Pretty interesting. A "lojack" for your board. A cool way to find out if the board is a fake or a real Channel Island... I think this could be pretty cool...
http://surfboard-tracker.com/
Check it out. What do you guys think?
About SBT
Take care and protect your boards at all times
The technology works by having the SBT inserted deep within the board, when the board is finished, the SBT unique non-sequential code is recorded on a database along with the other information like, owners details, as the board is sold on new users can register their ownership which will then show up stolen equipment the world over through one system. The registration of a board includes many different details including, make model, shaper, blank, fin systems, dimensions, and special features .
History
So behind this simple but effective technology we have a chap by the name of Andrew Smith, from South Wales, UK. Andrew's original idea was driven from the theft of his entire quiver of surfboards whilst on a family surfing holiday in France, there will be many people who can empathise with this sort of callous crime, with the rapid growth of online market places it has become ever easier to flog stolen goods without ever having to show your face. If it hasn't happened to you already imagine having arrived at your surfing destination and being robbed after the first day, initially your holiday may be ruined as you may not have the spare cash to supplement a new board, then you get home to find out your budget insurance doesn't cover for the entire loss and by now your board has probably been sold on! It is with this scenario and actual experience that Andrew and sat down and came up SBT..Having previously worked in IT and telecommunications, Andrew wasn't about to jump in head first to a new career without seriously thinking it through and working out some sort of feasibility, having a family including three kids to support is a lot of responsibility. Deciding that it could work the family (all surfers) set about putting the wheels in motion, in April 2006 they tested the water and by June 2007 the product was on sale. Using his experience in his past career Andrew has managed to put together a structured company with design, marketing and sales channels that has enabled the sales so far with exports to the US, AUS, Brazil and Europe. SBT has sponsored several surf and SUP events over the last twelve months in the UK, and is looking to expand its reach as the system becomes more popular with surfers and shapers.
What is interesting about the development of SBT as a company in a hugely fickle surf industry and difficult times is that Andrew is just your average surfer, he has travelled a bit, did a regular day job, has a family, was never into contests, he just happened to love surfing and suffered badly.
A good custom board has your name on the stringer along with the dims and the shapers name...
All my boards are hand shaped and haven't seen a cnc. so it would be pointless to pay for this little extra....
I will wish the guy some good luck,... but I would rather see hand shapers make it in the current market than the cnc (mass) shapers as ( my opinion is) just one step above the POP-OUT! You can agree or not it is just an opinion....
Frankly I am personally more excited about the re-opening of the old Longboard Grotto Bldg. in my area.... and the fact that it will be The Surfshop for Moonlight Glassing!!!! No more trips to San Marcos!!!!
I think it's a great idea... you can only write so much down along the stringer. I think dragger misses the point - something like this can be used by ANY shaper. Not sure if I'd pay extra for this feature though....
Yeah, this is something that can be installed on any board. This also means that it PREVENTS pop outs being sold as the real McCoy (no pun intended). So if a well known shaper shapes a board and has one of these installed and is compared to a black marketed board that was done overseas and then a logo of this same shaper was thrown on this board (this is being done more often than you would like to think), yoiu the consumer would be able to verify which one was an actual board shaped by the shaper and which one was a knock off.
Also, if your board is stolen, youi could verify that the board was yours. When selling the board you go online and transfer the ownership to the new person who boought the board. Kind of like an actual "pink slip" for the board with proof of authenticity as well as ownership.
I think that a LOT of boards coming out of Moonlight would be ideal for this.
looking at their site couple comments.
this is not a "lojack" product. it does not determine the location of a stolen board. the product could easily be removed and the open space patched. most if not all shops sell used boards on a consignment basis. lot of them also check police reports before accepting used boards to be sold, even play it again sports does this. this product only works in detecting a stolen board if the shops sign up for it too. it related to new boards i would believe most real surf shops have direct relationships with board companies like CI, Rusty, etc, to know they're not receiving a board made in China.
the real benefit looks to be for the small shaper in having a database for his designs. but this day in age with the shaping machine i'm pretty sure lot of these guys already have their templates in softcopy.
Didn't say it was a lojack type product (I think, lol). It can be used to identify which board is yours. Oh, and you don't recall the fake KG fishes that showed up everywhere a couple of years ago? That was a major problem and it caused them a lot of pain. The market suddenly became flooded with fake KG fishes from China. Wouldn't it be a lot cooler if you could have the shop scan it for you to prove the authenticity of the board? And you really think that there are shops out there that would turn down a smokin deal on 5 or 6 new CI boards at a great wholesale price? And those boards just happen to look great, yet are fakes? It happens way more than you think, man.
If it doesn't affect the performance of the board, if it doesn't add too much to the cost, and if it can help authenticate the actual shaper - I think it's a great idea Like Mofo mentioned about the whole KG thing... it seems like a win win idea... then again, I love anything having to with technological advancement. For the record, all my boards are hand shaped also.
