Chinese KB Hydrofoil : 300 USD + shipment

[Flyfish]

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[tautologies]

Easy solution:
If the industry doesn't want they're shit to be copied, then don't have these guys build it in China then. Easy.

Not really.
People already moan about the prices now. If it is made in the US the price will be even higher. How do you sell it then? The price elasticity of demand is not at all inelastic even if the price today is admittedly fairly high.

[RadDrDuke]

Takuma-Clone Review:
Paid just under $600 w/shipping to east coast USA. Arrived in 6 days from paypal time.

Mounted on a 6'0" shortboard (couldn't catch waves) then mounted on a 7'2" pintail Robert August....AMAZING!
I'm a competent kite-foiler and good surfer.

First: this factory (Sublimation sports) obviously makes the Takuma because it's an EXACT replica w/out the labels. Comes w/nice carrying case, stainless hardware, shims, everything. Identical. Very high quality, no manufacturing flaws evident etc. Mast is sealed, just like the Takuma.

Weighs ~10lbs (just like the Takuma), pretty heavy, the whole thing is massive and heavy compared to a kite foil

Can order different size masts (I ordered 60cm, perfect for surfing). 4 hole standard mount.

I truly hope this is just open source design and not a chinese manufacturer ripping a patent off by doing side-deals, at least that will help me sleep at night after a day of awesome surf foiling.

[tautologies]

I truly hope this is just open source design and not a chinese manufacturer ripping a patent off by doing side-deals, at least that will help me sleep at night after a day of awesome surf foiling.

Its probably not a patent issue, more of a copy and paste issue. Again, these things would never be invented by the company you bought it from, nor will that company ever continue to evolve the product. They will however keep on stealing other peoples work for as long as someone are willing to buy it. I realize there is cross contamination between brands, but as long as they have people to test and develop products there is a chance what we use will continue to improve.

Obviously this problem is systemic, and manufacturers needs to figure out a way to make sure the copying does not happen, in the meantime I think they hope enough of us buy products by innovators. Especially important since this market is so small.

[longwhitecloud]

www.mantafoils.com/e-shop/PRE-ORDER-Man ... -p87568131

[gmb13]

Mmm i can’t SUP to save myself but Gunnar (gmb) can. Maybe drop him a line. I’m pretty sure a leash is not a great idea when learning to sup foil.

Can you get behind a boat and learn to foil on flat water before riding a wave ?

If you are learning behind a boat, you don't need a leash. But as soon as you go into waves, you need a leash, mainly for everyone else's safety.

..
Gunnar

[gmb13]

I truly hope this is just open source design and not a chinese manufacturer ripping a patent off by doing side-deals, at least that will help me sleep at night after a day of awesome surf foiling.

It is them ripping off Takuma. But according to Takuma, this has been stopped now.

--
Gunnar

[atomic-chomik]

Hey gmb13, what do you know of Takuma stopping the production of these knock offs? Seems like it would be pretty difficult.

[ukkiter]

The https://yeahsport.en.alibaba.com/search ... =hydrofoil Curved mast foil is an exact Carafino copy

[TomW]

It's such a shame. A company copies or side sells another's companies design and is stealing their intellectual property. Yes, you could claim the company need to protect it with patents, but it's still unethical.
It's bad for the originator and the company producing. It's a loose -loose equation. Shooting yourself in the foot in the long run.

Thanks Gunnar for the info. Hopefully Takuma can stop it.