Just to clear the air on the subject. JIMMY LEWIS is telling it how it is and how it all came about.
QUOTE JIMMY LEWIS
"Svein 'cleared things up?' Karen Baxter 'spelled things out?' I'll spell it out simply and things should be clear after everyone reads this. I've seen that most everyone of you guys have very objective and rational minds and can come to common sense conclusions after knowing FACTS. Here are the facts: I made Connor Baxter that board because he and his family were friends of mine. The reason I didn't put my name or logo on it was BECAUSE I knew that Connor was going to put Starboard logos on it and I did NOT want my logo on any board that had a Starboard logo. I put the value of my friendship with Connor and his family ahead of this conflict of interest (my making a custom board for a competitor's star rider). I KNEW that this board would get Starboard logos. No problem there. And I assumed that pictures would be taken of Connor ripping on that board and most likely appear in the REGULAR pages of magazines (Keith sent me some WICKED shots of Connor riding and Connor IS hot in the surf. I'd say every bit as hot as he is on a raceboard). Again, no problem there either. The problem was when Starboard used a picture of THAT board performing in conditions that THEY don't have a board for and represented that it was one of their boards. And the reason, Karen Baxter, was for Starboard to sell their boards AND make money. That kind of advertising is not only uncool, as most of you will agree, it is against the LAW in America, and I'm SURE it's against the law in Australia. A European friend of mine pointed out that in Europe this is not only a civil offense but a CRIMINAL offense too. I would never have made Connor a board if it was understood by me that Starboard would photoshop the board with the graphics of a board that they were trying to sell. Starboard wants to sell boards, just as I and other brands do. Why? To make money!! That's right Karen Baxter, to make money!! Starboard's answer to me the FIRST time they used my board in their ad was to say that they were trying to give Connor and the photographer some exposure. WHAT? You've got to be kidding me? They pay THOUSANDS of dollars for a back page ad to do a few guys a favor? Not to try to sell boards? Starboard is so narcissistic that they thought that this was an acceptable explanation for the first offense.
Svein's response for the second (current) offense that 'cleared things up' was only an attempt of damage control by blaming me for what happened (something about my not telling them to destroy the photos so it was my fault that another ad appeared). And how he worded the title of his response "my long time good friend, Jimmy Lewis (David) is attacking Starboard (Goliath) for no reason' was designed to gain sympathy for Starboard. And his claims that it was a mistake and he didn't know anything about what happened and that we should just forget about it and have a hug and go paddling!!! What's laughable about that is NOT that he made those statements but that some people will be satisfied with that as an explanation. He's the head of the company... how could he not know about it?
Contrary to what Karen Baxter is trying to convince you of, that this is all me getting money (of course Karen Baxter survives on love.... you can tell by her sweet disposition in her post), the demands we made of Starboard this time were similar to last time and the only monetary demand on this issue was that Starboard make a donation to the Surfrider Foundation. I'm not asking Starboard for any money as compensation for this blatant illegal advertising. This was NOT a mistake as Starboard would like everyone to believe and even if anyone is gullible enough to believe that Svein didn't know this happened a second time, as head of Starboard he must take full responsibility. And Starboard HAS to get spanked a little bit this time. Svien PROMISED ME PERSONALLY, after the first offense that this would NEVER happen again. Starboard doesn't take out double page ads for any other reason than to make money. When they take out deceptive ads, whether intentionally to deceive or not (how can anyone think that Starboard doesn't give careful thought about what they're putting in their multi thousand dollar ads?) it's against the law and creates an unlevel playing field for other competitors in the same business. This is all about business and has nothing to do with Connor or his family as Karen Baxter would like you to believe. I've been shaping for a long time and I'm very proud of my shapes and what I've accomplished in the sports of surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding and stand up. My success in ALL 4 of these disciplines speaks for itself. It's a fact which I'm proud of and it's my responsibility to all of my distributors who work hard (yes, to make money) promoting boards that I make, to protect my brand. And I'm going to do it.

Notice anything weird about this photo??
http://www.star-board-sup.com/2010/products/boards/board_91pro.php