Slingshot Sports Kiteboarding, Wakeboarding, and Stand Up Paddle

Yo. Taken a while, but finally putting my first post up on this thing. Been feeling pretty lame about the whole thing, but finally found something somewhat worthy. Translation available upon request Lay…later

A few years ago, we made a trip down to Florida, to “roll” out our new wakeboards and boots.  It was a pretty big time launch. Ha ha!  It consisted of going to the Projects to let their crew check the stuff out.  It was the first time we met Pat Panakos and Robby Jacques.   So we show up unannounced.  Robby had already secretly hooked up with Jeff McKee  and put the product through the usual test, rails, wake to wake, basically doing everything he could to break it and see where Slingshot was coming in with regards to overall performance.   He was freaking on the goods but was riding for another company at the time, so he played it cool on the “DL”.  I knew eventually we would get him on the stuff.   I could see it in his eyes.  No way he could go back to an old construction. It was just a matter of time before he evolved.  Cool with us.  Anyway, Pat rolls up and introduces himself, and says. “Are you guys from another planet. This stuff  (gear) has been in my head, and without ever talking, or meeting  before, you show up and here it is right in front of me.  In real life!“  We took that as a huge innovation compliment.  We thrive on innovating cool stuff. So leap forward, a couple years. I would run into Pat and Matt Hickman at certain industry events, boats shows, etc.  Both were always super cool and relaxed. This is when boat sales were diving and gas was over 4 bucks a gallon. I always thought what’s up?  These guys are so laid back, yet everyone else is pinning.  Unknown to me.  They were secretly so far ahead of the curve.  Why pin when you have the biggest thing to hit wakeboarding since the boat?  Jump forward to Surf Expo 08. They launch the Sesitec 2.0 with the Red Bull Wake lab event.  They killed it! But other than a few top pro’s… who had really put this new cable to the test?  What was the word on the street?  Well when you have a industry changing innovation, word spreads fast.  It has and it’s good.  The Wake Park Project put one out at the Projects.  More pro’s got a chance to check it out.  Still good, no I mean great feedback.  We instantly thought, “What’s better than a Sesitec 2.0?  How about two of them?!”  Our team guys were so blown away, we hooked up with The Wake Park Projects and  helped set up number 2  over the Slingshot 100’ flat bar.  Photographers, video guys, and riders are all going nuts this winter at the Projects.   You can start finding shots and video at Wakeboardingmag.com and Alliancewake.com.  More important is more of these cables could be going up in your area.

So what’s the prediction? Well we predict this cable will revolutionize wakeboarding.   Or should we say, create real “Railparks”. Why?  It’s cost effective.  Now, I’m no math expert, but It seems like you can get one of these for the price of a cheap wake boat.  Two of them for a good boat, and three of them for the price of a boat that is all decked out, like the kind wakeboarders you see that don’t actually wakeboard own  (you know the  type.)  And that’s the good news for boat manufactures. They still have their customer base because those people don’t wakeboard anyway. But if you are into riding you have to recognize the innovation as stellar.  Here more why.  It’s a smart system.  It’s portable, you’re not locked in to a riding location forever.  We could see the local neighbors pitching in 5G’s each and family sharing these things. When your kid goes off to college, you just sell your shares to the new family that move in down the street.  Or if that’s not in the cards, there will be one somewhere close to where you live.   You don’t have to dig a ditch, or you could, but that’s up to you.  You can pull it down during hurricane season.  You can pop it up in the winter and hit rails on your snowboard.  Look for one in the Chicago scene.  Camps will teach better and riders will learn faster.  You don’t need a jet ski or a driver. Let’s admit it that era was kind of gay anyway. Sesitec 2.0 kills it! In short it offers a lot of options that are all well thought out.  It makes the future of Railparks a reality.

So how does it ride?  Jeff McKee  “It’s like hanging out at the skate park with all your friends. It’s a solid pull without all the noise of an engine; Just the sweet whispering of your wakes. System 2 eliminates almost all of the downtime you deal with using alternate towing devices so you’re riding more and waiting less. It’s by far the # 1 solution for riding small bodies of water, rail parks and no wake zones…(although you may want to check with the authorities first) haha. My name is Jeff McKee and I approve this message because I care about wakeboarders worldwide. Ski ya later!”  That’s all we need because, all the other team guys were still frothing at the mouth, so we could not really get decent quotes. 

As innovators ourselves, we recognize the effort by The Wake Park Project to bring this innovation to the masses. Good work Matt and Pat! We only have one question. “Are you guys from another planet?”

Thanks to Pat Panakos and Matt Hickman of the Wake Park ProjectPhoto: Wake Parks Project / Rider: Jeff McKee

Photo: Wake Parks Project / Rider: Jeff McKee