Scandinavian Outdoor Group » Point 65 http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com It's more fun to do Business with Scandinavians. Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:14:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Tequila! 41′ (12,5M), Worlds longest kayak? http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/08/or-tequila-41-125m-worlds-longest-kayak.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/08/or-tequila-41-125m-worlds-longest-kayak.html#comments Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:14:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-390279045509116666
At the recent US trade show, Outdoor Retailer we put together 8 midsections and created a 41 foot, 12,5 meter Tequila! kayak for 9 paddlers. Is this a world record?

It was lot's of fun and created an incredible amount of attention. Perfect for demo days and company team building activities!
Half way through the paddle I dismounted the kayak in the middle so the 5 front paddlers took of...
leaving me and my 3 co-paddlers behind struggling without a bow!
Jeff Rivest, Camilla and me at the OR demo day
John Turner paddling the aft section.
A Tequila! tripple seater
Assembling a 3 seater



All photos by Helga Imahasly, Playak














]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/08/or-tequila-41-125m-worlds-longest-kayak.html/feed 0 Jeff Rivest (founder of Riot & Azul Kayaks) joins Point 65 Kayaks Sweden. http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/jeff-rivest-founder-of-riot-azul-kayaks.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/jeff-rivest-founder-of-riot-azul-kayaks.html#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:07:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-3894565032145315704
The collaboration takes effect immediately and Jeff will be instrumental to Point 65’s presence at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. Point 65 has established offices and warehousing in Montreal, Quebec.
Jeff and I have been friends for years and our companies have been close. I’ve been trying to woo Jeff into working with us for a long time. I’m ecstatic that he has decided to join Point 65 in its expansion. This says a lot about the opportunity Point 65 has created for its customers around the world.
Jeff brings key insights into the nuts and bolts of the North American paddle sport market as well as valuable knowledge within product development and manufacturing.

Jeff Rivest, founder of Riot and Azul Kayaks:
“Point 65 is just too good an opportunity to miss, and despite my obvious mixed feelings about leaving the company I founded, they are well compensated with the possibilities from Point 65 Sweden’s incredible level of innovation and exceptional brand focus. Point 65’s sales have a huge potential in North America and can expand very quickly, so I am delighted to be in on that ride. The fact that Richard and I already share a great working rapport was also important to my decision.”
]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/jeff-rivest-founder-of-riot-azul-kayaks.html/feed 0 Article in Paddle World Magazine http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/article-in-paddle-world-magazine.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/article-in-paddle-world-magazine.html#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:34:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-1466172227214334199 Paddle World Magazine features a 5 page spread on paddling in Stockholm "Stockholm, Urban Paddling in the Venice of the North" written by yours truly.
I love paddling in Stockholm and I'm really happy to get this opportunity to share this with the paddling world. The great photos are taken by Shinju Horikawa at Scoop Out, Japan. Check it out! You can order the magazine here.
]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/article-in-paddle-world-magazine.html/feed 0 Swedish cabinet member paddles! http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/swedish-cabinet-member-paddles.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/swedish-cabinet-member-paddles.html#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:53:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-9000483854621982010 Gunilla Carlsson is a Swedish Moderate Party politician, since 2006 Minister for Development Cooperation

and a member of the parlament and deputy chairman of her party.

]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/07/swedish-cabinet-member-paddles.html/feed 0 Fun with Foster http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/05/fun-with-foster.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/05/fun-with-foster.html#comments Sun, 16 May 2010 08:16:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-3060457715529942657
Point 65 team members after completing the annual Nigel Foster paddle clinic. From left in kayaks: Sofia, Mats, Emil, Carolin, Edina, Carro, Nigel, Lina. On dock: Doris, me, Linn, Tobbe, Staffan, Carl, Mats, Erik.

Mats Ståhlberg runns one of Swedenes largest kayak centres and the only one in the city of Gävle.
Surf ski? Emil Kellander taking the Tequila! on a spin. Here in a tripple configuration. Emil runs a massive kayak centre in Norrköping.
Happy campers in Gävle! Christer just took part in one of Nigels clinics "Fun with Foster". A full day on the water where you not only learn things you thought impossible but also have lots of fun doing it.
Emil is a busy man!

