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Stand Up Paddle Board
- Thread starter 2ski2moro
- Start date
KatyPerrey
PSIA 3 Children's Specialist 2 Keystone Resort
I know! I was just trying to stay upright!!!
MissySki
Angel Diva
I went for my second paddle yesterday. I had a blast and did not fall off this time, yay. I did not like the board I was on as much though. It was quite narrower from the first board I was on and it was very noticeable to me. The first time I was on a 32.5 inch wide board, an all arounder with rounded front and yesterday was 29 inches wide and 6 inches shorter and a definite touring board with pointy front. I don't think the length was an issue at all, but I didn't love how narrow the board was, I just never got really comfortable on the width as I had the first time even after 2 hours of paddling. I kept feeling like I was going to go right off the sides if I got a tiny bit off balance or too much into my paddling against the wind we had yesterday, I almost dove right in after my paddle on one specific occasion. Next time perhaps I'll try something in between width wise.
Does anyone have a good rule of thumb for beginner width? The first board I had to stretch out my arms more to paddle since it was so wide, and I liked that I didn't have to do that yesterday because my paddling felt easier and more natural, but I think I'd trade some of that ease for more stability overall.. Hard to make too many assumptions yet though since I've only been out twice so far..
Does anyone have a good rule of thumb for beginner width? The first board I had to stretch out my arms more to paddle since it was so wide, and I liked that I didn't have to do that yesterday because my paddling felt easier and more natural, but I think I'd trade some of that ease for more stability overall.. Hard to make too many assumptions yet though since I've only been out twice so far..
MissySki
Angel Diva
Well I got to go paddle again this Saturday, great weather we are having right now in southern MA. This time I went to Narragansett, RI in a river/cove/salt marsh area, it was absolutely fantastic! It also allowed me to try the Bic ace-tec 10.6 I had been hoping to try last weekend and was unable to. I think this board fit me really well and I enjoyed it a lot. DH and my friend both had soft top Bic boards and loved them, I tried them and found them almost too stable, like I was on a barge and didn't need to participate too much, it was nice but I thought that might get boring eventually if I rode it too often. I thought the ace-tec was a good balance between stable and maneuverable.. My favorite spot and board so far=win!
MissySki
Angel Diva
So now that I think I know which board I'd like to buy next season, rode it again this weekend and just love it.. I am starting to think of paddles. How does one pick the shape and size of the blade??
I know for sure I want fiberglass or carbon fiber or some blend of the two because the place I've been going to rent from recently has aluminum and the weight difference is much more noticeable than I ever thought it'd be after awhile, not a fan of them.
I know for sure I want fiberglass or carbon fiber or some blend of the two because the place I've been going to rent from recently has aluminum and the weight difference is much more noticeable than I ever thought it'd be after awhile, not a fan of them.
MissySki
Angel Diva
One place I rented from had fiber glass and another had carbon fiber/fiber glass mix. The latest place has aluminum which is so incredibly heavy after I was spoiled with the lighter ones previously! 
They have all been adjustable, but I don not know the size specifically for the heights I used. Each place has had me reach over my head with my arm extended and hand wrapped around the grip to size.
Then I was looking around REI yesterday and noticed that some blades were not only different size, but shape as well. No idea how to pick all of that stuff yet..
They have all been adjustable, but I don not know the size specifically for the heights I used. Each place has had me reach over my head with my arm extended and hand wrapped around the grip to size. Then I was looking around REI yesterday and noticed that some blades were not only different size, but shape as well. No idea how to pick all of that stuff yet..
I'm not sure what the different blade shapes are for either. Mine is just the plain ole aluminum adjustable. I'm using SUP as cross training for dragon boat paddling, so the heavier paddle is OK. People are still asking me what I'm doing!
I'm sure one of the shapes is for paddling in the surf, but which one....
I'm sure one of the shapes is for paddling in the surf, but which one....
MissySki
Angel Diva
Well I went looking at some boards from a local rental place selling this year's fleet off and ended up getting the board I've been wanting for about 40% off. So excited!! It was a rental board from this past summer, so obviously a bit scratched up etc., but it's all cosmetic so that's fine with me. I've only been paddling 4 times in total and have managed to beach myself and scrape my fin due to low tide etc. on a couple of occasions so I think getting a used board that is also very durable with my lack of experience will prove to be a very good idea!
With my board purchase I was able to also get 15% off of a new paddle so I got a custom cut Werner with a carbon fiber shaft and a fiber glass paddle. It's super lightweight which I'm thrilled about, barely feels like you're holding anything. Finished off with pads and straps for the roof rack, so I am pretty much good to go now, I just need to pick up a pfd and a small dry bag after ski season. I'd love to go out on my own board this year, but the air finally has a good chill in it and my paddle a week ago was so great with really calm water, beautiful foliage and warm temps. that I figure I'll end it on that note.
