In the kitesurfing scene a well-known one that has made many people enthusiastic about kite surfing. In addition to Fluid Kiteboarding, he also organizes kite surfing holidays. We know him as knowledgeable and original. His entrepreneurship stems largely from stubbornness. He himself calls this a form of wisdom. What good is it for you as a Fluid Kiteboarding customer? Affordable, simply good and a high level of service. So that. Find out more about Fluid Kiteboarding in this interview with owner Gilion Goveia.
How did you come up with starting your own kitesurfing brand?
“In 2007 I started my own board brand 3E kiteboarding with the aim of making kite surfing more affordable. In 2008 I wanted to expand this with kites. Investing in my own kite brand was too high for me. In addition, I did not yet have enough knowledge to build kites. That is how I came into contact with Fluid Kiteboarding. Also a starting brand. It had just started to produce the first bow kites. I designed their boards and she made kites. That's how we started a collaboration. ”
Fluid Kiteboarding has become a Dutch brand since 2013 with you at the helm. How did this turn out?
“In 2012 it suddenly went downhill with Fluid Kiteboarding. The Chinese factory and Australian owner got into a fight. The Australian decided to stop. That was an opportunity for me and I then bought the brand Fluid Kiteboarding. ”
What was your first promotion when you bought Fluid Kiteboarding?
“People complained about the quality of the time. The first thing I did was switch to one of the largest factories in the world to make a quality improvement. ”
'The factory I started with to make kiteboards now has the big well-known brands as a customer.'
What was your drive to take over a kitesurfing brand?
“I always thought flying was magical. I was not going to become a pilot, as I had chosen early on to start my own company. I adapted my entire school / courses accordingly. From secondary school I immediately started an accelerated education at the hotel school in Amsterdam. Start a business as soon as possible! In my last year at the hotel school I started with 3E kiteboarding. ”
“So I was already working within the company Fluid Kiteboarding as a board designer and also had my own brand. When I got the chance to expand, I of course immediately grabbed it. As a young boy - I was 19 at the time - setting up a company in a fast-growing market. I saw an opportunity and took it. ”
Where does your entrepreneurial drive come from?
“I don't know where that entrepreneurial drive comes from. Although you can attribute a great deal to my stubbornness. But hey; stubbornness is also a form of wisdom. Kitesurfing was still so expensive back then. I thought things had to be done differently: more affordable, a high service level and just good. ”
'More affordable, a high level of service and just good.'
You now have a lot of experience in the world of kite surfing. What do kite surfers notice when they purchase Fluid Kiteboarding equipment?
“Since I do everything myself, from product development to graphics, and can kite reasonably myself, I think I have an idea of what kiters are looking for. At the moment big air / oldschool is back in full force. That is exactly the discipline that I have always focused on as a rider. ”
“Trust in your material is essential to get the best out of yourself and your sessions! That is why we only use the best materials. For example, we have stronger lines on our bars as standard. In addition, you naturally do not want to pay too much and good things that you can use for years to come. With every kite you get an extensive set of spare parts. These are spare parts that we know will be lost or broken in the long term due to wear and tear. Think, for example, of one-pump tubes or bridles over which sliders move. You may never need them, but nothing is more annoying than having to cancel a session because a small cheap part breaks down. ”
'Trust in your material is essential to get the best out of yourself and your sessions! That is why we only use the best materials. '
Fluid Kiteboarding goes for the highest quality and an affordable price. What does that show?
“If you look at the materials used for our boards, we may well be the market leader. The quality is so incredibly high because our producer cooperates with one of the largest snowboard / ski factories in the world. You get a huge amount of expertise from 3 sides. From me as a brand, from the products in the field of kiteboards building and then you have the factory with their expertise in snowboards and skis. What makes a huge difference is that I can do everything myself and am the only one on the Fluid Kiteboarding payroll. This allows Fluid Kiteboarding to keep costs low. ”
How is your relationship with the factory if you cover such a distance?
“I get along very well with the guy who builds our boards and weird fantasies are performed often enough. For example, you will find colored silver or even real gold in a large part of our boards! Also (custom) prints with 1200DPI. That is 4 times more detail in the prints than other printed boards. As far as kites are concerned, we are currently building with double ripstop at a factory that also produces for other well-known brands. ”
You are also a very active kite surfer who also regularly books kite surfing holidays ...
