Pritchard Windsurfing

Dude, are we poleboarding now as per the dangleboarders?

It's a new "poll"

Kev 
The thing with buying kit from an online store is you dont get to see it untill it arrives, everytime i buy new kit i like to walk around the shops looking at the kit before i buy it, how you keep a website running is by selling cheaper stuff to compensate, example; stickers and pritchard tshirts, easy and cheap to make and people will buy them from your website delivery cost is nothing or very little, if you and matt offer to sign the tshirts to you will sell loads.. 
europeguy

I for one have no problem buying from an online store. But I generally find a way to try what I'm buying through rental or borrowing before I get it. I find local shops in my area are far more expensive than online (especially given shipping is usually free) and also they don't have many sizes of each model of board/sail in store or dont carry some models at all. If I know they're going to have to order in what I want, why wouldnt i just order it in myself by shopping online and save myself the wait.

Hi Kevin,  
just a thought, can you include more masts and booms for sale on your site? Maybe some of these intermediate price items may sell easier online compared to a board or sail.  
-Ben

poll

Buying online is the way to go for gear, unless your good friends with a sponsored sailor. I shred through stuff yearly so I usually wait till dec/jan to hunt for last years bargains (especially for the high ticket board). Sails on the other hand are best when brand new and keeping them fresh in the stable is the call. I'd love to see blow out 08 boards listed if possible...

hmmmmmm it is cool for people to get stuff direct from you, but not sure why a dealer would want to bother investing any money in stock when the source is the competition........you are selling your last years sails for less than I can get them for..........kinda hurts

I support the local shop somewhat, mostly smaller items, like booms., read alloy. Larger items like boards, sails, mast from the established shops, mostly in Hood River. Some items I will buy just on price or shipping , even from Kiteboard shops. So most internet/catalog. Can't resist a bargin on Ebay especially when US3 sells fins !!

hey kev... I haven\\\'t bought a new board in over 10 years hell my logoz is still great it lives in baja my z board is still intact in maui over 5 years on that 1 guess i can\\\'t buy much the stuff is just too $$ used is the way I go...with the popularity of our sport the gear is getting quite cheap... too bad about windsurfing ... be nice if we had a dream tour like surfing...or that kinda popularity

Online stores ie: example \\\"windsurfingdirect\\\&qu ot; (WD) carry large volumes, get X% off wholesale as an incentive from the wholesaler and sell for less AND still make a good profit.  
Me I make 20-50 bucks on sail, 200 max on a whole kit!  
My issue, W.D. does nothing locally no demo day, promotion at a local trade/boat show. People are leary buying kit from some guy ( me )on the beach. So then how does john Q public get exposed to windsurfing?what has THIS done to the grassroots over the last 15 years?  
It is just the way it is, and its global. I dont make a living doing it.( good thing ) But nobody sells gear locally so i figured i would.  
Pritchard online shop is literally a pro shop. A different angle then many shops. 
I see naish maui has a new shop lastyear , didnt sit well with H.I.W., Only so much business to go around , even in maui  
. On the mainland:

I tried posting here last week and it didn't come up? 
Anyway, I don't know why anyone (see above poster) could care less what HIW says about competition (Aki, Dennis and Laurie are all cool though). It's a free island. No windsurf store on Maui is doing well lately but Hi Tech, Kanaha Kai, Naish and Second Wind do more for windsurfers and the local scene than the above store so offended. 
I wish there were still swap meets on the lawn after The Aloha Classic and The Oneill where the pros gave away their often unused smaller sails, booms and masts... for a song.