Take a trip on the Supski
This is a GoPro recording of a test I made with The Supski Pole Paddle System. The track is noisy and the new design eliminates the problem.
Invention Background and Business Plan
Supski comes from the terms stand up paddle board ~ SUP and cross country ski ~ Xski. The Supski Pole Paddle System was originally invented to offer cross country skiers a summertime workout.
When a “garage prototype” was exhibited at Surf Expo, interest from people of all walks of life was strong, even kids. This interest has given validation to this new concept for propelling a paddle board, cross country skiing on water.
I promised these two young fellows at Surf Expo that I would make Supskis that they could use. Up until this point it never occurred to me that kids might be interested and they certainly were.
The Supski Pole Paddle System
The Pole Paddle System consists of parallel tracks which can be mounted onto a paddle board or be built into a hard board. Along these tracks slide two paddle slide boxes which house rotating paddles. Adjustable poles connect to the rotating paddles through U-joints. Rotating grips which are connected to the poles are grasped by the user. The user rotates the paddles into the water and then pushes back on both poles to propel the paddle board forward. At the end of the stroke, retraction springs assist the user in getting the paddles out of the water and then the user pulls the poles forward to the begin the next stroke. The user can push back on both poles together or one side and then the other. Turns are made by locking one side in position and pushing the pole on the other side back or by pushing back on one side and pulling forward on the other. Reverse can be accomplished by keeping the paddles out of the water and pushing the poles back, then rotating the paddles into the water and pulling forward.
Having two poles to hold onto makes balancing on a paddle board very easy. Controlling the board with the pole paddles is also much easier than regular paddle boarding. It is also easier to keep the paddle board on a straight line.
prototype tests
These images are from earlier prototype tests. Once the new design has been manufactured, I look forward to presenting the Supski to new groups of interested users. There was never a shortage of interested parties every time I took the system out on the water for testing.
Target Markets
cross country skiers
Obviously the pole paddle system will be attractive to cross country skiers as the upper body technique used to power the Supski is very similar to that of cross country skiing. This will ensure that the shoulder, chest and arm muscles are maintained throughout the summertime.
kids
Young kids expressed a strong interest in The Pole Paddle System when it was exhibited at Surf Expo. Judging from the above photo one can see how difficult it is for kids to wield a paddle board paddle and have any fun doing it. The Supski will be a lot easier for them to control and get enjoyment out of paddle boarding. They can finally join their parents on paddle board trips as well as having fun racing each other.
older adults
Many older adults would enjoy paddle boarding if it wasn't so difficult to balance. With the dual pole paddle system it is easy to balance on a paddle board and have complete control. As the inventor, the very first time I got on a paddle board with the system, I was able to propel myself towards the middle of the lake and back with no balance issues whatsoever. I knew immediately that the design was solid as I have balance issues.
regular paddle boarders
Regular paddle boarders may find the pole paddle system a great alternative to regular paddle boarding for a couple of reasons. First, because it is a different type of workout and they might find it rewarding. Second and most importantly, if you've ever observed someone sitting down on a paddle board and paddling into a strong wind, it often becomes impossible for them to make forward progress. With The Pole Paddle System you can sit down and row facing forward making it easy to make way into a head wind.
sit down and row facing forward
The Pole Paddle System can be used to row facing forward. This creates an entirely new dynamic for rowing. While one might not be able to travel the great distances that can be done rowing with long paddles, the physical benefits that one gets rowing are basically the same with the Supski. Rowing while facing forward has to be an added plus.
the pole paddle system with a sliding seat
The Supski Velcro Paddle Board can hold a sliding seat in place to create one fast "row facing forward" machine. This dynamic design will have onlookers watching you make rapid progress across the water.
