I have been paddleboarding for a little over two years now. In the past twelve months it has become hugely popular and I suspect that will happen even more so this coming summer.
I love my board, the lake, the people at club, the sound of the water hitting the front of the board – everything! There is just something about bobbing about on the water that just makes me feel relaxed and contented.
Starting out paddleboarding
For anyone thinking of trying paddleboarding, I would always recommend getting a lesson and there are lots of clubs around with qualified instructors. I am a member of a few UK paddleboarding groups on social media and there are often posts with people buying boards (there a loads available online ranging from cheap and cheerful to more expensive and higher quality boards) and just going out on the water. This scares somewhat as a lesson will teach safety techniques and what to do if something goes wrong, for example losing your paddle. You are likely to fall off and getting on again isn’t always that easy so learning how to do it is very important. You will also learn correct paddling techniques which could potentially prevent injury and make your paddling more efficient so you can go out on the water for longer before getting tired.
There are also loads of different sizes and types of boards and paddles available and choosing the right ones will depend on where and what type of paddling you want to do. Buying the wrong board could be an expensive mistake in the longer term so it’s always good to get advice from someone in the know.
Its not as easy as it looks!
Before my first lesson I had seen people paddling along a river, lake etc looking very relaxed and making it all look very easy. I then got on a board and wondered how on earth I would ever stand up, it is much harder than it looks! It probably took me 15-20 minutes to gain the confidence to stand up which lasted a couple of seconds before falling back to the safety of my knees! I eventually stood up and stayed upright for a while, then fell in. I got back on and stood up again, this time managing a few minutes.
The following day my arms and legs ached. The board I was using is inflatable (most are) so they weigh very little and the width makes them quite unstable on the water, it’s like a constant balancing act using your leg muscles to keep the board stable, even more so on a windy day and there are ripples on the water or on a river with flowing water.
The second time I went I stood up sooner and for longer, I didn’t fall in that time either. The third time I went it was sooner and longer again. Now I don’t even think about standing up, it just happens with relative ease and I haven’t fallen in since that first lesson.
I paddle mostly at my local club which is based on a large lake, we sometimes go on the river which runs next to the lake. I would like to visit more rivers, lakes etc but I just don’t have the time at the moment. Sometimes I paddle slowly, usually chatting to other members enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful surroundings. Sometimes I like to burn some extra calories and go at speed – this is a full body workout and a great aerobic exercise.
Different types of paddleboards
I own my own board. It’s a Red Paddle inflatable Sport 11’3. Red Paddle is one of the premium inflatable brands, they are superb quality and last for years. The nose on the Sport board is pointed so it glides through the water better than boards with a more rounded nose (making it a little faster) and it is 11 foot and 3 inches long. Being inflatable means it deflates and can be rolled up relatively small, it fits in the boot of my small car so I can transport it easily. Its hard work pumping it up but I just see that as the warm up! You can buy electric pumps but I have never bothered as I have found its quicker to do it manually (most boards come with a pump included). I bought my board second hand from my club and I am looking at upgrading it soon to a longer and narrower race type board, my son regularly paddles with me so he will use my Sport. It’s a great board so I will never sell it.
My board is an all rounder but the best type of board for someone depends on what type of paddling you want to do and where. As a general rule, race boards are longer and thinner which makes them faster. A good board for white water SUP’ing or SUP surf will be shorter and wider. Touring boards tend to be longer so they can hold lots of equipment and mid-width. Wider boards are more stable but harder to manoeuvre so good for beginners but not so much accomplished paddlers. There are also different types of paddles.
I have entered my first paddleboarding race, the date has been moved from May to September because of the pandemic but I am really looking forward to it! I am not expecting to win, I highly doubt I will come close but I will give it a good go and have lots of fun in the process.