MALCOLM PEARCEY - ENGLISH VERSION

Now you read here the english version of some of the latest interview to kayaksurf.net

This one is with MALCOLM PEARCEY from MEGA SURFKAYAKS. Know everything about the NEWS from Mega. Awesome boats and more surprises to come!


MALCOLM PEARCEY


KAYAKSURF.NET: Mega has released several new boats in the early months... starting with the great plastic revolution. How is the Maverick's career on the market?

MALCOLM PEARCEY:The Maverick has been an outstanding success, far outweighing my expectations when we did it.We have shipped them all over the globe. It has opened up a whole new market by being competitively priced its an affordable option as a 2nd boat and allows paddlers who have in general in the past surfed their ww kayaks to get into a surf specific kayak and feel the difference.We have had some great feedback from beginners to World champions.

And the X-Ray -another plastic Mega - ... what are the main differences between this boat and the Maverick?

The X-Ray is aimed at the smaller guys, ladies, Juniors. It was slow to take off sales wise but since we revamped the internals and re-sighted the fin boxes it is now a great little boat. Significantly different from the Maverick, it is more orientated towards playboat type moves due to its low volume ends.Having said that Darren Bason Won S.Cruz last year paddling an X-Ray so it certainly performs at the highest level.

Did you ever thought seeing your boats made in plastic?

I had always hoped that one day either we would make plastic surf kayaks or someone else would get to use our designs.It was a big moment for me to see the 1st X-Rays come out of the mold. Now ,whenever I consider doing a new boat the plastic option is always in my mind.

Why did you choose this option (besides the composites)?

Composite kayaks, whether they are surf,sea,polo ,slalom etc are always going to be considerably more expensive than plastic boats. The materials and labour costs involved in composites are way more than plastic so it is really the top echelons of any given discipline that are going to want the composite models. But the number of paddlers that would like a cheaper and more readily available plastic option is vastly more.It also helps in a way to foster the new composite boat market. We have already seen in the short time that the plastic models have been available a healthy second hand market develop where the paddlers is looking to move on to a composite kayak.

We know that Maverick is being made in Australia. Tell us about this incredible idea. Mega Franchising?

It just made economic sense for both ourselves and Ross at surfkayaks.co.au. No shipping costs, no import duty, and control for Ross of his own market. There obviously has to be a degree of trust and faith from both ends but so far I and I think Ross are both pleased with the way its working out. It is a very new market to Australia and Ross is also working on developing the New Zealand Market.

Now about Costa Rica... you couldn't expect more success, do you?

I was gutted that I didn’t make it in the end. Tickets were booked, everything was sorted, but mother nature got in the way with the Hurricaine that devastated Florida so my flights were cancelled and Miami airport was shut.Having said that , although I missed out on a great trip it was nothing compared to the sad devastation and loss of life in Florida. As far as the results went at the Worlds I was stoked that so many of the medallists were in our boats, 6 golds I think and a bucketful of other silvers and bronzes. It was also great that the Mens HP and IC and both Junior titles were to paddlers on our side (Of the Atlantic ).

How many paddle surfers does Mega support right this moment?

Most will know that we support Darren Bason and Simon Hammond and of courses Ben Thomas, although he has been a bit preoccupied for the last year or so building his house.We now have some new names in the frame. Chris Harvey, David Speller, Jonny Bingham and our latest hot news James Hawker. There are a good few others that we have also helped along the way.

And now, about the new composite designs - Impulse, Neutron, Reflex and Slingshot. Why so many new boats in short time period?

A sport like ours although small is still highly competitive and the top guys are always looking to push the limits of what’s possible . You only have to look at all the various shots of good aerials that have appeared in the last few months.Especially Chris Harvey and Darren Bason. The Reflex was as the result of feedback from Darren, He loved the Neutron but wanted something smaller. The 2 sizes of Impulse are I think totally different to anything else out there on the surf kayak scene. It seemed that there was nothing that really catered for the paddlers who really wanted the Playboat style seating position but in a surf kayak. I think the Impulse is going to make a great teching platform aswell.

And the latest Slingshot... this model seems to broke some technical aspects with other Megas. What are the great news about this Slingshot?

The Slingshot again was developed as a result of direct feedback from Simon Hammond. I have always thought that being able o sit both higher and with legs closer together but without sacrificing comfort would give even greater performance potential. Of course there are drawbacks. It is quite a tippy boat when you are sat 150mm off of the hull but the advantages in leverage and control through the knees I think outweigh the instability, and that is something that you get used to after a while, certainly its no more tippy than the average wave ski.The new cockpit arrangement is without doubt the most comfortable and positive setup of any kayak I have ever sat in and despite its small\size it is very easy to get in and out. I think that you will see a lot more surf kayaks usig this setup in the future.

