Worried about the injuries that occur with the traditional v-shaped handle while water skiing, Shawn Simmon has teamed up with Mike Murphy, sports legend and inventor, to create a unique t-shaped handle that will do less harm.
According to The Friday Flyer, kids and adults have suffered injuries ranging from broken bones to death because of the current handle used.
“What’s happening is the traditional handle has an opening created by the V shape of the handle. When people fall, they are getting their arm or, in some cases, their head caught in the opening of the handle,” says Shawn. “When you fall with the boat going 18 to 36 mph, it causes very serious injuries. A close friend doing a handle pass trick put his arm through the handle and broke his arm in an “S” shape. This injury happened on Canyon Lake waters and further pushed us to invent the T-handle.”
Shawn says the unique design and shape eliminates the opening of a traditional handle, greatly reducing the chance of injury. The new shape of the T-handle performs better and creates more of a solid pull for both water-skiing and wakeboarding.
The inventors say they designed and tested the two models of their design, aluminum and carbon fiber, and the patent is pending. They started a company to market the T-handle and other ski supplies at www.handlehut.com.
Photo by Paul Savala