Cannot wait to play with my new gear all of next summer though!
With my board purchase I was able to also get 15% off of a new paddle so I got a custom cut Werner with a carbon fiber shaft and a fiber glass paddle. It's super lightweight which I'm thrilled about, barely feels like you're holding anything. Finished off with pads and straps for the roof rack, so I am pretty much good to go now, I just need to pick up a pfd and a small dry bag after ski season. I'd love to go out on my own board this year, but the air finally has a good chill in it and my paddle a week ago was so great with really calm water, beautiful foliage and warm temps. that I figure I'll end it on that note.
Cannot wait to play with my new gear all of next summer though!
Which board did you get? Good choice for the Werner paddle. BTW, I tried some fiberglas repair last year for the first time. It's not hard to learn. The trick is to find the right kind of fiberglas repair kit - similar to the difference between repainting with latex or oil paint.
MissySki
Angel Diva
I got the Bic Ace Tec Wahine 10'6.. Can you tell DH wasn't thrilled at the photo op with my girly board?
Regardless, it's been my favorite to demo so far because it's confidence inspiring with it's stability, but not so stable that it's like I'm walking on a barge, I'm also able to control it well.
I think it'll be fun to continue learning and getting more time on the water with it. It's very durable, which if you read above you can see is a plus for me since I both beached myself and got caught in a bit of fin dragging low tide the last time I was out on a rental.
However, if you are renting from somewhere and you tell them how long you will be gone and where you are going from their put in, I'd expect a heads up on the tide thing since I'm an obvious newb and don't know the location well.. (the last time I had been there was during high tide!)
I am in love with my paddle, it is so so lite!!! The good thing with any material that I might need patching performed on is DH, he's great at all of that stuff in general so I'd have confidence in him helping with any repairs.
For example, I've had a couple of skis that I've cut chunks out of during a fall from one edge hitting the other ski and DH just epoxies them up for me with colored epoxy and sands them pack smooth. You can't tell that it even happened unless you know where to look for it now
Regardless, it's been my favorite to demo so far because it's confidence inspiring with it's stability, but not so stable that it's like I'm walking on a barge, I'm also able to control it well.
I think it'll be fun to continue learning and getting more time on the water with it. It's very durable, which if you read above you can see is a plus for me since I both beached myself and got caught in a bit of fin dragging low tide the last time I was out on a rental.
However, if you are renting from somewhere and you tell them how long you will be gone and where you are going from their put in, I'd expect a heads up on the tide thing since I'm an obvious newb and don't know the location well.. (the last time I had been there was during high tide!)I am in love with my paddle, it is so so lite!!! The good thing with any material that I might need patching performed on is DH, he's great at all of that stuff in general so I'd have confidence in him helping with any repairs.
For example, I've had a couple of skis that I've cut chunks out of during a fall from one edge hitting the other ski and DH just epoxies them up for me with colored epoxy and sands them pack smooth. You can't tell that it even happened unless you know where to look for it now
I paddled for the first time yesterday - super fun! We just went out on the pond at the bast of Deer Valley. I was on a friend's loaner board, which was basically an all purpose style. The paddling is fun but probably not surprisingly, I was more into attempting yoga on the board than paddling. I'm really bummed - my friend took a bunch of videos of me, but I can't get them to play on any device that I own. :( I had a nice wheel pose going on for a while that she videoed. Maybe I'll find some way to make them work, but no luck yet.
Needless to say, I went in the water multiple times. Especially after realizing that the water was warm and it was hot in the sun, so it actually felt way more comfortable once you were wet... and getting back on the board was easier than expected. First two times were working on tree pose - the one legged balancing was definitely a challenge. And I did a couple of not quite headstands (got both feet in the air, but not really both vertical) - managed to not dunk myself doing that. Wheel pose and camel were nice and stable. Warrior poses were a challenge - though I figured out that jump switching my legs was easier than attempting to step forward and backward.
One day and I'm shopping for boards. I think I'm leaning towards an inflatable one but need to find one to demo first.
Needless to say, I went in the water multiple times. Especially after realizing that the water was warm and it was hot in the sun, so it actually felt way more comfortable once you were wet... and getting back on the board was easier than expected. First two times were working on tree pose - the one legged balancing was definitely a challenge. And I did a couple of not quite headstands (got both feet in the air, but not really both vertical) - managed to not dunk myself doing that. Wheel pose and camel were nice and stable. Warrior poses were a challenge - though I figured out that jump switching my legs was easier than attempting to step forward and backward.
