The Metamarine Sport Team
Larry Prong, Founder & CEO
Larry Prong heads Metamarine Sport. Larry has a B.Sc. in Crop Science from the University of Guelph. He also has more than 18 years of experience with autosteer systems, customer service and support, and remote device management in the agricultural industry. He has worked with product engineers to beta test new steering technology on land, and is uniquely positioned to bring an autosteer solution to the marine world.
The business office is located in London, Ontario, and Larry can be reached through this site or at this address.
Advisory Team
Kent Groves
Kent is the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Strategy at dentsu health, a marketing solutions company helping its clients to adapt and thrive in changing environments. He brings expertise in AI based sales performance, customer relationship management, digital communications, and more to the Metamarine team. Kent has a PhD in Pharmaceutical Strategy and Policy. He has transferred his publishing, leadership, and teaching credentials from the academic world to his current business successes.
Mary Lynn McPherson
Mary Lynn is a senior consultant and facilitator with Strive!, guiding leadership teams and boards of directors in the development of healthy organizational strategies and governance. She has over 20 years of experience in Canadian banking, working with corporations of all sizes. Mary Lynn is also passionate about mentoring non-for-profits headed by non-traditional leaders in new and emerging markets.
Brian Ritchie
Brian is the founder and CEO of Kamazooie Development Corporation, kama.ai, and the innovative mind behind their Designed Emotional Intelligence (DEI) platform. DEI is an ethical AI system using natural language to bring human values to automated, online interactions. Brian is also a member of the Rogers School of Management MBA advisory board at the Toronto Metropolitan University, a seasoned entrepreneur, and a member of the Chapleau Cree First Nation. Indigenous teachings guide his company’s values and its product, as well as his volunteer work with boards, a community trust, and Metamarine’s advisory team.
Matthew Grant
Matt is the founder, CEO, and driving force behind Rancho Nexo, a company that is based in both Guelph, Ontario and Mexico City, Mexico. His company brings together innovators and global channel partners to deliver solutions to new markets. They offer seamless logistics, translations, and regulatory services throughout Latin America. Matt has a B.Sc. from Guelph University in business and agriculture. He has years of experience in precision agriculture, including 7 years at Trimble -- he knows the power of technology to bring transformative benefits when it's introduced to a new market.
Research & Communications
Margot Stothers
Margot supports Metamarine Sport's research and communications. She has a PhD in Speech-Language Sciences. A researcher in autism, she is working on a project with academics across the country to investigate what makes post-secondary institutions welcoming to autistic students. She has been an art therapist, an artist, a consultant to her local chapter of Black Lives Matter, and more. She is also developing a gallery to showcase local and under-represented artists in her community.
Our Origin Story
This is the Metamarine story so far. Larry was approached with a problem that his skills could solve -- make a product for a pre-existing market. Too many entrepreneurs spend years labouring over cool ideas that ultimately, no one wants. That’s not happening here. Sometimes those ideas are exactly right, but someone else has gotten there first. That’s not happening here either. There are no other autosteering systems designed for waterskiing. Two companies have been trying, but it’s just not that easy. Larry's years of work experience and technical knowledge, his interest and passion for new technologies, and his athletic pursuits, from varsity wrestling to a black belt at age 50, have put him in the right place at the right time to make it happen. Only Metamarine Sport has the full package – autosteering, boat path tracking, and skier position data, all in one solution.
Pan Am Demo: Chapala, Mexico Nov 7, 2021
A large crowd at the 2020 Pan American Waterski Championships witnessed the unveiling of a new autosteer system by Metamarine Sport. The demonstration tow boat was operated by Alvaro Lamadrid, tournament organizer and host at Boca Laguna. IWWF President Antonio Perez was excited and eager to be the first skier to try the new system. The pair made a number of passes through the course, with Alvaro holding his hands high and even standing up to demonstrate that the boat was steering hands-free.
Driven by Precision
The autosteer system used a high accuracy RTK (real-time kinematic) GPS receiver to provide 2 cm precision to the steering system. “The advantage of RTK,” said Larry Prong, CEO, “is not just in the accuracy, but the ability to repeatedly perform at that high level of precision, pass after pass.” The skier benefits by getting the same consistent pull, regardless of who is sitting in the driver’s seat. In competition, the repeatability of passes adds another degree of fairness and impartiality to the event. In the training environment it allows the boat driver, who is often the coach, to focus almost entirely on the skier.
Product Development
Metamarine Sport forecasts the first release of their product in Q3 of 2023. The company has an advisory committee representing a cross-section of the sport: judges, drivers, coaches and skiers. “What we’ve heard this week at the Pan Am’s”, said Prong, “is both excitement and caution about the technology. This will redefine the sport, just as speed control did over 20 years ago. It only makes sense that the participants be part of the development process”. To stay abreast of Metamarine Sport developments join their newsletter at www.metamarine.ca.
The Company
Founded in 2020, Metamarine Sport is a world leader in RTK autosteer systems for the recreational marine market. A tech-integration company offering innovations to water sports, they partner with industry leaders in GPS, autopilot, and power boat technology. Metamarine Sport offers the ultimate ski boat modification: a precision high-speed autosteer system.
Address
546 William St.London, ON N6B 3E7
CANADA