Plus, Inland is American owned and they spend money here in the USA. I don't know, my logic man seem convoluted to you and I'm sure that there are holes in the process we used, but it's what we concluded. If anyone's conviction is truly that you'll only buy a board that's manufactured in the USA, good for you, I support and respect that and wouldn't for a minute try and change that conviction. If you're like me, where you like the idea but you've purchased a LF board before or you shop at Walmart, then the American Made is an ideal, but kind of fuzzy concept. We just felt there is greater opportunity to support american jobs with Inland than with what we were doing before.

Neither James nor I have any real say in the price, but it's not going to be cheaper. One thing James and I were very cognizant of was off-shore manufacturing and then price dumping. We wouldn't have any part of that. So don't expect a cheaper version. Also, if you talk to the retailers that handled FlyBoy and Inland they all unanimoulsy prefer the Inland arrangement. It's just better for them and I want to support those folks, they are the ones that will make demo's available, that will help with your buying decisions and that will actually have a board that you can touch and that will help support events like the Polar Bear thing that Wake9 puts together with CMS and the World's that Towanza.com helped stage.

Lastly, the boards are molded, but it's not massed produced. We're not talking 10,000 units here. I wish that was the case, but it's not There isn't a huge volume for a board of this type and so economy of scale just isn't something that will be realized. Think about the TWP JWSM, how many of those units, unique units do you know of? 1? maybe 2? They aren't ubiqutous, trust me. The original plan for production of the FlyBoy was to shift to a molded board, not for cheaper construction, but to insure a higher quality product. With molding each unit is identical and therefore each is "magic". The variations on the handshaped were so large that it was giving me an ulcer!

One more reality here, Cobra is the largest single manufacturer of surfboards, I'd but wakesurfboards, saildboards, wakeboards and just about anything composite related. They are also ISO 9001 certified, they are the ONLY surfboard manufacturer in existence that has that quality control standard. Trust me, many local shapers have no system of quality control. I can't even TELL you the number of times I've had a board come to me with the fin boxes placed in some weird place and the shaper telling me they thought my measurements were a MISTAKE OR the shaper just bagged it. The spec sheet with Cobra is comprehensive and also, Inland is on that sort of thing, during the estimate phase I got a confirmation email from Lance like daily.

Anyway...I do appreciate anyone's concern over any of these issues and do respect different points of view. Hopefully, now you can a little better insight into the decision process we followed.

Thanks for expressing these things, I appreciate the opportunity to explain.
Old     (smedman)      Join Date: Feb 2006       09-08-2010, 9:17 AM Reply   
Wow! Haven't logged in in a while, but a big congrats to IS and Jeff and James! Very cool stuff.
Old     (scottnaz)      Join Date: Feb 2008       09-08-2010, 5:54 PM Reply   
Hey Jeff, A+++ post.
Thanks for the clarification and the education, I appreciate it.

As I said before, I had no doubt you guys weighed the decision very heavily before making it. I, for one, underestimated how heavily you actually weighed it. You guys certainly looked at it from all angles before making the decision, and it sounds like you made the decision that was not only best for James & Flyboy, but also American jobs. I applaud your efforts, and the decision you guys have made. Again, congratulations to you both. James' amazing riding, and your amazing coaching (or R&D ) are finally starting to pay off for you, James, and the sport.

For what it's worth, I haven't stuck my feet in the LF wakeboard in 2+ seasons.....

Surf on!!
Old    surfdad            09-09-2010, 12:56 PM Reply   
Thanks Matt!

Thank you also Scott, I don't know that the "american" dealio would have been a make or break part of the decision, but FlyBoy did use the "american made" as a point of differentiation, and that would be gone. It was a big decision, for James, he was in effect giving up a "brand" and that certainly had long-term consequences. I think James appreciated all the "due diligence" that we went through (although maybe not in the moment ) and James is happy with the decision.

Retailers have seen this picture in the 2011 Inland catalog, I swiped it from one that was forwarded to me.
Attached Images
 
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-09-2010, 12:57 PM Reply   
That's pretty cool!
Old    JasonDJ            09-09-2010, 1:09 PM Reply   
Looks good! Definitely looks like a Inland board. How will the traction on the tail be? Will it have a center arch and rolled tail kick?