What new plastic models can we expect now (besides Maverick and X-Ray)?

There are certainly other plastic projects under way. We should have our next plastic surf boat out in June . It is based upon one of our new 2006 composite models and I am very excited about it. There will most likely be another new plastic boat later in the year.

What short time projects can we expect from Mega Kayak for this year?

I'm beginning to think in terms of something totally new, Mega wise, for later this year. A market that we have not looked at previously. My background as a paddler was slalom and whitewater, watch this space.Other than that ,as you can see ,we are always listening to our team of paddlers and I am always open to trying something new.

You now have Mar Bravo in Portugal to represent Mega. Darren Bason won last year in Peniche... what are your expectations about our surf kayaks market?

I am delighted at the way Jorge at Marbravo is starting o develop the Portuguese market. In a relatively short space of time he has set up his own team and the results from his paddlers in your domestic competitions speak for themselves. I am sure that it is only a matter of time before the majority of paddlers at your competitions are in “surf specific” kayaks. Our trip to Peniche last year, although slightly marred by getting our car broken into, was very enjoyable and as you know we are holding our UK home internationals and the finals of the World cup in Peniche later this year. I think that will be a great boost for your own paddlers to see and be able to paddle with the best in the World

And the Mega League... tell us how doest it work.

We are pleased to be sponsoring the Irish competitions this year. It is a very important market for us with some of the worlds top paddlers, including of course Jonny Bingham who is the reigning World HP Champion. There are also some excellent up and coming Juniors. The committee also organise regular training , coaching and “come and try it” sessions which is all helping to develop the sport and encourage new paddlers.

Do you plan to come again this year to Portugal?

Myself and family are certainly hoping to make it over again this year for the Homes and World cup. We really enjoyed it last year and with a longer stay this time I hope we can get to see a bit more of Portugal.

Now, an advice from a specialist... what MEGA do you suggest to someone who:

Never paddled a surf kayak:

Most paddlers these days who want to get into a surf kayak are coming from a W/Water / playboat background which means that a surf kayak can feel very alien to them first time out. Boats like the Cyclone and the Impulse are both very easy learning platforms to get to grips with the basics. They both have excellent stability and comfort and will make the transition to a surf specific boat relatively easy. It is very important that someones 1st session in a surf boat has enabled them to achieve some level of success in doing moves that there usual kayak has not been able to.The most common comment that we get from people is how much quicker a surf kayak is on the wave.

Usually surf with a playboat but wants a surfkayak:

One of the best ways to get to try out a surf kayak is to get along to a contest. Invariably there are either manufacturers there with demo boats or competitors who will let you try their own boat. Surf kayakers are generally a pretty friendly, laidback group and are very helpful to newbies. In the UK quite a few of the major training centres now have our boats, The likes of Skern Lodge, Glenmore lodge, Shoreline, and just recently Plas Menai and these centres run introductory and advanced surf courses.

Already have an old Mega model but want to try a new one:

In the UK we have a number of demo boats available, predominantly in the SouthWest.We can usually hook people up with the opportunity to try out the new models. Around the world our retailers and distributers also have various demo boats. Details of our dealers can be found on the web site.

Wants to reach the ultimate surf!

I think this is the most difficult question to answer. There are so many opinions on what constitutes the ultimate in kayak surfing. 15 years ago I would think nothing of battling for ½ hr to get out through a 3mtr beach break to get a good ride and get several good trashings on the way. Now I would rather go out in 1mtr and have a way more relaxing time and with much less pain.The boundry’s of what people are doing today are being pushed further all the time.Personally I have still not seen anything bigger than the waves we had in Thurso in 1991 surfed in a kayak., however I am sure that there are kayakers around the world who are taking on monster waves.I think the Ultimate in surfing is a very personal thing. Most importantly is that you enjoy it, are considerate of others, and are safe., whether its surfing a 6” boat wake on a river or taking on 20’ + monsters in the worlds oceans.

Thanks a lot Malcom and all the best ot you, your family and, of course, MEGA!

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS RIGT HERE - http://www.kayaksurf.net/Malcolm%20Pearcey.html

Published on - 23/06/2006
Text - Luis Pedro Abreu
Photos - Chloe Hamilton (www.nisurfkayak.com) + Malcolm Pearcey

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