Slatz Jet Boards Looming
If you love speed, watersports and raw adrenalin, then a Slatz Jet Board, due for release in Australia on September 1, may well be on this year’s Christmas list.
This high-performance product combines the thrills of wakeboarding, waterskiing and jetskiing in one compact, easy-to-use package, and once you’ve seen some video of the thing in action (visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBLNfh9SmkU), you’ll get an idea of its potential in a watersports-loving market like Australia.
The man behind the Slatz Jet Board is Mitchell Slattery, who also runs NSW-based luxury European car importation and sales business, Slattery Performance. Slattery, who has a background as a marine mechanic, says he first saw a board of this type several years ago in the USA, but back then it suffered from numerous flaws. He spent five years perfecting the design, for which he now holds the international patent.
“There are similar boards out there, but none with this sort of power — you can go from a standing start to 70kmh in no time,” he says, adding that a Slatz Jet Board’s top speed will exceed that figure.
The actual board is made in China, while the engine — a 45hp, 330cc two-stroke — comes from the USA, with the final assembly taking place here in Australia. The Slatz Jet Board weighs 75kg and Slattery says its 4lt tank is good for about an hour and a quarter of regular use (an additional 4lt tank is available as an option).
Riding a Slatz Jet Board is said to be rather like hopping onto a surfboard or wakeboard. The main difference is that the rider holds the “flexi hose” controller with one hand, which stops and starts the engine and controls speed.
The board is covered by a 12-month warranty, and Slattery says it will have a recommended retail price of $7540. It might seem like a fair price to swallow, but compared to the average cost of a PWC (or even the cost of a wakeboat) it’s a viable alternative. Slattery is currently setting up a national dealer network to sell the Slatz Jet Board. Call 0424 177 563 for dealer enquiries.