Innovation

General Discussion
1

One can’t really post innovative new build ideas on swaylocks anymore because they will simply be scooped up by individuals and businesses claiming it for their own or at worst factories operating offshore in Thailand, Indonesia and China.

The best thread going for a while for innovation would be Hans fin foil program. He’s made a program and built himself a cnc machine to design and cut fins. Awesome!!

I think it’s unfortunate the website has lost old constructive members possibly though boredom and the simple fact they are reluctant to share new ideas due to the nature of the industry.

This will probably be a sh!t fight but…discuss……

2

You are right. You show something you think new, but near all ever done, and 6 months later you have a compagny that claim an innovation or better that try to patented it . LOL

3

Surffoils continues to share innovation on this website in relation to many number of things and nobody is snatching up his creations. Also, in this day and age, it’s not always if you are the first to create something, it’s whoever does the best marketing.

4

In my experience with surfers and the industry, surfers in general are not very original…expect to be ripped off.(copied)

5

Either ripped off or attacked by “haters” and self-anointed adepts.
Accept. Reject. It does not affect me…

6

I think there were quite a few people here that were active just long enough to get their business going.
I’m grateful for all the knowledge still being shared. I especially appreciate the “thinking outside of the box” stuff. I think that is where the backyarder has an edge. We can make something that could work or could be a mistake.
I’m also lucky enough that I only make boards for myself, so sales are not an issue. I just passed on another request for a board for someone. I told the person that I only know how to make boards that I like. I like some a lot and others not as much. You might love my board, or you could hate it.
I don’t need anyone telling me they don’t like the boards I make, and I don’t want to be trying to satisfy someone else’s desires.
I’d rather let one of the long time masters do that.

7

in·no·vate: make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products

This is going on all the time. Most of us here do not expect to make money from our involvement in surfboard making, we do it because we enjoy doing it. And it shows in the number of innovative things that regulary appear here. Fin layouts, hydroplanes, compsand builds, builds using castoff materials rescued from the landfill.

The only innovations at risk of idea theft are those that might be suited to production methods and patent protection. It is unfortunate that there are unscrupulous people who would try to profit from others’ creativity and share nothing with them, even outright stealing of others’ ideas. That has been going on since long before the internet existed, and unfortunately internet does increase the vulnerability to this kinda thing.

So its prudent to keep the cards close to your chest if you have this kind of knowledge, but thankfully, that hasn’t hindered a wide variety of innovative posts from showing up here on a regular basis.

Yes its unfortunate that the website has lost old constructive members possibly through boredom and a reluctance to share new ideas. Its unfortunate that nuclear waste is being dumped in the ocean, along with enough plastic to choke the ecosystem, its unfortunate that greedy people and corporations put profits ahead of quality of life for the planet and future inhabitants, its unfortunate that there is so much polarization and hatred in the world, etc etc etc.

What is fortunate tho, IMO, is that we still have a cool forum here, that’s free, and full of helpful insights on surfboard building, and lots of creative people who contribute and ask nothing back, except maybe a little respect and appreciation, which they deserve.

Its also, IMO, pretty cool that even the most un-original, or non-innovative surfboard out there can still be a heck of a lot of fun to paddle out and go surfing on. Cuz surfing is just fun. Dolphins surf the same way they’ve been doing since dolphins existed, and they’re still having fun, without a second thought to innovation.