Hammerhead Resort 101

8/10/2019 Hammerhead Resort 101

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HAMMERHEAD SLEDSResort Operations 101

Winning new customers with Americas favorite past!time

Performance Sledding

Hammerhead Resort Operations | www.hammerheadsleds.com | [email protected] 1
http://www.hammerheadsleds.com/


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IntroHammerhead Performance sleds provide a new way for the general population to experience

mountain resorts!customers come from a wider demographic, not just upper class, well ed!

ucated standard demo. Sledding "and Hammerheading#reach a much broader market since

the barrier to entry is lower and with economic conditions bringing families back to the ba!sics of simplified life "and recreation#, its growing. Americas favorite winter past!time can

now be brought to the resort with unparalleled control, safety and success.

New demographic attracted by low barrier to entry

Sledders will appreciate weaker snow conditions that finicky skiers will not and are happy

with runs the size of a small terrain park or narrow trail. "Hammerhead sleds are not de!

signed for full mountain access but fit nicely into unused trails, roped o$sections of trails,

specially cut luge runs and after hours use of trails.# Think amped up tube park.

This guide is simply a starting point pointing out an updated sledding product and some

successes to help generate creative thinking at your mountain. It is by no means definitive.

Why Sledding is PopularExcitement! Ripping down the hill at eye watering speeds with control, comfort and ease is

the simple recreation people are craving for.

Sledding is rich in history and nostalgia. Everybody remembers crisp clear winter days, wet mit!

tens, hot chocolate and the flexible flyer. You may have a sled stored in the attic or garage

"maybe a Flexible Flyer#waiting for that kid to come alive again, only really wishing for a

better sled and a bigger hill.

Family Values. Sledding is the perfect family gathering on winter days or nights. Kids of age,

teens and adults love the fun and exhilaration of showing o$speeding down a hill and par!ents love exposing kids to the fun.

Easy access to venues. Sledding can be done anywhere there is a hill and a little snow. We in

snow country know a local spot to head to when the snow flies. Creative ski areas are al!

ready device friendly!allowing alternative devices that are safe and controllable. Activities

close to home are important in todays world.



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Low impact and low investment. Sledding only requires a controllable means to get down the

hill, a helmet and a warm outfit "things your customers probably already have#. The amount

of gear youd normally take for a ski outing, day kayaking or scuba trip is not required.

No schedule to adhere to/low time investment. Go when you want, not when the facility is open

or when daylight is available. Go late, leave early or just go for one run.

No learning curve. Everyone is a beginner AND an expert.

Health/Fitness. In the age of 600 TV channels, internet surfing, supersize big burgers, Game

Boy and cell phones its nice to have a winter activity that gets you and your family/friends

out of the house breathing fresh air and exercising for your ride.

Co"aborative/Social. This form of recreation allows for get!togethers, races, and events with

hot chocolate and good exercise as the days prize.

The great equalizer. Sledding erases any di$erence in race, sex, strength, smarts, age and ego.You all are created equal on the sled hill. Uphill

Uphill ConsiderationsGetting Hammerheads and people up the hill for runs is very flexible. Sledders dont mind a

short hill climb and will pay for the groomed bigger hill. There are backcountry/AT sled!

ders who will never ride a lift, but the growth comes from the ride up the hill.

1. Walking up. The simplest way is walking with the sled in hand. Being 10 lbs, its a viable

solution especially during event demos or trials.

2. Snowmobile. More rules impact snowmobiles on trails during skiing, but events have

been held where the trail is closed for racing and snowmobiles be!

ing used to bring sleds up when a racer is clear of the course.

3. Magic Carpet. Unused or little used areas served by Magic car!

pet surface lifts provide adequate Hammerheading for many folks.

Especially good for demoing sleds before rental or racing.

4. Platter/T!bar. Riders can sit with feet on steering or lay with



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one hand on steering, one hand on T or platter.

5. Handle Tow. Similar to Platter/T!bar but a bit more jerky

grab. If rider was to let go, they can either stand up and

walk out of the way or steer the sled away from the track

"even if going backwards#.

6. Rope Tow. Lay or sit. Similar to Handle Tow.

7. Chair Lift. Sleds can be loaded on separate chair or held by the

rider. Sleds can be tethered to the rider. They also can be hung

over the bar via the front skis. Mountain bike hooks may be mod!

ified. If hooks are mounted on the outside of the chair, it will

facilitate loading and unloading the devices by the lift operator.