Point 65 team memebers go through an annual multi day clicic with Nigel focusing on helping others and general safety issues.
Here Nigel demonstration different resques with Emil. The water in Sweden is ice cold in May.
Mats and Doris from Gävle. Lessons learned.. Never turn your back on Nigel:-)

Enjoying an evening paddle with one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen (this and the next photo by Nigel)

]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/05/fun-with-foster.html/feed 0 Point 65 Tequila! finalist at ISPO Brand New Awards! http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com/press-news/member/point-65-tequila-nalist-at-ispo-brand-new-awards-3315.htm http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com/press-news/member/point-65-tequila-nalist-at-ispo-brand-new-awards-3315.htm#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:29:54 +0000 Mandel http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com/?p=3315 http://www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com/press-news/member/point-65-tequila-nalist-at-ispo-brand-new-awards-3315.htm/feed 0 The Point 65 XP21 -mother of all Surf Ski’s http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/03/point-65-xp21-mother-of-all-surf-skis.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/03/point-65-xp21-mother-of-all-surf-skis.html#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:03:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-461062114999291989 Magnus de Brito took the prototype of our new monster Surf Ski for a first spin.
Magnus de Brito, testing the Point 65 XP21 prototype at Pampas Marina, Solna, Sweden 59°N, 14:20 hours, March 1, 2010

Magnus, our design maverick, has been working very hard on this dream project. While working with Porsche on the Boxter 987, the Carrera 997, the Carrera GT and other similar projects, the 21 foot surf ski has never been far from his mind. A 21 foot Mother of all Surf Ski's.
"It glides through the water without a sound..."

Magnus is never humble about his designs and he is pretty confident that this surfing machine will not only out surf and out glide the rest of the pack, but also keep the paddler in the saddle, no matter how rough and fast it gets.
The bow makes me think of the Red October...

But this thing not only rides like a bullet, it looks absolutely spectacular. Words cannot make this creation justice. It looks like any surf skiers wet dream, times 10... Walk this ski down to the Molokai and there will be a stampede.
By using advanced hydro dynamic computer engineering, Magnus has achieved a craft that is as fast as anything out there while significantly more stable. While this might only be a small advantage for the likes of Hank McGregor, Dawid Mocke, Murray Stewart and Oscar Chalupsky it sure as hell makes a heck of a difference for all those strong, converted flat water racers sniffing the back of their necks. Not to speak of yours truly who might actually be able to participate in a race without half drowning before reaching the finishing line!
It was a cold day!

Extensive testing will now be carried out by Magnus himself, an avid surf skier, as well as one of Swedens strongest surf ski paddlers, Paul Rosenqvist.
Paul, still a rookie, came in 19th at the Mauritius Ocean Classic 09, just a couple of minutes behind some of the worlds most experienced surf ski paddlers. Would the XP21 give him that edge?

Ones the boys are happy, the production mold will take it's shape and production commence. When? Keep your eyes on my blog and the very day I have a release date I will publish it here.

Until then, Happy Paddling!

Richard

(All photos except the one with Paul by Peter Ekström)
]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/03/point-65-xp21-mother-of-all-surf-skis.html/feed 0 Point 65 & S.O.G. http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/02/point-65-sog.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/02/point-65-sog.html#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-2048446198984136227 Point 65 Kayaks Sweden is happy to announce that it has been selected as the newest member of The Scandinavian Outdoor Group (S.O.G)

Point 65 is the only paddle sport company in the group and shares membership with such legendary brands as Haglöfs, Bergmans, Ecco, Primus and many many more.

The parties at the S.O.G trade show stand, Scandinavian Village, where members co exhibit, are legendary and it will be fun to function as host rather than guest from now on!!!

Scandinavian Outdoor Group (S.O.G.) was founded in 2000 as an industry initiative to serve outdoor retailers and media in export markets. It unites well-respected outdoor gear manufacturers from all five Nordic countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland.

The cooperation is based on sales and media oriented projects serving outdoor gear retailers and journalists on markets outside the Nordic region. It's mission is based on the simple observation that if equipment works well up here in the north it must also be perfect for outdoor enthusiasts in the rest of the world.