One day and I'm shopping for boards. I think I'm leaning towards an inflatable one but need to find one to demo first.
whitewater girl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
a word on the inflatables - they bounce! Any wave you encounter you have to absorb twice (once for the wave, once for the bounce), instead of just once for a rigid board. And you MAY end up having to replace the pump they give you with it in order to get it up to pressure (some of the "included" pumps are inadequate; 15-17 psi is ALOT of pressure - commercial rafts generally are only 4 psi)...for a replacement pump I went with the "NRS Super Pump", plus a "K-Pump Kwik Check Standard Pressure Gauge" to double check my pressure, since the gauges with &/or on some pumps are notoriously bad...
the market on inflatables has been exploding, with alot of junk out there...so some notes on choosing an inflatable:
- higher pressure is better (15-17 psi is generally recommended)
- research the brand you are looking at...C4 Waterman, Uli, Boardworks, Naish are very well respected...Hala Gear is up and coming, as is Star (Starboard)...I have a Bic Inflatable, which I am happy with, and NRS boards have a happy following as well (this is by no means a comprehensive list; just I few brands I've learned about)
- this is a place where, generally, you get what you pay for...cheap boards tend to be, well, cheap...and not much fun....quality inflatables start at @ $800 new, most are $1100-$1400 (though I was able to find mine used for much, much less)
- 10'6" to 11'6" is average for recreational boards...longer boards are used for touring, shorter for surfing & whitewater (yes, these are becoming popular in whitewater!)
other notes:
- air expands when hot, contracts when cold - this makes more of a difference than you would believe! You'll want to watch that the pressure doesn't get too high when out in the sun, and may have to add air when you're paddling cold water (really)
- a rigid board will be higher performance - you are doing a trade-off for convenience with an inflatable (this said, a quality inflatable does pretty well in that dept...just not quite as well)
- you can transport (&/or store) an inflatable inflated, like a rigid board, just leave a bit under inflated so you have room for heat expansion
- start deflating your board slowly, don't just "release" the valve all at once - with 15 psi behind it you can easily blow the valve (once pressure is down a bit, you can turn the valve & let it go)
https://www.isupworld.com/inflatable-sup-comparison-chart/
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,20384.0.html
https://www.nrs.com/boating_tips/valve_know_how.asp
https://www.nrs.com/learn/?group=4&category=8
the market on inflatables has been exploding, with alot of junk out there...so some notes on choosing an inflatable:
- higher pressure is better (15-17 psi is generally recommended)
- research the brand you are looking at...C4 Waterman, Uli, Boardworks, Naish are very well respected...Hala Gear is up and coming, as is Star (Starboard)...I have a Bic Inflatable, which I am happy with, and NRS boards have a happy following as well (this is by no means a comprehensive list; just I few brands I've learned about)
- this is a place where, generally, you get what you pay for...cheap boards tend to be, well, cheap...and not much fun....quality inflatables start at @ $800 new, most are $1100-$1400 (though I was able to find mine used for much, much less)
- 10'6" to 11'6" is average for recreational boards...longer boards are used for touring, shorter for surfing & whitewater (yes, these are becoming popular in whitewater!)
other notes:
- air expands when hot, contracts when cold - this makes more of a difference than you would believe! You'll want to watch that the pressure doesn't get too high when out in the sun, and may have to add air when you're paddling cold water (really)
- a rigid board will be higher performance - you are doing a trade-off for convenience with an inflatable (this said, a quality inflatable does pretty well in that dept...just not quite as well)
- you can transport (&/or store) an inflatable inflated, like a rigid board, just leave a bit under inflated so you have room for heat expansion
- start deflating your board slowly, don't just "release" the valve all at once - with 15 psi behind it you can easily blow the valve (once pressure is down a bit, you can turn the valve & let it go)
https://www.isupworld.com/inflatable-sup-comparison-chart/
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,20384.0.html
https://www.nrs.com/boating_tips/valve_know_how.asp
https://www.nrs.com/learn/?group=4&category=8
Also if you're planning on doing yoga a lot, you may want to lean in that direction for a board. Yoga boards are wider for stability. My board is a roto-mold.....cottage special and heavy. I'm looking at a new board 10'6 and only 35lbs. I can carry that! Just waiting to sell that one and see some sales on boards.
whitewater girl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Oh, btw, Corran Addison (former whitewater star athlete & boat designer for Riot & Draggo Rossi) has out his own line of SUPs: https://corransup.com/# ...whitewater SUPers are thumbs-up for his plastic "Streetfighter, I've read good things @ his epoxy boards & he has a line of inflatables as well (he's always been a cutting-edge designer)
I've thought about that, but in large part, the fun of it is the balance challenge. So the super stable, super wide ones don't look as appealing to me. Though I want to try a variety of them before buying. ..
I like that it's very similar to doing yoga poses on a bosu ball at the gym, but with water to fall into if I lose my balance. [emoji1]
Oh man, that Hydra board that breaks down into pieces looks awesome. Too bad it's not available yet and it looks like I missed the kickstarter.
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