"ANSI B!77 code dictates that foot passengers must load and un!

load a chairlift that is running at 250 fpm or less.#thus makessense to use during o$peak hours or after hours. Detachable lifts

have fewer issues however usually go to terrain unsuitable for the

Hammerhead.

Sleds and riders must be attached by way of safety leash to avoid

falling from the lift. Leashes may be of suitable material and be

securely connected to the safety point on the sled and the riders ankle. Coiled leashes are

the best for limited entanglement.

The Hammerhead ProSledThe HAMMERHEAD sled pro!

vides a controllable means to get

down the hill safely and comfort!

ably. Its weight at 10 lbs, makes use easy and safe.

With the HAMMERHEAD, all the maneuvers that

can be accomplished with skis on the main hill can be

done in a simpler, safer manner such as slalom races



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"dual or single#, terrain park tricks and general recreational sliding.

The HAMMERHEAD is bringing fun recreation and simple competition to the general

public. This only serves to get more people out and active in the winter. You have an op!

portunity to leverage the popularity of the simple recreation of controlled sledding and

bring it to the mountain, exposing them to the rest of the resort world. In addition, the sled

allows folks with handicaps, delicate knees, or frail bodies to enjoy the slopes.

Many resorts o$er for rent and/or allow ski bikes, snowcycles, snow!scooters and other snow

devices on the slopes or in limited areas. This trend is growing and is a relatively safe prac!

tice. Ski bikes a relatively heavy, bulky and jagged device is being allowed to mingle with

skiers and snowboarders at many resorts with minimal negative e$ects. Sledding with the

Hammerhead should enjoy much of the same privileges and more as it is theoretically safer

being light!weight and more controllable, however it is lower and may not be as visible toskiers.

Sleds may be branded to the resort.



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Hammerhead Venue IdeasA HAMMERHEAD sled can be used to

carve turns and is considered a directional

device, similar to skis and snowboards.

Because the snow sled user can control

their speed with turns, and direction of

travel, they, as a participant in the sport,

must conform to the wording used in most

of the existing skier statutes. The NSAA

"Your Responsibility Code" uses very inclu!

sive language, from the standpoint of the

users on the hill, "skiers, snowboarders,

telemarkers, guests using adaptive equipment".

1. HAMMERHEAD Race Park! Create a special area "a roped o$part of a trail#for timed

slalom, downhill or sledder cross racing. Typically it looks like a miniature GS layout!

3!6 whisker gates, finish zone runout, B netting around obstacles. Berms can be thrown

in. This can be opened up daily or weekly for Race Events.

2. HAMMERHEAD Fun Park!Small banks, obstacles, small bumps "never jump the sled

for safety#, tables. Blend the sleds in with existing tube/terrain parks if the slope is shal!

low and speeds slower. Typically a Green trail is good for mixing skiers and Hammer!

heads.

3. Demonstration Area~ It is advantageous to set up a small sled run in view for attracting

guests to try the sled in a controlled environment. One or two whisker gates may be in!

cluded. It can be done at a certain time or assisted with ambassadors.



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Hammerhead Event Ideas1. Evening Group Rides "tour#~ After hours down toll/access road with headlights, taillights

and tour leader. This can keep customers at the mountain longer, kids can tour while par!

ents spend money in the bar. Non!Skiers who may never be able to experience the moun!

tain can now have access.

2. Races~ Weekly or daily races provide entertainment to the bored of skiing at 2PM

crowd. Skiers now ski less than 3.5 hours a day. Again, bring new guests to the mountain

with corporate leagues that all can attend. You no longer discriminate to the skiing/

boarding population. Company PR or other event Race !a higher!profile event that

provides a unique opportunity for company team building, client development and fun

head!to!head competition between the participating companies. Unlike ski races, the

participant neednt know how to ski, increasing the target market substantially. "A limited

number of companies buy a team slot for xx employees, clients or vendors and their guestsfor example.# These team members are randomly paired with an intermediate alpine ath!

lete or a celebrity guest from the area. This team competes against the other teams in a

fun!filled slalom race at your resort. The guests enjoy all the amenities at the resort.

3. Training/Lessons%although the sled is intuitive, there are a number of advanced maneu!

vers to train on including sitting, lean turning and just getting non!active folks out there

on a device for the first time. Provide a Hammerhead License upon completion.

4. Dedicated luge trail !Cut a trail 2x width of snowcat. Groom the center and leave the

outer edge a bu$er zone. Corners can be wider and banked depending on sharpness.

Provide stopping zones for long trails "flatten to less than 10 degrees#. Engage the cus!

tomer with speed traps, obstacles, etc.

