Austin Swanberg. Photo: Mick Pauly
Flyboarding gives area residents a unique way to experience summer on the lake.
When considering summer water sports, activities like swimming, wakeboarding and water skiing often come to mind. This was true for the Swanberg family until a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2016.
At the beach one day, they came across an opportunity to try flyboarding, essentially a water-powered jet pack that propels a rider high into the air. Scott Swanberg and his son, Austin Swanberg, decided to give it a shot. They were instantly hooked and decided to purchase a flyboarding setup for the family of six to enjoy upon their return to White Bear Lake. “It’s a very unique sport. It’s fun and exciting and something different,” Scott says.
The flyboarding setup involves a personal watercraft (PWC) connected to the flyboard by a long, high-pressure hose. Water from the PWC is forced through the hose and out of the jets beneath the rider’s feet, creating the lift. A handheld remote controls the throttle via Bluetooth, allowing the rider to increase power to rise higher or ease off to descend. Because the PWC powers the flyboard, it trails behind the flyboarder as they soar. “There’s really no other feeling like it,” Austin says. “You’re up there, able to move freely, quickly darting from side to side. It’s completely different from any other water sport we’ve ever tried.”
The hose measures approximately 75 feet in length, and riders usually fly comfortably up to 30 feet. Austin and Scott report that the view from 60 feet up is stunning, albeit slightly intimidating.
As the family became more invested in flyboarding, they turned to Bruce Haglund, a fellow flyboarder and South Shore resident, for advice. “Bruce was a big help in teaching us more about the tricks of flyboarding, like how to do different moves and the techniques that help you stay balanced,” Austin says. “And if you do fall, he showed us how to do it safely. Things like that made a big difference.”
Haglund has called White Bear Lake home for 15 years and has always had a special love for everything related to water. He’s been flyboarding since 2013 and says it feels like dancing in the air. “The board responds to every movement, wherever you lean or shift your weight,” he says. “At first, you’re just trying to stand on it, kind of like learning to ride a bike. You don’t do anything fancy right away; you just stay steady and let the board do what it’s supposed to. If you try to make too many adjustments, you’ll wobble. But once you learn to relax and keep your balance straight up and down, you can usually get the hang of it in about 20 or 30 minutes.”
You can catch Scott Swanberg performing at area events like the Fourth of July and White Bear Lake Classic and Vintage Boat Show. Photo: The Swanberg Family
Haglund has competed in flyboarding events domestically and internationally, leading to trips to Dubai, France and Vietnam. In past years, he’s performed for neighbors on White Bear Lake and says he especially enjoys the Friday Flight night shows at Tally’s Dockside. On one occasion, Hagland says, “We were able to fly right up next to the crowd, and we could actually touch hands and give high fives to the crowd that was watching, which was pretty fun.”
Scott has joined Haglund for area performances, including the Fourth of July and White Bear Lake Classic and Vintage Boat Show. “The Swanbergs really got into it, which was cool. It’s just fun to share successes and failures with them, and we’ve worked on back flips and stuff like that together, and it’s fun to watch them out having fun as a family,” Haglund says.
While the Swanbergs still enjoy lake excursions on waterskis and wakeboards, flyboarding has become a favorite shared activity. “I think the most fun part is bringing out friends and having them do it for the first time,” says Paige Swanberg, Scott’s daughter.
Part of the fun is trying new tricks. Austin has done backflips, but he really enjoys doing spins and has also taken his girlfriend on a tandem flight. Paige loves dolphin diving. “That’s where you keep going up and down, so your feet stay just above the water,” Paige says. “You’re maybe 5 or 10 feet up, then you dive straight down with your hands and pop back up again. You can keep doing it a few times in a row. It’s so much fun, kind of like being a mermaid.”
Flyboarding is a thrilling summer activity that turns a lake into a playground and riders into acrobats who seem to defy gravity. It encourages seeing the water—and each other—from a different perspective. “It’s something that’s brought us closer together as a family,” Austin says.
