ThePADDLER 22
TAKEOFF
From the Chairman of the ‘ Board ’
Words and photos : Shaun Holmes
As a young boy , I was petrified of getting into the water , but I was mad about boating on the water . My dad owned a boat shop and would attempt to lure me into pools and dams with all manner of water toys , but it was not until I went to school that my love for being in the water began . My stepfather , Clive , was an eager waveskier and bought our whole family of six , each a waveski . He showed us all the basics and took me to see the world waveski surfing titles at my home break , Nahoon Reef in East London , South Africa . I was captivated and immediately pronounced that one day I would be a champion .
Fifteen years later , I ’ d won numerous South African national waveski titles and had successfully made the finals of my first junior world waveski championship in Jeffreys Bay , South Africa . It had not been an easy ride . I had damaged my board , smashed out two fins , and the board had taken on water . Despite these issues , I told my girlfriend that I would win the following day . That confidence and hard work paid off , and the following day , I won the junior world waveski title .
Life in South Africa was amazing , but the desire to explore the world and surf new breaks was too strong . I worked in IT , and as much as I wanted to get paid to surf , I am a geek at heart and pursued a career in technology to fund my surfing adventures .
Eighteen years later , I find myself bald , still beautiful though , married to my wonderful Jenny , with three fantastic kids and on the cusp of a new venture Waiike .
Waiike , pronounced ‘ wake ’, was born out of frustration . Technology allows anyone to get almost anything delivered the next day ; the problem is knowing which product or service is just right .
THE WORLD OF APPS
My tech career helped me identify a similar problem in the watersports market . The world of applications ( apps ) is super confusing , and almost every category has hundreds , if not thousands , of very similar apps to get a job done ! Choosing the right app is timeconsuming ; however , the model allows for easy evaluation . You can create a free limited time period or functionality account or pay a monthly fee and use the application until you determine whether it is right for you or not . You still have to do the work to choose an eventual winner , but the barrier to entry is frictionless .
Waiike aims to provide a similar ‘ watersports equipment as a service ’ model . We will initially cover four primary watersports categories , Paddle , Surf ,
Wind and Novelty . You pick the equipment you feel you need or want for your desired duration . We will post it to the location of your choice ( within the UK for now ). You then go on your adventures . Take pictures ; we would love you to share these with Waiike and have fun . When done , drop your product at your local drop-off point , and it will be sent back to us . We will take care of the maintenance , storage and renewal . All you need to do is plan your next adventure . If you fall in love with a product and want to buy it , we can sell you a brand new one , or if the product you have has already served its Waiike allowed service hours , you may be able to buy it .
PRIMARY FOCUS
Waiike ’ s primary focus is to offer a convenient way to hire watersports equipment . I wanted this service personally . As it did not exist , I have sunk all my tech entrepreneurial skills into making an online hiring experience that is easy to use , affordable and provides the best watersports equipment possible . I liken the service to having a wealthy mate with all the best kit who is happy for you to use it and just pay towards its upkeep and any breakages .
We currently work with the most trusted brands in our industry . Using Waiike will ensure you always get top quality products at competitive prices . Time is short . Buying the wrong kit can be costly in both time and money , not to mention frustrating ! Waiike gives you the freedom to hire as many products as you like as often as you like , try everything , why not ? The flexibility is refreshing . We cannot wait to help you enjoy the time you have on the water .
We welcome your feedback , thoughts and especially want to hear your product suggestions . If you own a brand and would like to work with Waiike .
See you on the water soon .