No I don't think I missed anything,...
I understand that you and others are trying to bring along a new item to the "Icing" of the sales of surfboards.... But,... If you only buy custom boards, and don't buy off the rack from sellers like K-5 or Sun-Diego, or Cosco,,, you already know the source of your board...Your name and dims on the stringer can be checked out by any potential buyer of your board from the origional source....
So it still goes back to only having semi- value if somebody underwrites the "Tracker" and they go into
Off the Rack, (More) mass produced non custom boards...
I dunno' but I believe that we all deserve custom boards that are built to our own style of riding and eccentric quirks. Rather than adapting to riding somebody else's, Cookie cutter surfboard,.. It just seems Lame to me when surfing has always been about the persuit of the personal expression...
I don't know what one of these "Tracker's" will cost,... but I'm betting that I could get a Sweet color, or a tricked out Tailblock that would ID the board for the same $$....
However,.. As always, this is just My opinion and you should (and will) make your own decision about whether to have this device installed...
Hmmm.. you know the new surfshop you are refereing to will have racks and racks of "off the rack" surfboards.
Did you look at the website? It's the size of a grain of rice and it goes deep into the foam when being shaped. Nobody knows it's there.
Oh, and all but one of my boards (my MSG that my buddies bought me years ago at my bach party) have been shaped for me. I have a nice handfull of boards at home. However, there have been plenty of times when I have been up at the Ventura Surf Shop checking out the stock Bonzers (they have more than anybody I think) I have thought once or twice about picking up a board from the floor. I've seen perfecet dimensions on a stock board before... even glassed by Moonlight and all.
I'm not sure if you went to the actual website to check this out.... not arguing, just offering my POV. 
OK!
I went to the website... And I'm even less convinced than ever...Bad sales pitches offend me more than a mediocre idea....But the whole Point of trying to sell the "Implant" somewhat based on the notion that somebody got their favorite Al (Swarmie's Surfclub) Merick surfboard stolen 15 years ago.. and if this would have had the chip he could have good Old Al shape another one,... Makes as much sense to me as for me to say that If I had had the "Implant" in my old 1958 Jacobs/Velzy when it went away in 1962 I could have them boys shape me a new one and I would not be out $15K today....And Yes That was My favorite board for 4 years... Hell It was my only board for 4 years...
I guess I'm just seeing this as another un needed thing that has a potential for abuse...Worse case is that all Mfg's. adopt the chip/implants as a registration system which in the end ends up being like another license plate and registration as an extra tax on our surfboards....
I probably just take these things waaay to far afield,...And If you would feel better by having one installed in your board,.... By all means get one installed... I notice that a lot of people get alarm systems installed in their cars,... and then don't pay any attention to them.... as if they are there only to annoy the people around where ever they left the car parked... Lest I Digress!
Hey guys sorry I joined this blog a little late, but hey, thank you all for your contrasting views, thoughts, and comments.
Just to help you understand a little more SBT applies to surfers, shapers and retailers. http://surfboard-tracker.com/news-2009-10-14.php
1.If you have your board stolen SBT provides an application to stop your board from being sold on ebay or the surf shop, beach etc it can be checekd, you dont need a scanner to check it out. FACT.
2. You cannot find the SBT system inside the board concealed deep in the blank, by the time you find it the board would be worth nothing.
3. Consumers purchasing a surfboard with SBT can be absolutely sure about the board they buy, the shaper, blank, fin system, laminator, glasser, and other information like, when, where and who the board was made for i.e sotck board = retailer, or custom = the surfer name.
4. A custom board is of more value to a surfer than a stock board from a surf shop FACT.
If some one steals a custom after taking time out with the shaper to construct the shape tec, the board details are all loaded up and withheld on the system so that an identical model can be remade from the information held on the SBT system. There is also an insurance element to SBT which will allow a surfer to cliam for an exeact like for like replacement. The shaper of the origanl board receives the repeat business to produce an identical board and is paid directly by Lloyds of Lodon (Shapers wins)
5. Stock boards are open to even more major abuse by what is known as licensed abused boards. A license abused board is where a shaper in the USA has a license with a shaper in another country to produce his shapes. Whats stops a license shaper in the other county producing many more copycat boards, doubling up on serial numbers and in effect producing clones, without telling the shapers in the USA. SBT controls all this area and gives confidence to the USA shaper his brand and license is not being abused or misrepresented. Looking after the interest of the shaper who owns the brand or jsut basic counterfeiting a board with SBT can alwats be checked ask Larry Bertlemann - http://surfboard-tracker.com/news-2009-10-14.php,
6. With SBT all boards produced using SBT are absolutrly unique and there identity cannot be changed, like your DNA. As such the largest insurance orgnanisation in the world backs SBT - Known as Lloyds of London.
