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Charles sailing on the first Snowfer prototype in 1985
So the history has begun
The research and development of Snowfer started in 1985. He filed a patent protection in Canada in 1989 and 1990 in USA and Europe. All applications were approved by 1994.
The first production board was introduced in 1991, almost immediately he went to the USSR in Estonia (see pictures) for his first race in a world class competition on ice and snow sailing where he finished in the top four on his class with no racing experience at all. It was an instant hit as the most promising product for the sport.
Two years in a row the Snowfer was presented with the Most Outstanding Design Award in 1992 Canada and
1993 Poland (see pictures) in the World Ice/Snow Sailing Championship.
Doing further research and development with the board, Charles won his first world race title in
Madison, Wisconsin, USA in 1995 (see pictures). Also that year, he introduced the first North American Snowfer Sailing Championship in Lake Couchiching, Orillia, Ontario, Canada. It has tripled in size by 1996 and since then moved the race in Lake Simcoe Jacksons' Point, Ontario.
In 1997, a hot, new design of Snowfer was introduced called the Snowfer KC 3X Race. It was well-received. Everyone loved the new look and performance of the board. After a very satisfying result two years in a row of the Snowfer KC 3X, Snowfer Inc. introduced towards the end of 1999 a new board which is the same design as the KC 3X but a lighter, stronger construction made of Epoxy V.E.R. Balsa sandwich. A new generation of Snowfer board was born called the KC4 EX.
The 1997 World Ice/Snow Sailing Championship was held in Canada. Over 70 participants
from 14 countries came to Orillia. The Snowfer again was recognized internationally not just the best all-around board in the world but a true racing board, finishing overall in the top three in its class. It was suggested that the Snowfer board
should be recommended as a future Olympic Ice Sailing sport and the best one design board that can represent the standards of the committee by an Olympic Sailing Team member from Poland.
Snowfer's very own web page www.snowfer.com was launched on the internet in December 1996. It has drawn worldwide attention, as a result, boards has been sold and shipped to China, Japan, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Russia, Argentina, Czech Republic, Belarus, Serbia, Belgium, Canada and USA. Countless e-mails has been received for interest on Snowfer.
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Since Windsurfing was invented around 1960. There was a great challenge and demand all-around the world to create a product that can simulate Windsurfing on snow and ice.
Charles Chepregi, inventor and designer of Snowfer achieved that challenge. His concept is not just the best in the world but the only one that can satisfy all the demands as a sport. He started windsurfing in 1985, loved the sport so much that at the end of the season, he tried to find a product that can sail on snow and ice using the same windsurfing rig as on water. There was nothing available on the market to buy so he decided to build his own. His creation of the Snowfer originated by combining the two words of snowboard and a windsurfer thus the name Snowfer became and the sport of Snowfering came to be by uniting the excitement of windsurfing and the thrills of snowboarding.)
Charles sailing on the first Snowfer prototype in 1985