Fourth Surfboards Whats the Deal?

[wittering-grom]

I may be really out the loop on these boards but i see a certain surf forecasting site pushing them very hard. But at the same time have never heard of them before and there website gives no information on who actually shapes them, who has developed the shapes, where the hell there made (cobra?) or what there about. Is this just another case of someone thinking they can shape and our favorite surf forecasting site trying to make a cheap buck? Thoughts anyone?

[surfordie77]

[Johno]

here here Its geting soding silly - the price of a poop out surf tec £600 its all a big money making sceam - most internet boards are all CNC shaped hand finished in 3rd word cheap labour contries, (tiki, webber, Alhoa, surf tec, Circle 1, O shea etc etc)

But that is busines and the way all british industry has gone

[FourthSurfboards]

Life must be fun as such a cynic Thanks for the assumptions (and even providing justifications on our behalf) but 90% of the boards are hand shaped and finished here in the UK in the factory in Wadebridge -if you checked you'll see we offer a full custom order option on our website which is a clue that we're doing it the old fashioned way (although to be completely transparent we've imported a small amount of boards this spring when we've not been able to keep up with demand, and epoxy sandwich boards that just can't be made in the UK for a price anyone is prepared to pay). Anyone who actually asked would have got the same honest answer. The prices are competitive we hope, but not too low so there's not a fair margin for everyone - I'm not ashamed to say that both the shaper and shop make a profit on them, it'd be a weird kind of business if we didn't. It's nice that anyone would still think that there's any way to make a 'quick buck' in the UK surfboard industry, let alone anyone making 'mega bucks'. There's actually very very little money in boards, even the mass produced foreign ones, particularly now the pound has been hit so hard. Wittering-grom I'm right in thinking you work for one of the larger online surf shops? You should be pretty aware of how hard it is to make a 'cheap buck' on boards no matter where they're from...

As to the shapes they're tried, tested and tested again. Anyone talking to someone who has actually surfed them will get an idea of whether we've got it right or wrong. We like them, the customers we speak to certainly seem to like them and the reviews we've had back have all been really good, but we'll listen to any feedback good or bad.

We're here - we're on the phone, we're answering email - if you have a question or comment please ask, if you think we've got it right perhaps consider buying a board, if not then don't - but it'd be great if you could do us the courtesy of asking a question before answering it on our behalf

http://fourthsurfboards.com

Cheers.

[Johno]

Woops thats me told!

[surfordie77]

[SurfaMum]

Quote: 'We're here - we're on the phone, we're answering email - if you have a question or comment please ask' -
that's great Fourth Surfboards that you lead such a customer friendly approach!
Remind me again what your answer was to,' who actually shapes them and who has developed the shapes?'

[FourthSurfboards]

The boards are shaped in Wadebridge by Bill Atlee, a British shaper with many years experience creating custom boards in a range of technologies. The boards are largely made by hand because the factory doesn't have a machine, although also outsourced for local machine shape when possible. The shapes are designed like most others based on a general concept fine tuned from Bills extensive experience with feedback from a handful of decent riders until a production shape is arrived at.

Regarding the shapes you're absolutely right, they're not designed for pros or wannabe pros surfing in competition, but for anyone wanting a board that's a little more versatile (and fun) in average waves, although there are plenty of very very similar shapes in pro quivers right now. As to the idea that feedback from customers is useless unless they're pro's it's just nonsense, the feedback is absolutely at it's most valuable from the people actually choosing to ride them, this isn't to say we haven't had some decent feedback from competitive surfers during the design stage.

I answered the forum because a question was asked that only I could answer and you chose to make assumptions based on thin air, given facts you're still taking issue with a local company using a local shaper with a solid reputation to build a range of boards that local surfers are enjoying riding and that I assume you've never even seen? I can't see why I'd be 'running scared' of exactly the sort of company that I'm operating.

You're posting on here about supporting local business and supporting local shapers then prepared to go to town against exactly that based on absolutely no facts at all, obviously nothing I say, even plainly stating that your facts are wrong, is going to change your mind. Right now you're a lot more 'faceless' and 'nameless' than me - giving me a call if you actually want to chat about the boards, it'd be a bit fairer than an anonymous attack not backed by anything other than speculation.