While paraplegics have often enjoyed rowing as a sport, using The Pole Paddle System will allow them to paddle board along with their friends, something very difficult to do with long oars. Supski makes rowing more social.
sports medicine rehabilitation
For those with lower extremity injuries, The Pole Paddle System is a great platform for rehabilitation. The users can start out by rowing on the board. Once the legs have gotten stronger the users can power the board while on their knees. Finally they will be able to stand up and paddle to complete their rehabilitation.
paddle surfing
When I had a paddle board manufactured onto which the tracks could attach, the workers at the manufacturing plant were very interested in seeing how the Supski would perform surfing in the ocean. This idea remains to be seen.
shooting the rapids
While not everyone has the moxie to shoot the rapids on a paddle board, I believe there are plenty of X-Gamers out there that would find paddling a board with the two pole paddles would give them more control than one paddle and take shooting the rapids to a whole new level.
in summary
The Supski is basically for everyone, young and old, new to the sport or seasoned veteran. Powering a paddle board with The Pole Paddle System takes paddle boarding to an entirely new dimension. With a concerted effort targeting all these markets, Supski can be established as an up and coming brand to follow.
launching the product
Rentals
Rental companies can be targeted to become dealers, as a go to source for consumers to try out the Supski. Anyone who hears about the Supski could do a zip code search on our website to find the nearest dealer to try before they buy.
paddle board race
Having a paddle board race for the Supski rollout will gain widespread exposure for the product. Rental companies can provide promotional material to interested individuals who want to enter the race. Social media promotion will also get the word out for this inaugural race. Becoming the Iron Man and Woman of paddle boarding while paddling, rowing and skiing on the Supski could become quite the honor in addition to its cash rewards. A beer sponsor for the event would go a long way to making the event successful and profitable.
influencers like page spiranac
Someone like Page Spiranac with four million Instagram followers would be an excellent spokesmodel for Supski. She would be a huge draw hosting the Supski Challenge paddle board race. Offering her a small percentage of equity in the business might be the trick to get her to commit. Having other influencers testing out the Supski opens up many avenues for marketing. They could film themselves with GoPros mounted on the board and with drones to provide us with dynamic marketing videos.
big box houses
In my fantasy world, I walk into Dick's Sporting Goods and walk out with an order for 4000 units. It's certainly not that easy an accomplishment but should be pursued vigorously with Dick's, Academy Sports, West Marine and others.
News story
While promoting an early prototype of the Supski, I contacted WPTV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach, FL about the invention. They came out and did a story on me and aired it one Saturday afternoon when there was nothing else going on. That one time airing got a dozen interested buyers. A video news release about the Supski Challenge paddle board race could be sent to stations all over the country as a human interest story.
senior living communities
Senior living communities with lakes around the property offer a wonderful opportunity for selling Supskis. It's a perfect setup for older adults to get the exercise they need. A half hour a day is all they would need to stay in great shape.
destination resorts
Destination resorts like Sandals should be targeted as this provides opportunities for large volume sales. People on vacation like to try new things and the Supski certainly fits into that category.
tradeshows
Exhibiting at Surf Expo and Ski Expos around the country will expose ten of thousands of people to the Supski Pole Paddle System. It worked with my garage prototype. With a fully functional shelf ready product, it should be able to do large volumes of sales to markets here and abroad.
Regular Paddle Board races
Exhibiting the Supski at regular paddle board races will also give greater exposure to the product. Units can be donated for raffle prizes. Imagine if a board powered by The Pole Paddle System was allowed to compete and won the race.
