Gull Wing BLEF fin

This is not a bad idea. Although I do feel Roy could send SI one free to try. He could send it to Micah or someone he trusts then they could pass it around. He should at least give an SI discount like Charles was.

 

This is completely silly. Why would we pay to help him market a product? When you are new to a market, you spend a little to get your own product out there. Every single successful business uses a similar model. When you have a good product, others try your product and give positive reviews. It is a cheap way to advertise. I am not sure how I am trolling by giving sound advice, coming from 9 years of experience working for large automotive companies. Roy and I generally don't get along, and I don't agree with his pricing structure for the surfboards or his conspiracy theories, but his fin products do look intriguing. If they work, I think that he should succeed. The only way we will know if they work, is by testing them out.

 

Roy, sisurfdogg has an excellent point and if your ego is so inflated that you think you "don't need to give the market some samples" then you're missing out on a ton of future biz. All people love free things and sample items. It would go a long way towards changing the doubters and SI is only a fraction of the public that must see your kookfins and think there's no way in hell they're spending that money on an overpriced potato peeler.

 

Roy give up one fin for testing man, come on, show and prove!

 

Statement wasn't aimed at you Brew...however, its not really a silly concept. I'm actually interested in trying out the fin--or the one he just posted. For me...it's design is way outside what I would normally purchase and to be honest...I usually don't ride singles regularly. However, I'm interested in teh design as a concept...don't care if it's Roy, Rcarter, greenlight...whomever designing he fin...I'm just looking to validate a concept. With the amount of hate directed personally at Roy (by others) I think the concepts behind the fin design are lost. Just looking to validate the concept...scientific method and all ;-) So regardless if its Roy or not...if I have to drop a bit of money down to find out if it works...no problem...because I doubt Roy is interested in sending a freebie. As well, I get the demo'ing concept...but not every small business is going to take the route you're espousing..right or wrong...So...if I can't get a freebie...a few bones isn't really any big deal to me--hence the reason I'll float $11...not $100.

(also...btw...if any of those automotive dealerships are looking for me to demo their vehicles off-road please lmk).

 

I can test drive any car I want before I buy. However, car manufacturers do give vehicles away to top media outlets for review. Even if the car is just a loaner, they get reviewed and contribute to the manufacturers advertising. Since you don't believe in the mainstream surfing world, I am giving you another option. I don't even care if I personally get to try it. It would be nice to hear from random people on the forum, not anonymous people I don't know from another country, whether the fins work. You may be a good shaper, but you still have so much to learn in the world of marketing.

 

And your actions could end up resulting in more paying customers. Hell, if one of the Hilton Head or CHS crew say it is an awesome fin, that is enough to convince me. I am not trying to land a free fin. I would even suggest that the fin be mailed back to you, or sold to someone in the states at a discount, once it has been tested out by a few people.

 

Well it is easy to call people out on this forum, if the fin disappears into the abyss. There are two ways you can go about it. The mainstream way is to send it to pro surfers and magazines, hoping that they actually review it. The grassroots way is to send it to a few people to be passed around amongst the forum. I don't care if you take my advice. I do know you would get a lot more respect in this country if more people had actually tried your product.

 

I know how it works, that is why I am advocating the grassroots method. You don't have to know my name. It is more important that potential customers around this part of the country know my name, and what I think of the fin. I know many people in local shops, much like other guys on this forum.

 

I said we, not I. If many people like it after trying it, we will have confidence in the product. I know you think the few reviews on your site is enough, but it doesn't come close to the praise many well known shapers get in this part of the country. Ricky Carroll, Will Allison, Gary Wilson, these are all SE shapers that have become legends by getting their products out amongst the amateurs for testing. They didn't need big advertising or magazine covers, because the word of mouth and independent reviews did all the marketing.