Formula1 Racing Cars and Surfboards
What? You might ask yourself, is the similarity of the two?
They are both either ridden or driven by top performing sportspeople.
In the case of a Formula1 Vehicle, it is designed and manufactured taking into account all of the known and proven performance characteristics as well as a few innovations to try them out. For this their test ‘drivers’ are used; they in turn report back on the performance of the vehicle in a range of conditions and adjustments may be made.
These vehicles will not be driven by the general public; but certain features will be incorporated into the production of general motor vehicles.
Surfboards
In the Case of a Surfboard it is exactly the same. The Designer/Shaper creates the ‘Model’ and uses his ‘Test Riders’ to report back on the performance characteristics in various conditions. The Designer/Shaper makes adjustments.
Most Formula1 Drivers, know nothing about how to actually Design and Manufacture a Vehicle.
Most Surfers are exactly the same, unless they have been Designing and making them as well as Surfing.
There are exceptions to this; Mark Richards and Wayne Lynch are 2 very well known Australian examples both have been doing this for a very long time. And of course we have the Famous Hawaiian’s. You get my point….
So now where am I going with this?
In all of my years associated with a Prominent Surfer on the World Circuit in the 70-80’s, one of the greatest Surfboard Riders of all time, never did he in any way tell me how to improve his Boards, or anyone else’s for that matter.
I have shaped Surfboards for most of my life and Designed them as well for the majority of that time.
My credentials and my McCoy name as a Surfboard Designer/Shaper are impeccable, I am still Designing and Shaping Boards, Boards for ALL to Surf and enjoy themselves on not just the chosen few who are Professional Contestants.
Around 30 years ago I stopped asking this prominent Surfer for general feedback on Boards as I had met Alasdair McDiarmid (non professional by choice) who was not only a great Surfer but was able to clearly express what was happening with the Boards which I gave him to test in a variety of conditions, something that the Prominent Surfer was unable to clearly articulate.
Obviously for me the choice was simple I had found another Great surfer with whom I could work, which I hadn’t really had since Bruce Turner who was also the test Pilot for the first Lazor Zap back in the Avoca Beach days.
It was really great for me to have Al working with me, someone to collaborate with once again; a person who was capable of giving me the accurate feedback that I needed to achieve what I wanted.
(The Original Checked design was created for the Lazor Zap by Snow(Richard )Molard who was my Spray Designer at that time. In fact I took him to the USA to teach them how to do them.)
This is where it’s at:
Why is My Former Friend copying My Designs?
Recently it has come to my attention that my Designs are now being COPIED (never replicated) in Australia, by someone with whom I associated and supported for a very long time.
This saddens me and it was for this reason, several years ago, when I discovered that this may have been happening overseas in various countries that I ended the association.
I was so angered by this that I could not speak, but for me worst of all, was the TOTAL BETRAYAL.
These Boards that I had shaped for my friend had been taken by him, or on his instruction with his knowledge and given to others to try to copy.
So for anyone asking why my association with this well known Surfer on the International Contest Circuit in the 70-80’s has ended it is this.
He has now teamed up with a former employee and they are attempting to COPY MY DESIGNS this is my answer.
TOTAL BETRAYAL.
Is it not clear that had he not done this to me, he would not need to be running around trying unsuccessfully to find others who can make MY Designs for him?
If you were me what would you do about this?
Send us your comments at mccoysurfboards.australia@
