Starting point
Sebastian Wenzel started out as a hungry rider on the Fanatic team back in the 90’s, with a limited budget but determined to have access to the latest boards. The answer was simple; to make and design his own, a step he took which then opened the door to his present day job as the man in charge of pretty much all of Fanatic’s windsurf and SUP designs. Wenzel moved from Germany to Portugal in 1997 and now runs his side of the business from home and a small factory close to Guincho, his home break.
JC: Talk us through a typical working day?
SW: There is no typical day!
JC: Ok, that is a decent way to start!
SW: (laughs) Every day is different for me! I travel a lot but let’s say when I am at home in Portugal, I am up early around 6.15am, make sure the kids go to school. Then I make a coffee and head upstairs into my office. I then check my emails, go through what is coming from Asia and from the team riders and then start the day. All the design work is based on the computer. I have been doing that since 2004. Just recently things changed a bit again, we were making the prototypes until 2011 in Portugal, we had to close that factory and move to Cobra in Thailand. That process did not work out so we opened another small factory close to home in Portugal. Everything shaping wise, is based on the computer, I prepare all the computer work and then hand it over to a guy in the workshop who feeds the info into the machine. From my side, most of my work is on the computer. I don’t need to go to the shaping room anymore! It has been that way for a long time. Everything comes off the computer and then the CNC machine. There is nothing wrong with being a hand shaper. I always say if the concept of a board is right, it does not matter how you design it! Either way they will both work no problem. The concept is the R and D that goes into the experience, but the big advantage is that the prototyping that goes into the CNC machine is very accurate. Also the data base to keep all that information is superb. I have every single shape on my computer for years. The guys come to me and we can look at any board they have ever ridden and we know exactly what we need to change. This system is so much more flexible and even right now I have all the boards since 2004 on the database right here with me on my laptop.