OCEAN CITY, Md.- Getting people who love being on wheels back in the game and promoting a new sport.
Those are the two goals that Don Sandusky is trying to achieve with his new brand SUPSKATE Custom Land Paddles. Sandusky is the owner of Hamboards and the company has been rejuvenating the surfing on land concept.
He and some riders were demonstrating the land paddles at the Maryland Coast Bike Festival and allowed people to try them out. Sandusky says his product caters to older people who love skateboarding but maybe don’t feel comfortable getting back on the board.
"It’s getting middle-aged guys like me back on a skateboard," Sandusky said. "I can't tell you how many guys that want to try to longboard again and they’ve seen the advancements in the technology but they are scared to death to get on a board and fall down. "
The paddle helps to keep your body stable as you ride.
Hamboards sponsored three SUPSKATE teams to race at a 24-hour Ultra Skate in Miami back in January. Jacob Puharek of New Castle County says the sport has an opportunity to grow.
"We kind of dived into the endurance world of it all and I think even though it’s paddle boarding on land, people always say that," Puharek said. "But it’s so much more still like you can actually like I did 65 miles on a paddle on a board like you can go forever."
Sandusky is planning to organize an Ocean City paddle boarding race at Northside Park this summer as he looks to introduce the sport to people and continue to show his products.