I apppreciate your doubts and support but shapers, surfers and retailers really do beneifit from SBT some shapers use SBT for inventory control, licensee protection,connection to the surfers who ride their boards any where in the world, prove their product is genuine, theft and insurance protection for theor customers oh by the way we doent break the bank, we give you shapers a fulll online working application for every board you produce, giving you full online inventpry for less than $4.5 USD per board.
http://surfboard-tracker.com/news-2009-10-14.php
7. You heard it first.
SOME PICS OR YOU GUYS...If you would like to know please email the crew, thecrew@surfboard-tracker.com thanks
1.If you have your board stolen SBT provides an application to stop your board from being sold on ebay or the surf shop, beach etc it can be checekd, you dont need a scanner to check it out. FACT.
-sbt
please explain this
as an example, i had 3 boards stolen from me. all were custom boards with my name on them, pictures of every board time stamped before the theft, emails and/or invoices from the shaper for the purchase. enough documents to prove they were mine and all provide with the police report I filed. 2 boards showed up on Craig'sList. how would your product provide more assistance in retrieving my boards?
2. You cannot find the SBT system inside the board concealed deep in the blank, by the time you find it the board would be worth nothing.
-sbt
would the product show up on an X-ray of the board?
Hi MATT 479, THE INFORMATION YOU ALREADY LISTED IS USEFUL to help you make a claim or possibly recover your stolen boards.
SBT acts as a deterrent, making life very hard for a board theif to move a board on, by implanting SBT we severly reduce the opportunity for theives to move the product on.
Shapers usually serialize each board they produce, a number which the shaper cataloges with all the other boards he heas produced throughout the years.
Simarlily how can you prove a board a lagitimate.
With SBT you can prove absolutely a board is genuine if a board has been registered by the owner or not.
This is where SBT compliments. And remember a custom or stock board surfboard prices are rising, plus SBT diffrentiates cheap immiations and pop outs coming in from foreign countries. This helps customers understand why a locally produced board may be the better option. We guarantee the quality of the board and its price.
SBT only work with well recognied brands. Not producers of cheap budget boards. We are committed to helping real shapers develope and compete against cheaper brands.
How you search a board?
By tapping in the board serial number the system will then hunt down the SBT system associated with the serial number, the system will feed information about the board. This information is the iformation programmed on the databse via the SBT system written by the Shaper on the system.
Immediateley the system will identfy the board as being , not yet owned (New), owned or as stolen.
When a board is registered, shapers are informed that their board has been registered obviuosly that a board has been sold, this could be anywhere in the world, by the SBT system.
Basically we all agree shapers boards carry their signature of the shaper, dimensions, and all the other details shapers wishes to add. FACT.
SBT compliments all this.
The retailer, shaper can apply for a free SBT online account with a search facility. This user name and password protected.
This means that a perfectly genuine board with SBT, the owner looking to sell the board would be able to prove he is the rightful owner the board he is selling. He can also transfer the board to a new owner, when sold, similarly shops can operate the part exchange of a board and the new owner can regsiter again if he wishes.
If a board is stolen the owner can report the theft details to the SBT system, the owner can add the police force or reporting officers in charge and add crime references to the system.
This then automatically changes the status of the board as stolen. And will flag up on the system if checked.
Most police forces carry scanners in most countries that will locate the SBT system in the board if a board is found to have SBT. Scanning the SBT will deliver corrspending information about the board already listed in the SBT database supplied by the shaper when the board was made.
The SBT system is very intuative and has a lot of processing capabilty and adaptabilty for Police forces, insuarance companies, shapers, retailers and surfers. etc
The system also offers shapers the opportunity to find out who their customers are, guys who have bought their boards and registerd them with SBT. This helps shapers build a community or customer where by they can inform them of developments about new boards.
We are suing modern thechnology to bring back the good old days where you could contact your shaper. SBT is committed to the surf, snow and extreme sport industry, we sponor events, surfers, snowboarders plus we are endorsed by the ISA, the international Surfing Association.
Feek free to ask
As I said before... Good Luck with your enterprise!!!!
Not for me though!!!! If I want to talk to My shaper I just normally go up the street and talk to him...
and he seems to be fairly well know ....as are his boards... he shaped my last board, and will probably do my next one..I usually drop in the shaping bay to watch.... My name is on the stringer along with the unique dims and the serial no... My boards aren't very much "Just like" everybody else's boards so it does me little good to pay extra for this service... for my tricked out quad Long Boards.. Oh Yea! By the way My shaper is Gary Linden.....
If the board(s) of mine get stolen,.. it is probably because I did something really stupid!!!!And if they show up locally they will be found easily as these are known for being unique...(Solid balsa rails etc.)
I am also of the "Old School" and I never re-sell any of my boards... I give them away as gifts...
You all worry far too much about merchandising the heart and the Soul of your Surfing...
Oh well,... the tide should be dropping out now, and if the wind hasn't killed it I'm heading to my fav reef,... maybe I see ya out there1
Reply to: ‘Surfboard Tracker- SBT is what it is called.... ’
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