Paddle Boarding

[CharlieAlphaMike]

I wasn't sure where to post this (please move if necessary MOD's).

Are there any Paddle Boarders out there? I started Windsurfing over 30 years ago and thought I'd give Paddle Boarding a go so I bought a SUP last year and I must say, I love it. Tell me your stories. Share your pictures.

These are taken recently with an Action Camera (lens splashed with water) so the quality isn't great but you get the idea:

[ben_h100]

Live close to the Kennet and Avon canal and spend quite a lot of time near the coast, so this does interest me. Can you recommend any board in particular? Did a bit of SUP on a Red board in Gibraltar and really enjoyed it.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

ben_h100 said:

Live close to the Kennet and Avon canal and spend quite a lot of time near the coast, so this does interest me. Can you recommend any board in particular? Did a bit of SUP on a Red board in Gibraltar and really enjoyed it.

That's a tricky one. It really depends upon what you want to do with the board and what experience you have already. If you've done any surfing or windsurfing, that will have an impact on your choice. Also, think about where you'll do most of your paddling. You said you tried Paddle Boarding already. How did you get on? If you found it quite easy, that will help with your choice. Red boards are very popular. I haven't tried one but they have a good reputation as far as I'm aware. As a general guide, think about the following:

Paddle Boarding can be categorised as:

- Short Boards (under 10ft long) are good for surfing. They generally 'plane' much better than a longer board and are more maneuverable. They're also good for kids.
- Medium Boards (between 10ft and 12ft) are good all-round boards. They are generally quite wide which makes them more stable than a longer board, hence they are quite popular for SUP Yoga.
- Long Boards (over 12ft) are great for long distance touring and faster paddling. They are narrower than other boards which can make them feel less stable. Longer boards will normally allow you to carry more equipment (like a tent for example) which makes them good for touring. You can also carry other people on the board (dependent upon their size and weight).

There are some speciality boards out there too. Huge, multi-person and extra-long touring boards. I doubt they'll be of much use to you though.

You have a choice of Inflatable or Rigid (Hard) Board. Obviously inflatables are much more convenient and I think the technology these days, makes them a really good choice unless you are competing in events, when a Rigid board might be better.

If you're going to use the board more on the canals and rivers and plan to go some distance, a Medium or Long board might be a better option for you. If you plan to use it on the sea, a Short or Medium board would probably work better.

I live right by the sea so all of my Paddling is done there. However, where I am, the sea is fairly flat. I'm not surfing waves but occasionally get some nice 'chop'. When I go out, I'll paddle for 6 to 8 hours (sometimes more). Add to that my years of Windsurfing experience and the choice of board was quite easy for me. I went for a Long Board (14ft x 29" x 6"). I can also 'carry' my partner with ease. She doesn't swim but is quite comfortable on-board with me. She does wear a life jacket and will hold on for dear life for the first few minutes but soon relaxes.

Most board manufacturers will list the 'volume' of the board. The bigger the number, the more weight you can carry (they'll often list a max weight carrying capacity too) and the more stable the board will be. And as I said, the wider the board is, the more stable it will be. If you're quite tall (over 6ft) a long board might feel less stable.

Fins. Some of the surf orientated boards might come with a 2 or 3 fin set up. This might be either 3 fins (at the rear of the board of course) of the same size or sometimes 2 smaller outer fins and one larger fin in the middle.

If you're going for an inflatable SUP, make sure the fin is a rigid, removable one. I don't know many boards that don't have those but maybe some of the cheaper boards still fit the flexible rubbery fins. They're rubbish.

Look for good quality accessories too. Paddles can vary in quality and price. Most boards will come as a package and the manufacturers will sometimes offer an up-grade to a better(?) paddle. Aluminum paddles are at the budget end. They're ok but they can be heavy. Carbon paddles on the other hand are lighter but more expensive. I'd look at what's on offer from the manufacturer, make a choice from there and up-grade the paddle later if you want to. I don't think there's much sense in buying a really expensive carbon fibre paddle and then never use it.

If you're planning on touring, having a good choice of bungees on the board and fixing strap points will be important if you want to carry stuff (like a tent, drinks or lunch etc). And make sure you have a leash for everyone. If you fall off, you want to stay tied to the board.

None of this answers your direct question I know but it's difficult to recommend any one particular board because it really depends upon what you plan to do with it. I hope this information will help you to decide.

