Surfbent in the Windsurf Magazine

SURFBENT WBP

WINDSURF MAGAZINE MAY ISSUE 2022

Andreas Boos gives us the lowdown on his windsurfing invention – the Surfbent windsurf board protector (wbp).

My name is Andreas Boos and I am the inventor of the Surfbent windsurf board protector (wbp). I discovered my passion for windsurfing at the age of 8. Now, I am 42 years old, the fascination of this great sport has never left me. My inventive spirit has been a valuable asset in both my professional and personal life. Besides working on the development of Surfbent, I’m still employed full-time as an engineer in a mechanical engineering company.

Idea

The idea for the Surfbent windsurf board protector was born a few years ago on Lake Garda. I borrowed a carbon sandwich freeride board to teach a friend how to windsurf. I wanted to prevent damage to this board, so I glued parts of my sleeping mat to it. This was neither functional nor did it look good. Parts of the sleeping mat kept coming off and I had to remove the mats after every session to check for tears in the layers, but it did the trick. Since I had to repair my boards regularly when practicing freestyle moves, I thought, why not have a protector that can prevent damage, looks good on a board and doesn’t restrict handling. This was the beginning of my inspiration and started an addiction to find a solution.

Prototype

A friend, who is a dentist, built a mould for me out of dental plaster with which I made a simple prototype out of a rubber-like material. I quickly realized that the soft material was not suitable for a protector of this kind. It was not possible for the mast to slide off, and the height of the Surfbent had to be built up so high in the direction of the nose that it was not suitable. The shape and material had to be changed and various models were created using 3D printing. After a lot of testing, the shape was finally approved for field trials, and on Lake Como we tested my product with great success. Once demonstrated to my friends, there was instant demand for pre-orders. I didn’t expect such a response! With that, Surfbentwas born!

Design

The design of the Surfbent wbp gives good protection to your board from the mast and boom, especially when foil windsurfing, and it also helps make waterstarts a bit easier by keeping the rig a little clearer of the water. Surfbent is not only a quality product, but also represents passion and innovation in windsurfing. We now have a worldwide distribution network and our team is always 100% there for our customers. Our team riders are some of our most valuable assets; they provide all the important information and suggestions for improvement and are therefore indispensable! The Surfbent wbp is produced with the highest quality standards and is assembled by a workshop for the disabled, and we are very happy to be able to support this local institution.

Vision

Our vision at Surfbent is to bring to market innovative and convenient products for windsurfers. In 2021 we developed and launched a new Surfbent iQFOiL edition together with Starboard, to fit the new iQFOiL boards. And I’m currently working on a new, innovative product that will surely inspire a lot of windsurfers! Many thanks to my friends and colleagues for their help with Surfbent and I am most grateful for the support of my family who have aided me in the Surfbent project from the very beginning.

“THE SURFBENT WBP GIVES GOOD PROTECTION TO YOUR BOARD FROM THE MAST AND BOOM”