Social Media
The top social media apps and platforms for 2024
1. Facebook — 3.05 billion MAUs 2. WhatsApp — 2.78 billion MAUs. 3. YouTube — 2.49 billion MAUs.
4. Instagram — 2.04 billion MAUs. 5. WeChat — 1.32 billion MAUs. 6. TikTok — 1.22 billion MAUs.
7. Telegram — 800 million MAUs. 8. Snapchat — 750 million MAUs. 9. Kuaishou — 673 million MAUs.
10. Sina Weibo — 599 million MAUs. 11. QQ — 571 million MAUs. 12. QQ — 558 million MAUs.
13. X (formerly Twitter) — 550 million MAUs. 14. Pinterest — 465 million MAUs. 15. Reddit — 430 million MAUs.
16. LinkedIn — 424 million MAUs. 17. Quora — 300 million MAUs. 18. Discord — 154 million MAUs.
19. Twitch — 140 million MAUs. 20. Tumblr — 135 million MAUs. 21. Threads by Instagram — 100 million MAUs.
MAU = Monthly Active Users
1. Facebook — 3.05 billion MAUs 2. WhatsApp — 2.78 billion MAUs. 3. YouTube — 2.49 billion MAUs.
4. Instagram — 2.04 billion MAUs. 5. WeChat — 1.32 billion MAUs. 6. TikTok — 1.22 billion MAUs.
7. Telegram — 800 million MAUs. 8. Snapchat — 750 million MAUs. 9. Kuaishou — 673 million MAUs.
10. Sina Weibo — 599 million MAUs. 11. QQ — 571 million MAUs. 12. QQ — 558 million MAUs.
13. X (formerly Twitter) — 550 million MAUs. 14. Pinterest — 465 million MAUs. 15. Reddit — 430 million MAUs.
16. LinkedIn — 424 million MAUs. 17. Quora — 300 million MAUs. 18. Discord — 154 million MAUs.
19. Twitch — 140 million MAUs. 20. Tumblr — 135 million MAUs. 21. Threads by Instagram — 100 million MAUs.
MAU = Monthly Active Users
Social media will play a key role in gaining market share with properly targeted campaigns for each platform. With my background in video production and graphic art design, we can save thousands in marketing and promotion costs.
magazines & Online publications
Ad campaigns in magazines and online publications offer another effective means of establishing the Supski brand by promoting and selling products all over the world.
manufacturing & Pricing
While not yet firmly defined, goals for manufacturing the attachable unit are in the $100.00 range with a list price of $300.00. A dedicated inflatable board for attaching the unit is around $125.00, also retailing in the $300.00 range. The hard board with the tracks built in will be much pricier with costs anticipated to be around $750.00 for the manufacturing and upwards of $2200.00 list for the unit. More accurate numbers will be obtained once the next generation prototype models have been made. Unfortunately, I lacked the funds to accomplish this otherwise I would have the numbers down. For decision making purposes, I believe we can work with these numbers.
but wait, there's more.
sliding hand paddles
At the same time The Pole Paddle System was being developed, I created a sit down version that operated without the poles and called it The Sliding Hand Paddles. Originally I thought it would be used to paddle lightly around the shoreline for people to lounge around and get some sun, not for any great lengths or workout routines. When I started testing it with kids in the ocean, it became clear there was a possibility that this design could be used to surf waves.
I conducted one test with The Sliding Hand Paddles attached to a kayak. There were some performance issues which I believe can be overcome. Prototype tests need to be completed with the new design and to see what develops.
sliding hand paddles current design
Made from aluminum tubes, HDPE plastic and adjustable paddles, The Sliding Hand Paddles can be manufactured for under $100.00. The high tech look and unique stroke will attract interest every where it is seen.
A shelf ready prototype of a Velcro paddle board onto which the tracks for The Pole Paddle System and The Sliding Hand Paddles will attach has already been manufactured.
capital
To proceed, $40,000 in capital is required to finish the two paddle system prototypes and create copies for testing with influencers. Upon completion of this phase $200,000 will be needed for opening inventory, marketing and promotion as well as operations. Will $200,000 be sufficient? Depends on how aggressive a product launch campaign we decide to follow. It's certainly not enough should a box house want the product. We should be so fortunate. Should a Kickstarter campaign be utilized for pre-sales? Let's have this discussion as well.
I have established a goal of an average markup of 67%. Therefore, $1,000,000 worth of sales would mean $600,000 for inventory and should the $200,000 mentioned above be accurate, then the company's gross profit would $200,000. If the average sale is $500 then the company needs to sell 2000 units for $1M in sales. I think 10,000 units and a first year sales goal of $5,000,000 is certainly possible. We're going to be worldwide so I am confident these numbers are not out of line. All we have to do is follow the plan outlined above and success will be within our grasp.
I look forward to your involvement with Supski.
Guy C.
I have established a goal of an average markup of 67%. Therefore, $1,000,000 worth of sales would mean $600,000 for inventory and should the $200,000 mentioned above be accurate, then the company's gross profit would $200,000. If the average sale is $500 then the company needs to sell 2000 units for $1M in sales. I think 10,000 units and a first year sales goal of $5,000,000 is certainly possible. We're going to be worldwide so I am confident these numbers are not out of line. All we have to do is follow the plan outlined above and success will be within our grasp.
I look forward to your involvement with Supski.
Guy C.
Sliding and Paddles Manufacturing Guide Download
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