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Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 11:13 pm
by Krob1114
We're not on the lake for this weekend and next weekend.
Weather, football, and family got in the way.
I'm looking to try something and meant to bring the ski pylon home but forgot.
Anyone know the thread diameter and type of threads?
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:04 pm
by Driller
PM Slideruler. I believe he has the info.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:56 am
by Norris_Boating
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:51 am
by slideruleracer
Hey folks, just a heads up. At the moment, I am no longer selling the umbrella adapters. I was made aware of a patent that it appears I may have been infringing upon so I have discontinued all sales of umbrella adapters. I am in talks with the patent owner (he was the one who made me aware of it) but it only just started. Sorry I can't help.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:25 am
by cmattj
slideruleracer wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:51 am
Hey folks, just a heads up. At the moment, I am no longer selling the umbrella adapters. I was made aware of a patent that it appears I may have been infringing upon so I have discontinued all sales of umbrella adapters. I am in talks with the patent owner (he was the one who made me aware of it) but it only just started. Sorry I can't help.
Just saw you removed all versions from your site. Sorry to hear about the hiccup but I’m sure your getting resolved.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 10:49 am
by ajcampen
I was wondering when someone was going to call on this. Thought it would be cobalt. Sorry to hear about it
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:22 pm
by Big Block Power
ajcampen wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 10:49 am
I was wondering when someone was going to call on this. Thought it would be cobalt. Sorry to hear about it
It's the internet. Everything out there is only 1 click away.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:16 pm
by AsLan7
Big Block Power wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:22 pm
ajcampen wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 10:49 am
I was wondering when someone was going to call on this. Thought it would be cobalt. Sorry to hear about it
It's the internet. Everything out there is only 1 click away.
.
I don’t know, I think it’s Malibu’s fault.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:30 pm
by slideruleracer
Just in case people find this thread in the future, I figured I'd update it to say that we are back in business for umbrella adapters as previously mentioned elsewhere.
Carry on.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 12:20 pm
by ajcampen
slideruleracer wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:30 pm
Just in case people find this thread in the future, I figured I'd update it to say that we are back in business for umbrella adapters as previously mentioned elsewhere.
Carry on.
since we have been with you since the beginning on your boat build and they your foray into this new venture....take us through it a little bit. After the cease letter from Cobalt, how did it go to convince them to let you mfg them for them? High level please.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:06 pm
by slideruleracer
Well, Cobalt isn't the one with the patent. It's a fellow in TN who came up with the idea after buying his R7 and went ahead and patented the idea and then pitched it to Cobalt. Frankly, I was surprised that he was able to patent it, but I don't want to get into the merits of the patent here at all, please.
As it turned out, when he reached out to me and informed me of the patent (he called me directly after having one of his employees purchase one of my units - there was never a C&D letter), he was looking for a partner of sorts. He was disappointed in the lack of advertising that Cobalt was doing around trying to sell these and thought he could do better without them. It took a lot of going back and forth - because this umbrella side gig was always more about a fun thing for me to give back to the Cobalt community and pay for my boat gas. After 1 year in, I hadn't broken even with all the equipment and business setup expenses, so at first I told him that I would just bow out of the product line, but in the end we came up with some numbers and a process that I was willing to give a go.
Unfortunately, with COVID-19 impacting families' disposable income and the increased pricing to cover royalties, it's been a slow start, but we'll give it a shot. As of right now, he has told me that he has informed Cobalt that they no longer have rights to make and sell these, so I'm supposed to be the only 'official' outlet for the adapters.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:30 pm
by ajcampen
slideruleracer wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:06 pm
Well, Cobalt isn't the one with the patent. It's a fellow in TN who came up with the idea after buying his R7 and went ahead and patented the idea and then pitched it to Cobalt. Frankly, I was surprised that he was able to patent it, but I don't want to get into the merits of the patent here at all, please.
As it turned out, when he reached out to me and informed me of the patent (he called me directly after having one of his employees purchase one of my units - there was never a C&D letter), he was looking for a partner of sorts. He was disappointed in the lack of advertising that Cobalt was doing around trying to sell these and thought he could do better without them. It took a lot of going back and forth - because this umbrella side gig was always more about a fun thing for me to give back to the Cobalt community and pay for my boat gas. After 1 year in, I hadn't broken even with all the equipment and business setup expenses, so at first I told him that I would just bow out of the product line, but in the end we came up with some numbers and a process that I was willing to give a go.
Unfortunately, with COVID-19 impacting families' disposable income and the increased pricing to cover royalties, it's been a slow start, but we'll give it a shot. As of right now, he has told me that he has informed Cobalt that they no longer have rights to make and sell these, so I'm supposed to be the only 'official' outlet for the adapters.
Thanks for the story. That is way different that I though when you first informed us that you were shut down. You guys will have to start reaching out to dealers! it really iis a clever idea and I wonder if other boat mfg have the same twist ski pylon.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 4:25 pm
by slideruleracer
I want to be clear - I was never 'shut down'. The way the patent was filed or written, for some reason it didn't come up in the search I did around boat umbrellas. Further, there were no patent markings on the units sold by Cobalt or in any packaging from the dealers, so by the way I understand patent guidelines, I wasn't in violation of anything so long as I didn't sell them after I knew about the patent - which I was perfectly fine with - and even in our initial discussion, he never asked me to stop selling these. I did that on my own to protect myself.
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 5:12 pm
by Big Block Power
Thanks slide. If we can help seek these for you will! Maybe John will make a sticky on here for you?
Re: Ski Pylon on 2019 R3
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 5:39 pm
by slideruleracer
Thanks BB! I think my best advertising is just all you guys reminding folks of me when the topics come up. I believe my 'fan base' and adapter quality was why the patent owner reached out to me. Lately, I've been soooo busy that getting on here or on FB is a luxury... I have so little free time these days. I'm not complaining, mind you - I'm quite grateful to be working amidst the pandemic - but if folks here felt like pointing my website out when appropriate if I failed to notice the threads, I certainly wouldn't complain!