Mako Boardsports Launch Next Generation Jetboard

Featuring a high modulus carbon fibre monocoque design, direct-drive axial-flow jetdrive and high performance 100cc 2-stroke engine capable of speeds in excess of 30mph. Slingshot’s lightweight enough to carry anywhere, powerful enough to surf everywhere.

Mako Boardsports, a technology-focused manufacturer of motorised watercraft, today announced a new generation of jetboard: The Mako Slingshot. With its real shortboard feel, the Mako Slingshot combines agile rider-active handling with stability and drive. The sleek herringbone carbon fibre exterior conceals a muscular heart that beats pure power and can launch riders to speeds in excess of 30mph. The Slingshot is playful, easy-to-ride and offers heart-pounding thrills on every wave, opening the door to an entirely new level of surfing experience.

“The Mako Slingshot is a new generation of jetboard that improves on everything we love about playing on water,” said Gilo Cardozo, Mako Boardsports Founder and Chief Technology Officer. “Powered surfboards have been around for decades but no one has ever made a good job of developing it. So we set about producing an advanced, powerful, fast, exciting, lightweight, formula one style jetboard, and eighteen months later we are launching the Mako Slingshot.” 

The Mako Slingshot is a masterful and intuitive blend of three core fundamentals: advanced hydrodynamics, premium composite materials and aerospace manufacturing technology. A next generation surfboard achieved by relentlessly engineering each detail so that all the elements work harmoniously together including those subtle details that are not so obvious, just simply experienced. Each feature has been evaluated and refined to maximise in-water performance while maintaining a superior level of control and stability.

Slingshot’s lightweight carbon fibre construction makes the board easily transportable and able to fit comfortably into the back of a car; so there’s no need for a trailer or friend to lend a hand when getting the board down to the water. From the external re-fuelling cap to the accessible quick release battery pack, Slingshot’s organised layout simplifies setup and gets rid of unnecessary faff and focuses on putting the necessities at the rider’s fingertips, so the impulse to ride feels less like a chore and increases enjoyment in the moment.

Slingshot’s press-catch cowling opens at the touch of three buttons to provide convenient, direct access to the spacious engine bay and the Rotron XT100 two-stroke powerplant. Delivering high levels of torque and an instantaneous response to your demand for power, the XT100 offers plenty of thrust even at low rpm, while the pre-tuned precision jetted carburettor and racing exhaust, with double reflection sonic supercharging, boosts this compact powerhouse for effortless top-end performance and a thrilling riding experience sure to ignite the senses. That feeling as the engine hits max revs leaves no question as to why the Mako Slingshot sets the standard for power, acceleration and efficiency.

The XT100 engine is cradled on easily accessible mounting points for easy maintenance, while multiple bulkheads and drainage channels protect it from sea and foul water. When out on the water, riders are there to escape the stresses of daily life, not add to them. That’s why the XT100 is bred to perform in this hugely demanding environment and thanks to aerospace and motorsport-derived technologies, is built tough, to deliver the most critical feature of all – peace of mind.

Slingshot’s hydrodynamics are perfectly balanced to give outstanding control, so it’s easier than ever to jump on a board regardless of skill level. The hull design ensures the board offers a high level of stability, maintaining composure over virtually any water surface both in a straight line or while carving through turns. The ergonomic handheld throttle puts all the control right in the palm of the rider’s hand and acts as a safe, secure link between rider and the board. Ignition of the XT100 engine is at the touch of the conveniently placed button, simplifying the start-stop procedure both on land and out in the water. Pull back the intuitive trigger control to accelerate with ease, propelling rider from leisurely cruise to a pulse-pounding 30mph in seconds. From beginners to pros, The Mako Slingshot offers a unique, powerful and versatile experience that brings the art of surfing into the modern age and redefines how we use our waterways and oceans.

Jim Edmondson, Mako Boardsports CEO said “When we sat down and asked ourselves why we should develop the Mako Slingshot, we realised that we wanted our jetboard to be the one thing our customers reached for to fulfil that one slot of time when you actually get to do something that makes your life fun. No one really takes that time anymore to say, you know what, I want to do something for me, and I want it to be recreational; I want it to take my breath away; to get me buzzing. For us, that’s what Mako Boardsports is all about. It’s about fulfilling that segment of timeaway from our hectic lives, that makes us feel – I want to be alive!”

In the interest of delivering the best buying experience and high levels of service to consumers, the Mako Slingshot jetboard is available to purchase exclusively through the company’s website makoboardsports.com. The Mako Slingshot retails for £9000 GBP ($11,750 USD).