“The Netherlands kitetravel company is also mine. Here we offer kite surfing trips for kite surfers all over the world with the same philosophy as Fluid kiteboarding. So competitive prices and a high service level. ”
Ah nice. Your hotel school training also comes in handy… What are the best kite surfing holidays and why?
"Sure. Actually all trips are unique because you always have different people with a different kiteboard level in the group. My most beautiful destinations are Cape Town and Drepano (Greece). They stand out. In Cape Town you have everything in a great mix; culture, nature, sports and water sports. Really the active lifestyle that I love. Drepano is not necessarily the best spot in terms of facilities, because there is nothing else and the spot is small. But if you come to kite and train, this is really the ultimate place. The wind is so very stable and the wind security is high. This is really the place to be for tricks. ”
'Drepano is really the place to be for tricks'
What does Fluid Kiteboarding offer kite surfers?
“The Fluid Kiteboarding line-up currently consists of 3 kites, but this will soon be less. For example, the EGO is removed from the line up and a new kite arrives! I am fully testing this and I expect to have the production model ready by the beginning of 2021. ”
Would you like to briefly explain Fluid Kiteboarding kitesurfing equipment?
Boards Fluid Kiteboarding
X
“The X is our freeride board aimed at a smooth ride, super smooth for your knees and great cruising. It is also a playful board with which you can jump quite high at the same time. ”
minimalist 3
“A 'light wind' board measuring 144 × 48 cm. It is a super playful board which is a lot shorter than most light wind boards. This makes it feel much more like you are really sailing on a twin tip. Even unhooked tricks in very light wind work with this! Also ideal for the real first meters for kite schools etc. ”
twoseven
“This is my signature board. After 13 years of development I can say that there is no board like the Twoseven. Control, control and more control, that's what the Twoseven stands for. Full control over your board in all conditions with unparalleled pop, yet playful and flexible enough for soft landings. Basalt fibers which are just as strong as carbon but not as stiff. It is not surprising that more and more riders choose this board to improve their WOO / SURFR scores. This is our absolute bestseller! ”
Black7
“The Black 7 is similar to the Twoseven but has a unique feature and that is Gold! There is real gold in this board. This board is only made on request. ”
Lush
“The Lush is for those who are looking for more channels and rocker in their board. Ideal for unhooking. Yet this board is much more challenging and playful than you would expect from a 'standard' wakestyle board. ”
Kites Fluid Kiteboarding
ATV
“This all-rounder is suitable for the first meters but also for high boosts and wave rides. This kite is currently sold out because a new kite will be released in 2021. ”
SKY
“When the WOO wasn't even out, I already had the idea of flying even higher. You already went high with the ATV, but with the SKY you go much higher! Jumps of 10m high must be achievable for everyone. With the SKY that is possible! Super upwind, easy jumping and easy restart. A big air / high performance kite that is even suitable for the novice kiter. ”
'I can't say much about it… But it is certain that it will be an interesting model that really adds something to the market!'
AIR
“The new model of Fluid kiteboarding for 2021 that I am now testing. I can't say much about it… But it is certain that it will be an interesting model that really adds something to the market! ”
What can we expect from Fluid Kiteboarding in the coming period?
“I am already proud of the products we have. We are now taking a number of major steps for the new season. The focus of Fluid Kiteboarding has always been on making kite surfing affordable. We certainly succeeded! Now is the time to grow the brand. The focus will mainly be on larger marketing campaigns, improving the user-friendliness of the products and improving the service level. We expect even more people to be interested in kiting with Fluid Kiteboarding equipment. ”
What is your ambition with Fluid Kiteboarding?
“Fluid Kiteboarding really doesn't have to be the biggest brand on the market for me. At the same time, I think there is much more to be gained. ”
Finally, do you have any tips for kite surfers looking for kitesurfing gear?
“If you want to buy new gear, it is best to research what you want. Especially the character of your material ensures that you can progress faster and your sessions get even better. If you want to go big air kite surfing, a wakestyle or a wave-oriented kite or board is of little use to you. ”
“I would say, make a list of properties that you find important and then you can make a shortlist of material that matches that. Opinions online always vary enormously and everyone thinks their material is the best. But it is extremely important that you take a critical look at whether material suits what you are looking for. Test the material and then make sure that the material is properly adjusted. The latter can be a make or break for what you buy. ”
Gilion, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview. Definitely worth it for us because we explore the Dutch kite surfing brands. Fluid Kiteboarding certainly belongs in that list. We will follow you closely and look forward to the new version of the ATV and completely new Air. Good luck and kite fun!