Reducing Risk1. Control the environment. Tube parks being at the far end of the spectrum!a fully

contained, sterile slope with lanes divided by berms and a uphill runout is the most con!

tained environment available. Being a controllable sled, the Hammerhead puts the liabili!

ty more towards the rider and warrants more freedoms. Tubes on the other hand are un!

controllable in direction of travel, direction of pilot "could travel backwards#and bounce

o$any bump. They are the most dangerous sliding device available but many resorts

know how to incorporate them.



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2. Slope grade or speed. Make sure you have a grade that is green in nature or Blue "5!

30that tapers back to green "shallow#periodically to slow or fully stop. Keep the

speeds low in general. On a sled with body low to the snow, the speed seems twice as fast!

20!30 mph is a good max speed but again should be varied to naturally slow riders in sec!

tions. The sled has been successfully tested at 85 km/h but control is diminished above 35mph.

3. Runout flat or uphill. Assure that even the person who attempts to continue without

stopping will stop. Additionally add B netting as needed to assure stopping if an obsta!

cle is available. Berms are helpful. Slow the riders before any interaction with skiers.

4. Train/educate riders. A short course on a demo run or actual run on laying, control!

ling, turning, stopping, pulling into deeper snow, passing, drifting, etc.

5. Rules.Post rules on signs at bottom and top of sled hill. "Clothing, Age, On Trail, etc#.

Ask us for typical rules list.

6. Guides. Runs "if long enough#can be guided with a patrol or ski school in the front of

the group "and in the back if large group#.

7. Soft/Lightweight device. The Hammerhead is lightweight and has soft edges for unin!

tended contact. Unlike Ski bikes, impact will be minimal. It has a safety leash to help

keep it from leaving the rider.

8. Mixing Skierswith Hammerhead. In general, initially do not mix on trails. We have

had great success with mixing on green trails since speeds are slow and accidental impactsare negligible. Better to rope o$a section for sleds and skiers if the two must co!exist on

a steeper slope.

9.Waiver. Sign release waiver. Waiver is another component to a good risk management

policy. Place Performance Sledding on ski ticket

10. Sharp trail corners.Pad/hay bale close by trees, net corner or cut trees for a bu$er

zone around sharp corners as a safety margin if there is something other than soft snow.

11. Age limit 10/12. Riders need to be able to reach the controls while simultaneously

dragging feet for slowing. Use a hight/weight chart. They need to be strong enough tosteer and be in control. Heavier folks may not compromise the sled, but over 260 may

feel uncomfortable.

12. Gear. Require helmet, goggles, cold weather gear such as gloves, boots. Possibly partner

with helmet manufacturer and provide full face helmets. Cold weather gear is a must as

sledding can be colder than skiing "less active down hill#.



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13. Police the rules. Do not let sledders get out of control for everyones safety. A few bad

sledders can hurt the sport and give it a bad name.

Pricing/Revenue ModelPricing models are flexible and are all over the spectrum based on the resorts goals and

needs. For example, a mountain can set up a very inexpensive evening of 2 hours sledding

"'20 nominal fee#in an unused venue with handle tow for teens while the parents sat in the

lounge sipping expensive cocktails. It keeps people at the resort longer.

Tenney Mountain resort o$ered '30 racing weekly Saturday afternoons when folks got tired

of skiing and wanted something else to do. They were 3 runs, timed and it included the

sleds . The hill was sectioned from a portion of the wider trail.

Outfitters rent the sleds per hour or daily from '5/hr to '20 or half day/full day rates. Guid!

ed tours go for '60 depending on the run"s#. Its all about fitting the sled into your opera!tion/needs.

A resort in Quebec is planning a dedicated luge run cut for the Hammerhead. This 9.4

KM long run will have plenty of turns, rest stops, gondola ride up and be chaperoned.

Tube parks typically charge '28 for 2 hours of simple tubing.



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Typical Questions and Answers

How long have you been in business?

Hammerheads have been sold to the general public since 2004 when EMS and select out!

door stores first started carrying it. Since then weve shipped over 7,000 sleds mostly to the

US.

Where do I get a HAMMERHEAD sled?

Factory direct through our web site and through various exclusive outdoor retailers includ!

ing EMS, REI, Amazon, LLBean and Outdoor specialty/Ski shops.

Where can I ride it?

Ride the HAMMERHEAD anywhere you would ride a plastic sled and venues shown on

our resort/sled hill Google Map.

Can I customize the sled?

