Product Development: Fishbone SUP
The barrier of entry to the Inflatable StandUp Paddleboard (iSUP) market is very low. The basic product itself is easy to replicate and produce with materials and factories readily available. The downside to a market like this is that quality and performance suffer at the hands of price point and competition.
In order for a brand/manufacturer to survive, they must differentiate themselves through unique designs that utilize a genuine factor of innovation. This innovation must address the common detractors of an iSUP, such as flex and lack of performance, so that the iSUP can rival that of the hard-board counterparts.
A Hull Design Unlike Any Other Inflatable
With the explicit approach of addressing performance, especially while racing or touring, the Fishbone is designed like many hardboard racing SUPs in the fact that they are typically 12 feet or longer and feature a sleek shape. Additionally, most of these boards have a displacement hull shape at the nose of the board which helps to cut through the water providing enhanced tracking (the ability to hold a straight line) and speed. Unlike any other inflatable SUP, the Fishbone features a patented displacement hull shaped nose cap which maintains contact with the water at all times, cutting through the water and distributing it out to the sides of the board, rather than planing across the surface of the water. For flatwater touring and racing, displacement hulls are far more efficient than planing hulls because they deliver higher speeds with the same level of input. In-line with this, the Fishbone’s displacement hull nose cap truly
provides an inflatable SUP that efficiently uses a person's paddling power while out touring or racing.
A relatively sizable injection molded part (19"x11"x4"), the Displacement Hull Nose Cap is made of a high-impact PVC and glued onto the bottom side of the board to create the only Inflatable SUP with a true displacement hull design.