Cheers.

[mungo]

surfordie77: A $400 Firewire straight from the factory? fleshin' it's almost worth flying over there, no wait, I should instead set up an import business. Make mega bucks. Why hasn't everyone done that?

Have you ever heard of import duty?

Thought not.

Incidentally a standard retail mark-up is 50+ percent, boards are much, much less.

That must mean all shopkeepers are 'millwonaires' - hey Rodney/surfordie77?

[surfordie77]

[FourthSurfboards]

Ok so it's not the fact that the boards are far east manufactured (they're not) or made by an unknown shaper (they're not) or untested by decent surfers (they're not) it's our poor quality website? The boards have 'made in cornwall' laminated in and every one is signed on the stringer by Bill so I figured you'd have seen this if you'd seen the boards. I've answered every question asked in full and am happy to open the doors to anyone who wants to check the facts, we never misrepresented the products here on on our website, we just didn't answer a question we hadn't yet been asked. Guilty until proven innocent I guess.

Glad that's settled anyway - I'll post some shots of the shaping room and some water shots and video shortly - everyone can make up their own mind then - sorry we spent a bit more time at this stage on getting the boards right rather than the website, we're working on improving it as we speak.

Cheers.

P.S. You'll notice no follow up from Witterings-Grom - he works for a large online surf shop that stocks a range of far east manufactured boards and I assume is just fishing for dirt rather than genuinely interested in the product.

[mungo]

Ok so re the mythical Firewire (if you can get them stocked, most retailers can't) you find it surprising? profiteering? that buying something direct from the factory in the country of manufacture is cheaper than buying it from a shop. The retailer has to make a profit or why bother?

The US levys sales tax as an added cost to the consumer after purchase whereas a UK retailer collects VAT in the price to the final customer which he then has to pay the government. At the end of the retail line you cannot claim VAT back on your final sale price, only the amount you have already paid to the importer/distributor. That's why it's a tax rather than an exchange of money for no apparent reason .

UK Shop sells for £550 = $780.

So then from that 'profit' you minus all the costs: duty, VAT, shipping, advertising, labour (sourcing, selling, accounting) then you pay tax on the remaining profit.

Millwonaires Rodney, millwonaires.

[surfordie77]

[mungo]

First sensible thing you've said. Well done. Takes a man to admit to being wrong.

Now can we kiss and make up?

[surfordie77]

[phippsy]

i've read all this...a friend has ridden on a fourth loved i an bought one......whats the issue.......ah yes the issue was that fourth are eastern pop-out....erm their not.......bad assumtion.......so have a dig at how their run......what the f*** do u surfordie77 know about running a surfboard company..........u fail on every level on this thread.....and u didnt even appologise to fourth just tried to coverup your idiot comments thru out ....and then tell them how to run their business again at the end...............you really are an arrogant man.......step off and check yourself....chhhiiiiiilllllllll
good luck 4th...my mate loves your board......keep going and dont listen to the fools

[surfordie77]

[phippsy]

no ive got a nigel seemmens and a michael cundith custom thankyou......i said my friend has one.......again you fail( your now on the borders of an epic fail) ......at least your consistent in your failings and rudeness......and while your at it...MS has its good points....maybe not selling boards but def has its good points. and 30 quid im guessing here for fourth ( see i admit when im guessing and dont try and sell it as fact ) its probably for admin costs as specs are changing instead of set out sizes and would then take a little bit of time to sort out , again in business time is money and 30 quid aint alot ....just a thought..... ahh yes back to the poo shop or so u call them ive have also bought things from boardshop cause its delivered next day NOT BOARDS just incase you make another mistake .........what im trying to say is these companys have their place in certain areas......so there u go, why not try and dig into one of your poo sandwich's...matters to me not...



.This is my last word on the subject as i might catch your "stupid"......

[broken_board]

i love fourth surfboards

[surfordie77]

Me too