6 tips for beginners who want to start stand-up paddleboarding

The solar sunk behind a hill of pines as I slid right into a quiet cove. Standing on a paddleboard, I propelled myself ahead with gradual sweeps of a paddle. The board glided silently over the sleek floor of the water, carving a faint wake.

My husband, Derek, stood beside me on his personal paddleboard. As we approached the dock the place we might finish our afternoon journey, I basked within the tranquility of the second.

Out on the lake, we had been surrounded by the hum of motorized boats and Jet Skis. However the cove was quiet, except for the shush of lily pads sliding beneath our boards.

Stand-up paddleboarding is an particularly swish technique to journey on water. It’s an effective way to strengthen just about your whole physique, out of your toes to your fingers.

Derek and I are pretty new to the game. We bought our first stand-up paddleboard (SUP) just a few years in the past. It had been used and dinged up, nevertheless it was an excellent deal. We didn’t need to spend some huge cash on one thing that we weren’t certain we’d use rather a lot.

It’s secure to say that Derek and I are offered on stand-up paddleboarding being a enjoyable exercise. However we weren’t so certain at first.

In case you’re seeking to buy a SUP, listed below are some suggestions.

Attempt it earlier than you make investments some huge cash

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In case you’re new to paddleboarding, that’s my first bit of recommendation. Hire a board, borrow a good friend’s board or purchase a second-hand board.

SUPs are costly, with new boards averaging between $800 and $1,400. And that price doesn’t normally embrace essential equipment comparable to a paddle, life vest, dry bag and bungies to carry your gear on the board.

This summer time, Derek and I made a decision to improve our SUP tools by buying a barely used board and a brand new board. Now we’ve one for pals to make use of.

In case you’re into watersports or actually any out of doors sport, you would possibly discover this amusingly relatable.

It’s simple to improve and gather issues like kayaks and mountain bikes. It occurs, slowly, over time. And earlier than you understand it, you’ve an entire gear store in your storage.

Purchase the fitting dimension

The scale you’ll need must be primarily based in your weight and your stage of expertise. The bigger and wider the board, the extra secure it’s. Nevertheless, smaller boards are simpler to maneuver and may be sooner. Discover one that matches you.

Stand-up paddleboards are sometimes outfitted with cords that mean you can stow gear

Don’t count on your buy to incorporate essential equipment

My new SUP got here with fins, which you connect to the underside of the board with screws (which requires a screwdriver), and that’s it. We had to purchase the paddle individually. We additionally purchased a paddle holder, which screws to the facet of the board.

I didn’t discover that the board didn’t have any bungies, also called tie-downs. They criss-cross excessive of the board and are used to safe gear. So, after I confirmed as much as the lake with a drybag stuffed with snacks and drinks, I had no technique to safe the bag on my new board.

On the time, I improvised with a cargo strap that I looped across the nostril of my board and prayed would keep on (it did). The subsequent day, I went again to the sports activities retailer to purchase a tie-down package, which was offered individually.

I additionally purchased a leash to attach the board to certainly one of my ankles. That means, if I fell off my board, it wouldn’t float away from me.

A dry bag is a vital accent as a result of it means that you can carry objects and preserve them dry. Even if you wish to journey gentle, you’re required to hold a private flotation machine, a sound producing machine comparable to a whistle and a flashlight or headlamp (when out between sundown and dawn), per Maine boating legal guidelines.

Put on a private flotation machine

Paddleboarding is like some other water sport in that you have to put on a private flotation machine for security.

I’ve actually paddled with out one close to the shore of a camp, in a spot the place we usually swim. However if you happen to’re headed out for a visit, touring from level A to level B, put on a life vest. The statistics are clear. They save lives.

start stand-up paddleboarding — Bangor Every day Information Outside contributor Aislinn Sarnacki takes a break whereas stand-up paddleboarding on Aug. 16 at Philips Lake in Dedham

Be ready to get moist

Paddleboarding is a moist exercise, far more than kayaking or canoeing. Give it some thought. On an SUP, there’s no enclosed area.

You’re simply sitting, kneeling or standing on a skinny board, which waves wash over. It’s simple to fall off a board. Count on to go for a swim.

In Maine, our ponds, lakes and rivers take some time to heat as much as a temperature that’s cheap for swimming. The ocean is all the time fairly darn chilly.

Nonetheless, SUPs have grow to be one of many fastest-growing water sports activities within the state (and worldwide) in recent times. Mainers are embracing paddleboarding regardless that its season is brief in comparison with many different actions.

August is the proper time for paddleboarding. The water is as heat because it’s going to get. All through the autumn, the water will slowly cool.

However some individuals put on wetsuits to elongate the season. I even met a Maine resident who wore a drysuit to paddleboard within the ocean all winter.

Experiment with positions and circumstances

When you’ve obtained all of the tools sorted, stand-up paddleboarding is a simple exercise to study. It’s not as difficult because it seems.

And if you happen to really feel shaky whereas standing, you may all the time kneel or sit or lay in your board. Actually, some individuals do yoga on SUPs.

I recommend you look ahead to calm climate to strive it out. It’s far more difficult to paddle whereas being pushed round by wind and waves. And take it in child steps.

Experiment with paddling methods. Check your steadiness. You don’t should journey removed from shore to have enjoyable with a SUP.