I would love to recommend my board. It's a great board. It does everyone I want it to do. It's a Black Cat (model - Black Witch) board. However, the customer service from the company in my experience has been awful. I've had a couple of minor problems that still haven't been resolved (I've given up on them ever being resolved). I also wanted to up-grade the paddle by trading in the one I have but they weren't interested. Given the problems I had, as a gesture of goodwill, I don't think that would have been to much tom ask for.

Before buying the board I have, I did look a Z-Ray and Red boards. I've just looked at their websites again out of interest and note that a lot of the Red boards seem to lack bungee straps. Very strange. I do like the look of their Voyager board and I still like the look of the Z-Ray Rapid Pro.

Hope this helps

[anonymous-user]

What a great post. I’ve done some SUP and that’s a fantastic amount of useful info.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

El stovey said:

What a great post. I’ve done some SUP and that’s a fantastic amount of useful info.

Thanks. It's nice to know you found the information useful.

How are you getting on with your Paddle Boarding? Are you still doing it?

For those who haven't done it, my advice would be to try it first by hiring a board. I'm sure there'll be some tuition available too. I hear from others that you will fall into the water a lot when you start. Don't let that put you off. It's all part of the learning experience I guess. If you've done some surfing or windsurfing, you should take to Paddle Boarding like a duck to water I'd be surprised if you fell off the board.

Here's a tip when it comes to inflating a board. I think most hand pumps are very similar. If you're buying a board as part of a package, you'll probably get a single cylinder, double action hand pump. You can buy twin cylinder, triple action pumps but unless you're inflating/deflating your board every day, I don't think they'll be necessary.

The single cylinder, double action pump will have a valve with a cap (normally near the top of the cylinder). When you start to inflate the board, make sure that the cap is screwed IN. That will inflate the board on the downward push of the pump handle and will inflate it on the upward stroke. It will make pumping the board up much easier and much quicker. When it starts to get difficult to pump, unscrew the valve cap. You will then inflate the board on the downward stroke only. As I've said in the previous post, my board is a 14ft long board. I can inflate quite easily in 10 to 15 minutes.

My board manufacturer recommends inflation of approx 18psi. I normally get around 20psi into mine. You want the board to be inflated correctly, otherwise you'll find it will 'sag' and move around under your feet when you paddle. Any good quality board should feel quite solid when you're out on the water. Not quite like a rigid (hard) board will feel but not far off. A friend of mine has a Rigid board. We haven't been paddling together but will try and go out this Summer. We are both interested to see how an Inflatable SUP compares to a Rigid one. I'll report back once we've done it.

There is a non-return valve for inflating the board. Make sure the valve is in the UP position before inflating. You push it down (by turning clockwise) to deflate the board and anti-clockwise to inflate. You can do this by hand. You don't need a tool. I made the mistake once of trying to inflate the board with the valve in the DOWN position. It inflated up to a point but I could sense there was a problem because I couldn't get anywhere the correct pressure. I undid the pump from the valve, at which point all of the air I'd spent the last 10 minutes pumping into the board, escaped When deflating, I normally push the valve down with my thumb to allow some of the air out before turning the valve and pressing down to allow the rest of the air to escape. My board has 'fold' lines which helps when storing the board. It makes it much easier to fold it correctly. If your board doesn't have them, I'm sure there'll be some instructions so follow them carefully.

During the Summer, I'll leave my board inflated and stored in my garage. I guess I'm fortunate to live next to the sea so I have a Kayak Trolley which I use to transport my board from home to the beach. If I'm venturing further afield, then I'll deflate the board, put it in it's rucksack and then pop it in boot of the car. My rucksack has wheels but also has some good back straps (like a normal rucksack). It can be carried quite easily. In Winter, I deflate and store it in it's rucksack. I also clean the saltwater off after every paddle.

For those who are completely new to Paddle Boarding, I hope the following tips might help too:

- Start by kneeling on the board (don't sit). Paddle to get some speed up and then stand.
- Find the balance of the board. On mine, I stand just behind the centre of the board. You don't want the bow to dive and you don't want the stern to sink (that will create drag).
- Legs slightly apart. Standing with your feet close to the 'rails' Iedges of the board) will give you better balance. And stand facing forwards. Don't stand sideways (like surfers do) unless your surfing some waves.
- Make sure our paddle is at the right angle to the water. They are strange looking paddles. The actual paddle part is at an angle. It's difficult to explain but you want that angle facing forwards. Imagine your hand and your arm for a moment. Put your arm out straight with the back of your hand facing up and palm down. Then bend your wrist up. Put your arm down by your side at about 30 degrees up from vertical. That's the sort of angle the paddle would go into the water. You would then paddle back to vertical and then just behind you so that you get all of the power from the paddle as you pull down the side.
- You should be able to paddle on just one side of the board. Don't paddle like you would with a kayak (alternate sides for each stroke). To steer, you rely on the way the paddle goes into the water. Again this is difficult to explain in writing. Imagine putting the paddle into the water. You stretch out to the front of the board, then pull down the side and either angle the paddle left to right (pull towards the board or push away whilst still pulling down the side). The more you angle the paddle, the more you'll turn so with practice, it should be easy to stay in a straight line. I find I'm making constant minor adjustments as I'm paddling. It's all about technique and practice.
- Get the height of the paddle right. I'm sure you'll get some instructions with the paddle or the board. Most paddles are either 2 or 3 piece adjustable. Stand up straight with the paddle touching the floor and vertical by your side. Adjust the height so that you can touch the top of the paddle with your hand and arm stretched out. Not a forced stretch. Just within comfortable reach. When you're on the water, this will place the paddle in at the right position in the water.

More advanced techniques might involve standing on the rear of the board for a Pivot or Tail Turn (sometimes called a Step Back Turn). Maybe that's something left for another post

Have fun and share your experiences. But be careful if you're inexperienced and paddle on the sea.

[sociopath]

Did it in vassiliki as a break from windsurfing. The other half loved it, i got bored within about 10 minutes. Couldn't see the point of it.

[SimonTheSailor]

I haven't tried it but will give it a go. I was going to buy an inflatable kayak to store on my narrowboat.

I have often thought that why not sit down instead of standing - it'll be easier !!

[Sonie]

Red Explorer 12'6 owner here. OH has same board but a year older, we cruise SUP when we can. Most recently took it on the river but we have taken them to Isle of Scilly or down the canal

[CharlieAlphaMike]

SimonTheSailor said:

I haven't tried it but will give it a go. I was going to buy an inflatable kayak to store on my narrowboat.

I have often thought that why not sit down instead of standing - it'll be easier !!

You can stand, kneel, sit or lie down on a Paddle Board. You can even buy a seat (more like a back rest) which will attach via the fixing points on the deck of the board. Plus you can take other people (dependent upon the size of your board) with you on a Paddle Board. It's much more difficult to do that with a Kayak. I think all of this gives you much more flexibility.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Sonie said:

Red Explorer 12'6 owner here. OH has same board but a year older, we cruise SUP when we can. Most recently took it on the river but we have taken them to Isle of Scilly or down the canal

Do you like the Red Explorer? Their latest models look really nice. I think the quality of most boards in this price bracket is generally really good to the point where I doubt you'll go wrong with whichever board you choose. As I said, my board is great, it was the poor customer service I experienced that really disappointed.

[ozzuk]

I've been looking at inflatable paddle boards for the missus, but stumbled across a kickstarter campaign for a folding board - looks ace and price is good so might try it - delivery march 2021. Didn't keep a link, think it was something like origami boards.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

ozzuk said:

I've been looking at inflatable paddle boards for the missus, but stumbled across a kickstarter campaign for a folding board - looks ace and price is good so might try it - delivery march 2021. Didn't keep a link, think it was something like origami boards.

When I was windsurfing, I used to help a friend of mine with windsurfing instruction for beginners. He ran a windsurfing school. In the back of his shop, he had a 3 piece windsurf board. I can't remember the exact length of the thing but it was very long. It would take 2 or 3 sails which meant we could instruct beginners whilst being on the board with them. With 2 sails rigged, one of us could control 1 sail and the other could stand behind the person we were instructing and control the other sail with them. They got to learn about the feel of the sail in their hands before we let them loose on a board of their own.

I mention this because whilst this board wasn't exactly a folding board, it did work in a similar way in that it was split into 3. To make it fold, all it needed was a hinge on each section. Let me tell you, it was THE most cumbersome thing to use. It weighed a ton and was difficult to transport. With 3 experienced windsurfers on board and with 3 big sails rigged, we could get it to move along quite nicely but it was never what you might call quick. More of a laugh than anything else. We'd occasionally get it out in light winds but it would be out of boredom (when there wasn't enough wind for our 'regular' boards) more than anything else!

It's great to have new innovation but I'd want to try a 'folding board' before I parted with any money. An inflatable SUP folds anyway for storage. They aren't rolled up. I'd also want it to be lighter than an inflatable SUP.

