Tandem Skateboards: Wind up the Winch!

Correspondent Alastair Walton reports on the latest marriage of nautical technology and youthful mobility, from the aisles of the Salon Nautique de Paris, still in session this weekend:

Introducing the winch-powered skateboard

Have you got a length of rope, two skateboards and a couple of spare self-tailing winches sitting in the garage not doing anything? Well, it's time to put them to good use, as demonstrated by a couple of innovative exhibitors at the Salon Nautique de Paris this week.

The method is simple. Bolt your spare winch on to one end of your skateboard and find a nice long aisle at a boat show. Tie a knot in the middle of your rope and wind each around your winch in the normal way. Then get on your skateboard, grab a winch handle and at the command "Alez!" start winching like crazy!

Yes, it's true. The first to winch his way to the knot at the middle of the rope, wins!

Written by: John Burnham

John Burnham is a boat owner, leadership coach, marine writer, editor, and champion sailboat racer. He is the former editor of Sailing World, Cruising World, and boats.com.