Last edited by JasonDJ; 09-09-2010 at 1:11 PM.
Old    surfdad            09-09-2010, 1:36 PM Reply   
It does look cool. I don't know anything about the traction. It looks different to me than the one piece traction that IS has used in the past. The tail seems to have an arch and shows lines for a split. I'm just guessing though.
Old     (lionel)      Join Date: Nov 2005       09-09-2010, 1:49 PM Reply   
J-Dub for a James' nickname? Inland logo, flyboy, J.W.
Old     (ragboy)      Join Date: Aug 2007       09-09-2010, 5:38 PM Reply   
I like that, the "J Dub". I always say JWSM, cuz "James Walker Signature Edition" is such a mouthful. I like it, that could stick.
Old     (majestic)      Join Date: May 2008       09-09-2010, 6:57 PM Reply   
I told James I would buy a flyboy next year and I think its great that I still can and support my local surfboard company in the process. Although I do love my TWP F-18 I always feel a little dirty being on Lake Sammamish with 2 inland boards and a Walker board.

My only gripe would be the traction, I find the arch pads to be a huge help to me. I would assume I could remove the traction and install my own or would there be a unfinished area beneath the traction?

Big Congrats to James and Jeff and Inland Surfer. Now if we could get an Inland Surfer demo day on Sammamish that would be great (Hint)
Old    surfdad            09-09-2010, 7:39 PM Reply   
That's funny - feeling dirty for riding a TWP.

Yeah, James doesn't like that traction either and I noticed that Keenan and Sean, who both ride the moss, have cut the kick pad off and slapped down their fav's. You can remove the IS traction with heat and elbow grease. I'm not sure what's underneath. I'm sure that it's finished, but there may be no graphic as that would save some cost. It might be a giant white spot, or in the case of this board possibly the color of the high denity foam. However, the surface of the board would be smooth and finished.

James likes the arch bars also, both at the front and tail. He will always ride the Beaker tail and arch bar.

You need to attend the NWWSA event, there were more IS boards around than you could shake a stick at - just don't ride on Mark Sher's boat, he hasn't figured out how to put gas in a boat yet.
Old    surfdad            09-09-2010, 7:46 PM Reply   
Oh! and thanks! to everyone. I like that J-dub, just don't start calling be bald-dub.
Old     (scottnaz)      Join Date: Feb 2008       09-09-2010, 7:56 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by surfdad View Post
It was a big decision, for James, he was in effect giving up a "brand" and that certainly had long-term consequences.
You know Jeff, I think that may be what disappointed me most about the announcement. We've, personally, been doing a lot of research about "branding" with our business, and I was so excited to see James take the leap with Flyboy. I thought he could, single handedly, create a BRAND like no other in the wake surfing world. Heck, a few years, and don't get me wrong, some serious hard work, away from taking the most recognized spots away from companies like Inland or Shred or TWP, etc. I was, and always am, excited to see someone (especially as young as James) take a leap, and risk, away from the conservative path and put their personal name, and performance on the line. It really shows a strong character and determination, both of which are lost on today's youth

Again, it sounds like a great opportunity for James, and I applaud you guys on your efforts. Teaming up with Inland will certainly change the wake surfing world and make so many of these other companies step up their efforts and policies. I think there was already companies worried about the creation of Flyboy, and even more so, now, with the merger of Inland.

I would, still, love to get my hands on an original production Flyboy wake surf board. Even if it means James selling me his
Old     (norbiv)      Join Date: May 2009       09-09-2010, 8:54 PM Reply   
heres a little teaser. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...7&l=9753b19e49
Old    surfdad            09-09-2010, 11:11 PM Reply   
So sick!
Attached Images
 
Old     (norbiv)      Join Date: May 2009       09-10-2010, 5:40 AM Reply   
Yeah Jeff!
Old     (colombiansurfer)      Join Date: Sep 2008       09-10-2010, 8:35 AM Reply   
I like the new graphics! Be nice if it came is a couple more colors.
Old    surfdad            09-11-2010, 7:15 AM Reply   
@ Scott,

I have come to appreciate the work that is involved with establish a new brand. James won the World's, Nationals and Northwest open - back-to-back-to-back on his FlyBoy. He snatched away those titles with the ontroduction of his FlyBoy board and that is what he loves to do, ride and compete.

However, that isn't the work of establishing a brand. I mean it still is, but connecting with dealers to get distribution going, credit checks, minimum order quatities and all the wrangling associated with THAT became the focus of the work. What started happening for James is that it went from COOL! and FUN! to - what's a credit check? Great learning experience, in that James learned he wasn't thrilled with back office stuff.

I wish you TONS of luck on your branding efforts and I hope that you experience fun through all the phases, I'm sure you'll be successful. For James, he decided to focus on the things he loves to do with wakesurfing. Riding and competing and the interaction with folks at events. Inland has already done all the hard work of developing the distribution channels and the infrastructure to handle production and sales. It became a great melding of what two forces do best.
Old    surfdad            09-11-2010, 7:19 AM Reply   
Thanks David. I think that Inland's process is to use one color for the life span of a design, and only one color. Certainly makes inventorying easier and cheaper.

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