[CaptainSlow]

I took it up last year, bought my kit from the people on the link below, very happy with the board, great fun!

https://www.thesnowboardshop.co.uk/alternative-out...

[-crookedtail-]

CharlieAlphaMike said:

Have fun and share your experiences. But be careful if you're inexperienced and paddle on the sea.

Quoted this bit as it is really important. I've recently started using SUP after being a covid refugee and moving from London back to the coast. Its great fun and at the moment I'm borrowing my BIL's board.

However this weekend went out with an offshore breeze, jaysus Christ! I was never worried or felt in danger but it really did show how you could find yourself quite far out in no time at all, and it took a bit of effort to steer it back to the beach.

Trying to get hold of them at the moment seems a nightmare but hopefully I'll pick up my own soon.

Would you recommend an electric pump or 12v you could use from the car. The 'blowing' it up bit is a bit of a chore to be honest, although you do get warmed up nicely before heading out on the water.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

-crookedtail- said:

Quoted this bit as it is really important. I've recently started using SUP after being a covid refugee and moving from London back to the coast. Its great fun and at the moment I'm borrowing my BIL's board.

However this weekend went out with an offshore breeze, jaysus Christ! I was never worried or felt in danger but it really did show how you could find yourself quite far out in no time at all, and it took a bit of effort to steer it back to the beach.

Trying to get hold of them at the moment seems a nightmare but hopefully I'll pick up my own soon.

Would you recommend an electric pump or 12v you could use from the car. The 'blowing' it up bit is a bit of a chore to be honest, although you do get warmed up nicely before heading out on the water.

Glad to hear you got back safely SUP's on the sea can be very dangerous because you are totally reliant upon your own power to get back to the shore of you get into difficulties i.e. you don't have an engine or a sail. If you find yourself caught in an offshore breeze, try sitting or kneeling on the board and then paddling. Your body can catch catch the wind so get dow low to minimise that. Obviously, if you can 'catch a wave' and ride the wave back to shore, that will help too. Plus it's great fun.

As for a pump? I use a single cylinder, double action hand pump. I don't find it too much of a problem to inflate my board using this and my board is a long board (14ft). Make sure you have the valve cap screwed in (some pumps have a 'switch' so check that's in the correct position) when you start to inflate the board. You should unscrew the cap to get the last bit of pressure into the board. Check out my previous posts.

If you want an electric pump (I don't have one BTW), then I guess it depends on where you intedn to use the board. If you live near to some water and only use the board form home, then an electric pump will be easy. If on the other hand, you want to venture further afield, then obviously a 12V pump you can operate from the car will be much more convenient. I'm lucky to live right next to the sea but I occasionally explore other areas but I still find my hand pump is more than adequate. Certainly getting that initial bit of pressure into the board is something I don't find difficult. I normally try to get around 20psi into my board which is slightly more than the manufacturers recommend so those last few pumps take a bit of effort. Take a couple of breaks as you get near to the end. I'll get the rest of my things ready whilst I wait. And as you said, it gives you a good workout before you start paddling

If you live near water and if you can, try to leave the board inflated when you store it. There's no need to inflate/deflate after every trip.

Which board are you getting. Hope it arrives soon so you can make the best of the Summer. I think I'll be off out this afternoon just as soon as I get off PH

[-crookedtail-]

I'm not sure what board to get at the moment, the choice seems mind boggling to be honest, I've checked out your recommendations which seem good, my friends ones vary from cheapy Amazon jobs to Red ones and I guess my bro in law's one is in between - Budget isn't really an issue so I don't mind paying more for a better quality one, like anything I assume you pay for what you get.

A lot of them seem to be sold out online but the local surf shop seems to have a couple in stock so I might go and have a look, if nothing else to get a better understanding of what I'm after.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

-crookedtail- said:

I'm not sure what board to get at the moment, the choice seems mind boggling to be honest, I've checked out your recommendations which seem good, my friends ones vary from cheapy Amazon jobs to Red ones and I guess my bro in law's one is in between - Budget isn't really an issue so I don't mind paying more for a better quality one, like anything I assume you pay for what you get.

A lot of them seem to be sold out online but the local surf shop seems to have a couple in stock so I might go and have a look, if nothing else to get a better understanding of what I'm after.

