Flyboarding comes to Whitefish Lake

Leave it up to the French to dream up the next extreme activity. The nation that brought us wing-suit flight and scuba diving has invented the latest craze to hit Whitefish Lake that is a combination of the two — flyboarding.

Shawn Finley and Justin Heyne, owners of FlyBoard of Montana, learned about flyboarding last year after watching a friend’s video who tried the sport while in Costa Rica.

“We thought it looked pretty cool, so we started researching it,” Finley said.

They picked up some flyboard gear in Florida and decided this spring to bring the outlandish activity to Montana where they were sure it would be a hit.

The physics of flyboarding are so simple it’s amazing no one had thought of it sooner. A long hose connected to the flyboard is attached to a jetski. The thrust created by the jetski is forced through the hose to initiate liftoff.

Finley says most of their clients can get out of the water on the first try.

“What I love about it is that it’s so easy to do,” said Finley. “This is unbelievably easy and so much fun.”

All of the control is in the rider’s feet and legs. Push your toes down and you’re thrusted forward.

“It’s very agile and easy to move on,” Finley said, equating the control to skiing.

First-time flyboarders are propelled 3 to 5 feet above the water while they get the hang of the sport.

Experienced flyers can rocket up to 45 feet above the water, bounce like a pogo stick, spin flips, or even dive through the water like a dolphin.

“It’s the most incredible feeling ever,” Finley said, who is now good enought to flip and spin with ease.

FlyBoard of Montana offers flights and instruction for $250 an hour or $150 per half-hour.

Make reservations by calling 406-261-5921, or visit online to learn more at www.flyboardofmontana.com.