The HAMMERHEAD is outfitted for resorts with wider Pro Carving rear skis, Poly!

cabonate front skis, Safety Leash, Ski Clips and can also carry the Armor Skins and Lights

Are there clubs and events I can join?

Yes, see the web site for up!to!date events listing and to join the exclusive HAMMER!

HEAD social site www.hammerheadsleds.com.

Does this fit in my car easy?

Yes, its about the same size as a Flexible Flyer and 5 fit in the back of a Subaru Outback for

example. It also travels well in rooftop carriers, ski racks and bike racks. Its very light too.

Can I put this on my ski rack?

Yes, you can mount this on most ski racks using typical paddle/mast connectors, bike rests

and in roof carriers.

Why is it so light weight?

The careful design and analysis of strength on computers enabled the engineers to make

precise use of aircraft aluminum, light!weight plastics, and fabric!materials that were un!



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heard of in sledding until now. Lightness = safety and ability to carry around "not mention!

ing performance#.

The fabric looks unique, what is it?

The fabric is a relatively new material that is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer. It is light,strong, cold resistant, doesnt form to shape and provides a surreal cushioned ride.

Sledding is dangerous; this sled looks fast so it must be dangerous, right?

While there is relative risk in any action we take "including sleeping#, compared to other

sleds and other activities, the HAMMERHEAD sled designed with safety in mind from the

beginning. The sled is the best performing sled in the market meaning that turning, er!

gonomic riding position and even suspension give positive control in all conditions. In ad!

dition, sled has no sharp points, edges, exposed fasteners, and has very soft controls and sur!

faces to minimize hurt. Plus it is very light!minimal mass. Sledding can be dangerous!Please read owners guide and warning placards before riding. Always wear a helmet! Re!

sorts will have contained areas to use the Hammerhead. Ever seen a tube go down the hill

uncontrolled?

Can I take this sled to the local ski area?

Each ski area has their own rules about devices that can ride up chair lifts, and mingle with

other skiers, snowboarders, and other toys. If you look closely, youll see ski bikes, ski jacks,

snow scooters and more up there these days. Other snow toys have already created the

ability to use alternative devices on mountains. Ski areas are looking for ways to increaseskier visits and that melds with non!discrimination especially if the device is safe.

We are creating a list of HAMMERHEAD approved ski areas on the web site.

Can I go head first?

Yes, the HAMMERHEAD is designed for both the sit down, lay down position "better visi!

bility and head safety#, and for lay down position "lower center of gravity and better hand

control#. Its ergonomic platform is designed to be comfortable in both positions. Be sure to

wear your helmet and goggles either way.

How can you say this is the best performing sled on the market?

The HAMMERHEAD design team has put in countless hours testing and comparing to the

best sleds available in the marketplace. We have designed in the best turning radius, suspen!

sion, snow/ski dynamics, speed, under steer/over steer !all in multiple snow conditions, hill



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pitches, snow depths, and temperatures. In all aspects the HAMMERHEAD beat the

competition.

The HAMMERHEAD looks beautiful and light, but how wi"it hold up?

High on the list of HAMMERHEAD design criteria was durable construction. We havestress analyzed the sled theoretically on the computer "FEA analysis#, and physically on the

hill. We can safely say the sled is able to handle normal wear and tear plus a bit more. Well

back up our claim with warrantee of 1 year. All parts are replaceable. We have held weekly

races at Tenney Mountain in NH for 3 years with minimal issues and great success!

How do I get service and support?

Contact us via the full service web site "Email#or phone number. We stock all parts and can

ship them the same day in many cases.

Is the HAMMERHEAD fast?

Yes, the HAMMERHEAD is as fast as any sled out there for all intents and purposes. Hav!

ing said that, going 50+ mph down a mountain in the alps is an absurd speed with any gravity

sled. In fact anything over a few miles per hour is wasted fun as any sled loses steering abili!

ty, safety margin and general control. We purposely designed a sled that will glide as far as

possible providing the most fun per hour, not concentrating on sheer speed, but accuracy,

and the fine details of the ride. The HAMMERHEAD will out perform any sled with

greater control.

Where did the styling come #om?

The styling came from a great industrial design team. It resembles a traditional sled in some

ways, but has that HAMMERHEAD Shark look with its head geometry and of course

uses high!end materials well suited for each task. It also shares the snowmobile shape as it is

very stable with the wide steering stance and long narrower body.



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Typical Rules/Signage

Sled Warnings

Trail Warnings

Hammerhead Trail Sample


Documents

Hammerhead Resort 101