SW RICK FRANKEN (FOREGROUND)
PASSED AWAY IN MARCH. PHOTO: COURTESY BOMBER GEAR
Paddlers’ faith in the brand had been restored, and by 2008, demand for Bomber Gear equipment was high enough for Fran- ken and new business partner, freestyle world champion and Sha- man’s Smiley Nose Plug creator, Eric Southwick, to take another kick at the can.
In 2010, Bomber Gear reinvented itself again when the brand was sold to Confluence Watersports, parent company to Dagger, Per- ception, Wave Sport and many other established paddling brands. Under Franken’s tireless leadership, the brand has since flourished with bleeding-edge designs in paddling accessories like skirts, dry- tops and this year, dry suits. Franken’s passion for design, knowledge of textiles and uncanny paddling ability paid off, creating what appears to be a drama-free brand for the first time in its 20-year history.
“Last summer I got a deep mystery move, known as a meltdown,”
reads the closing paragraph of the memoir. “It had been 10 years since I visited the caverns in those deep dark halls. As I rotated the blades on my paddle and felt the rush of the whirlpool whip around the boat, the reality hit me. It’s not just about making gear; it’s about creating art for a new dimension of sports. I felt at home. And as my boat shot to the surface, I knew Bomber Gear was back in my heart. An artist must create to be fulfilled.” —Michael Mechan To support the Franken family, visit
www.bombergear.com/news/ tribute-rick-franken for instructions on how to donate to the Franken Children’s Education Fund for Kai and Trina.
www.rapidmag.com 23 © 2013 Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
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