S.O.G. operates projects such as the

- Scandinavian Village™ the dynamic one-stop-shop for smart buyers and journalist that has become one of the busiest and best visited areas of the international trade shows where it participate.

- Outdoor Academy of Scandinavia
R&D facility for the best staff training program in the outdoor industry. OAS offers a two level program, EXPLORE and EXPERIENCE.

- Scandinavian Outdoor Award.
The competition for the Scandinavian Outdoor Industry hosted by S.O.G. since 2006. Up to 20 products from Scandinavian Outdoor Group member brands get nominated every season to compete for the Scandinavian Outdoor Award.

Point 65 is proud to be a member of S.O.G and will be an actively participating member.
]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2010/02/point-65-sog.html/feed 0 Point 65 introduces The Tequila! and changes the world of paddlesports http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2009/10/point-65-introduces-tequila-and-changes.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2009/10/point-65-introduces-tequila-and-changes.html#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:02:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-511183248494853297 I had this idea for a kayak that anybody can own.
The main challenges facing a kayak buyer are mobility and storage. So these were the issues to resolve.
Watch this clip of the Tequila! paddled in the Solo and Tandem configuration.

The design specs for the Tequila! were:
- Have equal or better performance than a standard kayak (unlike inflatables & folding kayaks).
- Produced in rotomolded polyethelen.
- It should fit in a station wagon.
Another clip.
- It should fit in a small elevator.
- It should fit in a small apartment.
- Be light weight enough for a child to carry (e.g. weigh a maximum of 14 kg / 30lbs).
- Take less than 10 seconds to assemble (unlike inflatables and folding kayaks).
- Be modular so it can be used as a solo, tandem, triple and more.
- Hold up for abuse, play, surfing on waves etc
- Each section should be possible to emergency paddle.
The Tequila! Tandem easily fits in the back of a station wagon.

Rigid take-a-part kayaks have been around for years. It's just that the designs have been flawed. Those kayaks have either taken much to long to assemble and/or not been strong enough in the joints so they have flexed to much and/or come apart to easily.
Like Lego on the beach.

Also, all those designs have focused on large sea kayaks. Whereas the demand for this kind of innovation actually is in the recreational segment where the hurdles to enter paddle-sports are the greatest.
It fits on a small boat!

Once you are dedicated enough to buy a sea kayak, most paddlers are willing to make sacrifices like getting a roof rack, finding storage etc.
It fits on a big boat!

However, the design specifications seemed impossible. Polyethylene is a rather soft and slippery material. In all our trials, testing different ideas the kayak was to weak, to heavy or to difficult to assemble. That is until we met design genius Magnus de Brito.
Accustomed by impossible demands from manufacturers such as Porsche, Scania Trucks and Pirelli Boats he succeeded in resolving the issues with an ingenues concept - The Tequila! SNAP TAP SYSTEM (PATENT PENDING). And there you have it!!

I also wanted the kayak to work for one ore several paddlers.
Here as a Solo

So Magnus created a modular system where a mid piece is added between the solos bow and aft section thereby creating a tandem.
Here the three pieces floating around. Just pop in the mid section et voila, it's a Tandem.

Ad another mid section and it becomes a triple etc. etc. Who will make the longest Tequila!? Send me your picture proof and the winner gets a bottle of, you guessed it, Tequila!
Assembled it's a great Sit On Top -performance kayak.

Each part is small enough to be accepted as a suitcase by most airlines.

I have already flown all over the world with a Point 65 Tequila! Tandem. The customs officer at Seattle Tacoma was perplexed and after I explained what it was he asked me where he could buy one...


]]> http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2009/10/point-65-introduces-tequila-and-changes.html/feed 0 She has arrived http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2009/09/she-has-arrived.html http://richardatpoint65.blogspot.com/2009/09/she-has-arrived.html#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:25:00 +0000 Mandel tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774012317184597625.post-4846386577230750702
Kayak: The Point 65 XP18, Paddler: Designer Magnus De Brito, Photo: Malte Danielsson Place: near Stendörren, Stockholm archipelago
Kayak: The Point 65 XP18, Paddler: Oscar Westlund, Photo: Malte Danielsson Place: near Stendörren, Stockholm archipelago

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