I agree, it can be a bit of a minefield. I think the tips I've given about what you want to use the SUP for should at least help you narrow your choice down to the length of board. Personally, I would avoid the real cheap SUP's because I think you'll get less enjoyment from a SUP that doesn't perform well. I'm not sure what sort of technology is used at the cheaper end of the market but look for a SUP that is constructed using High Density Drop Stitch technology. I've never seen inside a SUP but I know that this technology makes the board easy to fold once it's deflated but makes it quite rigid once it's inflated to the right pressure. As I said before, an inflatable SUP will never as rigid as a Hard SUP but they're not that far off.

Drop Stitch technology as I understand it, involves the use of thousands of very fine threads (polyester is the most likely material to be used) which join the top and bottom of the SUP together. Once inflated, the SUP becomes incredibly rigid because of these thousands of threads. It's very clever stuff and is used in various other applications too (including aircraft wings).

As I've already said, spend the money on the board because you can always up-grade the accessories (paddle, fin etc) at a later date if you want to. I was lucky enough to visit a Boat Show before I bought mine, where several retailers/manufacturers were exhibiting. I'd already made the decision about the size of board I wanted beforehand though.

I could talk about the shape of the Tail (stern) too I guess. There are 3 basic shapes:

- Pin Tail (pointed tail shape). Good for straight-line tracking and speed so often found on Race and Touring SUP's. Not that stable and not so good to turn. I don't think there are many inflatable SUP's that have a Pin Tail. RED have them on some of their Race SUP's (Elite Racing SUP for example).

- Square Tail (as the name suggests...errr...it has a squared off shape). Good 'all round board' shape. Used on Race and Touring SUP's. Stable but good in the turns and still quick. Not as quick as a Pin Tail and not as easy to use in the surf. Unlike a...:

- Round Tail (more rounded tail shape). Good in the turns so normally found on shorter SUP's. Used on boards designed for the surf. Not so fast as the other 2 so not really used on Race SUP's.

There will be some variations on these shapes.

I'm sure your local surf shop will be a huge help too.

Edited by CharlieAlphaMike on Tuesday 11th August 06:59

[zax]

Lots of really good advice here!

I think it's worth emphasising the safety aspect (particularly on the sea), not intending to put anyone off because with a bit of commons sense there's very little to worry about...

It helps to become a bit of a weather nerd, especially regarding wind! Knowing the wind strength and direction for the time you plan to be out can make a huge difference. Doing a circular route for example is much more fun and a lot safer when the last section is downwind with the waves helping you home rather than an upwind slog when you're already pretty exhausted.

Get to know the environment you want to paddle in, currents and tides. Not much tide for me in the Baltic but there are places where wind and sea conditions between islands can be challenging.

In areas with heavy boat traffic I tend to stay out of the main boat lanes, it's not much fun dealing with constant boat wakes. They're well marked so this is pretty easy. Most boaters are considerate but not all! I'll cross the lanes at right angles when I need to, maybe venture closer if I want to try and catch a boat wake for fun, but otherwise I'll paddle where I'm less likely to be knocked off or flattened.

And finally it's a very good idea to wear a PFD!

[anonymous-user]

zax said:

Lots of really good advice here!

I think it's worth emphasising the safety aspect (particularly on the sea), not intending to put anyone off because with a bit of commons sense there's very little to worry about...

It helps to become a bit of a weather nerd, especially regarding wind! Knowing the wind strength and direction for the time you plan to be out can make a huge difference. Doing a circular route for example is much more fun and a lot safer when the last section is downwind with the waves helping you home rather than an upwind slog when you're already pretty exhausted.

Get to know the environment you want to paddle in, currents and tides. Not much tide for me in the Baltic but there are places where wind and sea conditions between islands can be challenging.

In areas with heavy boat traffic I tend to stay out of the main boat lanes, it's not much fun dealing with constant boat wakes. They're well marked so this is pretty easy. Most boaters are considerate but not all! I'll cross the lanes at right angles when I need to, maybe venture closer if I want to try and catch a boat wake for fun, but otherwise I'll paddle where I'm less likely to be knocked off or flattened.

And finally it's a very good idea to wear a PFD!

Good advice there.

I do a lot of open water swimming and similar advice applies. (Actually cycling is a bit like this too with wind)

I swam around an island on holiday once and at first I thought I was doing epically well, then as I got around the other side I was against the current and I almost stopped moving, oh how they laughed at me swimming as fast as I could but barely moving. For ages.

Swimming is also about being visible to drunks on jet skis etc but at least when paddle boarding it’s easier to be seen.

[GT03ROB]

My wife calls it wobble boarding as apparently I spend more time wobbling about on the board than paddling!