New invention

Check it out.

http://www.slingshotinfo.com/

thats the dumest idea ever. why not just you a regular nylon rope?

Watch the videos and see what the riders say. Acts nothing like a nylon rope.

Well just like a nylon rope, this works on a recoil effect. The nylon rope has a lot more travel down the whole length of the line than this device does. If you watch the device in action it does not have much travel, less than a foot, but the recoil on a 75 foot nylon rope could be a couple of feet or more. From watching the device in action though, I don't see it making a real noticable difference with such a short amount of travel. All it's doing is releasing the line tension with a slight amount of spring action. I think for most people without really good edging technique, it could actually lessen their pop. Those riders in the vids know how to edge and hold line tension and could go big behind just about anything with a halfway decent wake.

word.

ditto

I think that we are all missing the point. Any invention, whether it works or not, is still someone or a group of people that are trying to make wakeboarding more enjoyable, or even just add a differnt aspect to it.

With that being said, that slingshot thing doesn't look like it is that cool. Looks like it wouldn't help at all. But at least they are trying....

Brilliant !

I think that Scott is missing the point. Any invention, whether it works or not, is still someone or a group of people that are trying to make a buck, or even just sucker people into giving them money.

With that being said, that slingshot thing doesn't look like it is that cool. Looks like it wouldn't help at all. But at least they are trying....to make a buck.

Seriously though, I don't think the wakeboarders were getting any more air than they could normally get. I'm sure they felt a pull when they released off the wake but that doesn't really mean anything. The extra pop/air you get from line tension is due to the way your board sinks into the face of the wake before the release. This contraption can't have any effect on that.

Until I see an invention that allows you to basically defy gravity and get 30 ft of air, I dont want it. Everything else is just a gimmick. Thats right, a gimmick. Until then, weight your boat with 3000#'s and buy the board with the best graphics because technique will have the most importance in your riding.

what he said ^

First of all, what is the deal with the bold. Second of all salmon tacos, we pretty much agree. I really think that it is a pointless contraption. It physically speaking doesn't make any sense.
All I am saying is that at least people are trying to come up with something new. Maybe they are trying to sucker people into making money, maybe they aren't. I was banking my response on the points that
a) the more people that make products for wakeboarding, the better the probability that an actual decent idea will come up
B) that the average wakeworld visitor was intelligent enough to know a good invention from a stupid one, and spend their money accordingly.

Salmon Tacos, you have been on this messege board for a long time and I completely trust your knowledge of the sport of wakeboarding. I know that you are able to tell a stupid invention from a decent one. I know that you won't be throwing down your hard earned cash on a "slingshot" anytime soon. So I am asking, whats the big deal? If a consumer buys a slingshot, then it is their own fault for not becoming more informed before making a wasteful purchase. The slingshot is a pointless invention. The important point is that they are trying.

Scott,

Sorry if my post rubbed you the wrong way. The bold was to highlight the things I changed in your post. I thought I'd give a little different perspective on the same thing. You were giving them the benefit of the doubt. I was giving them crap.

I actually have at least 4 ideas for possibly useful wakeboard-related products that I think are better than that thing. Even so, I'm not sure if they are worth the effort to take to market. I'm just amused by some of the things that people will try to market to eager consumers.

okay fuuny thing is i have seen this contraption and in all reality it does kind of make sense. My buddy took a run behind the guys boat and thought it was a good idea but the wake on the boat that it was attached to was absolutely nothing. He thought it would be cool to atleast try it behind a Super Air before discounting the idea

Salmon Tacos, no worries, it didn't rub me the wrong way. I just wanted to justify my earlier post. Like I said, I have the utmost respect for your knowledge about the sport. No hard feelings. If you feel like running your ideas by someone pm me. I am an engineering major at UCF in Orlando, so I am full of ideas too. haha....it seems like you need alot of money to make things happen...

So what happens when you try to spin? Seems like it would be ripping the handle away from you or pulling you off axis. I can't imagine guys wanting to practice with those. You'll never see one on a tournament boat.

screw tournament boats, you wont see one on mine either.

that is the most stupid idea i have ever heard everybody in the discussion is now stupider from watchin that video. thers a reason they made the NON STRETCH ROPE. it might be good for raileys and gay slurpees but try like a 7 or any other big move and ull get destroyed. so my point is they ride a non stretch rope then some idiot trys to make even more stretch

Why don;'t you just put some more wieght in that boat.....that will give you more air....oh wait, they didn't use the wake.

the first video didnt use the wake, the second one did. And people have been doing air roll2reverts for a while now.

Salmon, I too have a problem with your original post. I agree that this product is most likely going to be a flash-in-the-pan gimmick that will soon fade into obscurity. My problem is with your statement that ANY invention is just someone trying to sucker you into giving them your money. A rather sweeping generalization I'd say. I have a good friend, Jon Walker, who operates a small business under the title of Toxic Foils. He has been a hydrofoiler for over 10 years and has produced a number of custom hydrofoil wing designs that have improved the handling and performance of foils. Several years back, he came to a crossroads, enlarge his business and mass produce and market these things, or, stay true to his roots and tinker with different designs to produce lighter, stronger wings and struts. He chose the latter. Yes, he does sell product, but each one is custom made(by his hand). Since he is not in the full time business of cranking out wings, it has allowed him to expand his creativity to things like custom wakeboard fins(make from G-10), and and new carbon fiber foilboard strut and wing for big wave foil surfing. The guy is a natural innovator and enjoys the design and labor, followed by "product testing". Surely there are others who are out there who are not solely motivated by profit.

I suspect the same concept of slingshotting yourself like at a cable park???

Jonathan,

Sorry. I guess that's what happens when I copy someone's post and insert some different words, Mad-Libs-style.

The whole post was facetious anyway. Unfortunately, I did a bad job putting a big logical NOT in front of Scott's post (wasn't really trying). Obviously, "not always true" is not logically equivalent to "always not true."