Help, my buddy wan't to buy a Channel Islands quiver!!!

General Discussion
21

“Channel Islands are the mark by which all boards are measured.”

actually, that’s not a fact, it’s an opinion…and one probably not shared by the red hot surfers riding boards from Pat Rawson, Eric Arakawa, Dick Brewer, Maurice Cole, Rodney Dahlberg, Simon Anderson, and a couple of dozen other world class shapers at some of the most challenging breaks around the globe.

Whereas Al is an excellent shaper, what comes out of CI since Burton bought the company aren’t Al Merricks.

They are Al’s designs machine milled and then finished by Burton/CI trained production workers, since the former crew of in house shapers moved on after Burton slashed their per board finishing rate. 

I recently looked over a custom CI step-up a friend just received.  Really liked the shape, rocker and foil.  The finish, however was comparatively poor, with the discernible feel of a board merely finished vs. fine finished, the typical high volume, high speed mass production outcome.

The good news is Burton has put CI up for sale.  So who knows, maybe Kelly will finally get off the endless competition merry-go-round he seems stuck on, buy CI in partnership with Al, team up on design innovation, ramp up quality by bringing back a fine crew of in house shapers and finishers, and actually make CI - the mark by which all boards are measured.

 

 

22

So, I’ve never ridden a CI.  The guy just wanted some input, and people are cock banging like an extended aussie bender.  Kelly is a freak, and shredded on lots of local shaper boards around here before CI.  So the guy is a good shaper.  Many people like Levi jeans, etc.  Let him buy what he wants. Give him your opinions, and let him go with it.

23

Good points lcc, still I was talking to Pat Rawson not that long ago, and he said he thought that CI was No.1.  Nice to have friends who have a good understanding of the industry.  He thinks Matt’s making a run though, and I have to grudgingly admit, Matt’s  put together a great team; I just wish guys like Jeff Widener, Brian Bulkley, and even Timmy Patterson, who Pat thinks is one of the best craftsman in the world, would get some credit.  

24

Pat is spot on about …Lost, fine quality for a large production outfit… Matt is pretty much this generations Al Merrick pre-Burton…cutting edge designs being built with quality in quantity.

Which is my beef with Burton (I used to ride some CI’s  back in the day, including some out of Willy Morris’ quiver when he turned a batch in for the next).  Already worth well north of a 100M when he bought CI, Burton took a first class operation and squeezed the operating margins to make…more money…all bucks, no soul…

For many, riding a ‘name’ brand sponsored pro model assures them they are on a cutting edge design, so ordering that CI, …Lost, JS, etc. makes a lot of sense.

For others, it makes more sense to give the business to someone who personally takes the order, custom crafts a ‘one of a kind’, and then hands it over with a proud smile when it’s finished… :slight_smile:

 

 

25

Icc, you hit the nail on the head on the last 2 paragraphs, thanks!

26

[quote=“$1”]

For many, riding a ‘name’ brand sponsored pro model assures them they are on a cutting edge design, so ordering that CI, …Lost, JS, etc. makes a lot of sense…

Buying tiger woods brand of golf club won’t improve your swing, no matter who made it, or what you paid.

27

Yeah, can’t agree with you any more, but will hanging with Tiger make you a swinger?

28

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29

I think its a business strategy marsh. "exclusive", limited" etc, keep it "special" and you can charge more. My guess, i don't really know. G rat might know, next time he's having fresh fish tacos on the boat with AI he can ask  :)

30

I heard from a few good sources in the industry that Burton’s been trying to find a buyer for CI and get out of surfboard market.

31

Thats been going on for a while, its been shopped around. problem is there are not very many companies with the finances to pull off that deal. One of the biggest it was shopped to was VF {Vans, Reef, Northface etc…) but they are not really interested in going into hardgoods. Another that turned it down was Gen-X sports {Huffy, Limited Snowboards, K2 etc…} They dont wanna cross into surf… The value they want for what CI is worth is a hard sell.

32

Do you think Kelly demands a cut for the boards that he designed and endorses?  How come the semi pro, semi pro 12 and wizard sleeve cost $100-$150 more than other C.I boards?  Or they just charge more cause they can?

33

Ok so he already ordered the god darned boards, both stock models: a 5’11" Black Flag Whip and a 6’6" K step up (at least he went 6’6" instead of 6’0" for the step up). The thing that will piss many of the people here off is the price he gets them from: ordered directly from his friend, the distributor dude, at distributor price for $450 a piece! Imagine what they are paying their ghost shapers, glassers and sanders!

34

Bottom line…

It’s his money

He’s riding it

He should get whatever the hell he wants.

Done

35

I agree with you Bruce, Done… (Gee, I wonder why the hell did I spell “wants” with apostrophe t???) Next topic…

36

My father liked chrysler corperation cars

he drove the '48 plymouth.

fords were the worst and chevys were no place.

he bought a couple lemon doges in the 60’s.

but he was loyal.I started driving chevys when it was my turn.

had some bitchin cars and vans.

worst cars were vw square back and a mitsubishi truck.

when You get your style and tastes adapted to a 

car/board best to stick to it cause that’s you ,or as

close as a consumer of surfboards can get.

when you sign on a custom shaper there is

an adjustment period that can be costly

working out the kinks in the communication line.

 

making your own is like smelling your own

at least you know where it came from and

anything you don’t like you can change without

any discussion…

every body gets a turn to be the stupid guy.

wether it’s your choice of car ,dog, women,surfboard,fins,

milk shake sandwich,hot beverage,best to just watch a friend

do stupid shit and then rag on him after by the fire.

 

The beat milkshake in the world in a double chocolate malted

until you get gallstones.

the best chick is…until they turn sixty somthing and start going nuts.

the best dog is … until they get hit chasing cars on the el camino real.

 

I try to encourage people to get the board they want for what ever reason

hoping they will surf it more and have a great time.

when some body wants something stupid they are just going through a phase,

you cant fix  'em let em go .

Oh yeah I rode Yaters,until I didn’t.

then I bought a couple after about 4 years

of riding my own shapes.I never bought another or any other

or rode any other than my own since. 

being Nuts about brand loyalty 

or DIY tunnel vision is a luxury.

when the apocolypse comes 

we will all have to ride

government made boards

with political symbols on em.

and bottom turns will be Illegal.

…ambrose…

what’s there to eat…

 

37

Great post ambrose.