For the longest time, Neil Martin and his business partners had wanted to open a proper surf shop in Cayman. However, lacking a really big surf culture, a shop focussing on just one sport was never really an option. As kite surfing grew, it came close be becoming a reality, but in spite of the massive growth, kite surfing still remained a rather niche sport, with the usually audience being younger adrenaline seekers. According to Neil, it was the growth in the popularity of stand up paddle boarding that finally made it a viable option to open the store, leading to the creation of Waterman.

Located in Galleria Plaza, the store is the culmination of a long path for Neil.

“I’ve been kiting since 2002. Back then there were five other guys doing it here on island. We started selling gear in ‘09 and had great response from the local community. I’ve always wanted a surf shop, but we were just waiting for the time to be right,” he says.

“We don’t have big waves, so a dedicated surf shop will struggle. With kiting, stand up paddle boarding taking off, surfing and wind surfing, with those four disciplines we thought it was the right time to open a surf shop,” says Neil.

The different disciplines also complement one another well.

“Kiting is not open in the same way stand up paddle boarding is – you always get a certain type of person who gets into kiting,” says Neil.

However, stand up paddle boarding is quite different, often attracting people who would not otherwise be interested in the more high adrenaline watersports out there.

“What we’re finding right now is we knew kiting was going to be good, but paddle boarding we can’t keep up with, it’s really taking off,” says Neil.

“Surprisingly it is a fantastic workout because you’re firing all your muscles; you’re out there and getting a huge core workout.”

Apart from boards and kites, Waterman also stocks a variety of clothing and accessories.

“We wanted a good selection of bikinis, but sport bikinis for the girls who are actually doing something out on the water,” says Neil.

“Our philosophy was that we wanted a decent stock of the big ticket items, but we want to have a good stock of the stuff that’s going to break on any given day so that someone can run in, get a replacement part and get back out on the water.”

Waterman has also partnered with Jhon Mora of Kitesurf Cayman so those who are keen on getting into the quite technical sport can get the right training so they can be safe and have fun out on the water.

There are also plans to do paddle board rentals, races and demo days, as Neil aims to build Waterman into a nexus for board sports.

For more information, visit waterman.ky or call 769-7873.