Paddle Boarding

[CharlieAlphaMike]

marcella said:

I am also looking at getting my first board. A friend who has been into SUPs for years told me to not waste time with a cheap one and recommended a O'Shea 10'6 HDx as it was 4.75" thick as opposed to the common 6", but this was over £600.

I found this one which seems similar but half the price:
https://www.trailoutdoorleisure.co.uk/portofino-su...

Any thoughts?

I agree with your friend who advised you not to waste money on a cheap SUP. The one you're looking at is a Drop Stitch construction (I think most iSUP's are these days) which is good but I wouldn't say it's a particularly expensive SUP. The Aluminium Paddle is always the cheap option but is normal when you buy a SUP as a Package. Ignore the marketing BS on the website where it talks about the Paddle being 'incredibly light'. It won't be. Not when you compare it to a Full Carbon Paddle but as I've said many times in this thread, if you start and then enjoy your SUP'ing, you'll probably want to upgrade the paddle at some point.

There's some mention about the thickness of the board too; 'extra-tough base materials' making a 4.75" SUP as strong as a 6" SUP? More marketing I think. My understanding is that a 6" iSUP will be generally 4 times stiffer than a 4" iSUP and at this price point, I'd be surprised if the materials used are any different to any other similarly priced 6" iSUP.

I really suggest you read through the advice I've offered in this thread, especially the first few pages, to ensure this SUP (intended use, size, carrying capacity etc) will suit your needs. Different size boards suit different conditions.

My only other comment would relate to the Fin Box. It looks like this has a slide in Fin which is fine but it will limit your choice of Fins if ever you want to change or up-grade. The US Fin Box (held in place with a small screw and nut) is the most commonly used Box and as such, it will open up a much wider choice of Fins.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Hard-Drive said:

Thanks for that, and you were quite right on the pump, it's actually got a little 2 way lever marked "single/double", so I'll give that a go next time. I'm a yottie, and on the boat I have an electric air pump to blow the inflatable tender up most of the way, and then I just get it hard (oo-er missus) with a few strokes from the foot bellows. However, inflatable tenders work at much lower pressures than a SUP. I will have a look at electric pumps though, I've got a very dodgy back and being bent over using the supplied pump for a long period of time isn't ideal.

I agree, the paddle does look a bit odd, however if I do enjoy SUP'ing I'll probably upgrade to a carbon version. I've not got it on the water yet, but will hopefully give it a go next week. Will report back!

Thanks again for all of your assistance, I'm really looking forward to this!

No problem. Given the problems you have with your back, an electric pump might be a wise move then. Try your hand pump with the 2 way lever in the right position first thought. I think you'll be surprised at the difference that makes.

I've said it before, that almost all iSUP packages come with a basic Aluminium Paddle so I wouldn't be too concerned about the shape of the blade because you will want to upgrade at some point if you really take to SUP'ing. As a 'yottie' (love that expression ), you'll already have a love of the water so your SUP will give you a different experience, a different perspective and will give you the opportunity to explore more places. I think it will be a great addition to your boat. Enjoy and let us know how you get on.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Did anyone see the BBC news this morning (Sunday) about a guy called Brendon who was paddling his SUP around the UK? All in aid of charity as you might expect but what an amazing thing to do. He started out approx 12 weeks ago from Torquay and is now at the top of Scotland (so about halfway). He's paddling up to 12 hours a day.

I believe he's using an SIC Bullet 14ft Rigid SUP and a Blackfish Andaman paddle.

You can follow his progress here. Just look for the Tracking & Route page:

https://thelongpaddle.co.uk/

[CharlieAlphaMike]

I've been out quite a lot on my SUP over the last few months (7 hours on Tuesday and 5 hours on Wednesday) but I always seem to either forget my camera or have no charge in the battery. This week, I remembered and took a few pics of some slightly bigger things on the sea. I can tell you that whilst these ships might seem quite small in the pics, close up, on a Paddle Board, they are massive and quite intimidating

The 'white ship' is owned by someone (I know for a fact) but it has no engine on board and the owner never visits. I don't know if it's sinking or just 'sitting' on the sea bed and leaning to the Starboard side as a result. It's well secured to the bank on the Port side so maybe this is just its natural resting position. I don't know much about the ship but I bet it was a lovely thing once.





|https://thumbsnap.com/g2wxSGK7[/url]



And this thing is hiding in the bank. It's very difficult to get a good quality picture (especially with a camera lens covered in water) but I think you can make it out as some sort of old military vessel. There was an identical ship moored next to it up until a few months ago but that's mysteriously disappeared. I'd love to know how they moved it because I'm sure they were both left abandoned years ago.

Edited by CharlieAlphaMike on Friday 6th August 20:03

[CharlieAlphaMike]

I'm sure I said somewhere in this thread that Paddle Boarding isn't really an adrenalin sport. I lied. On Wednesday, what started out as a flat calm day, quickly turned into a good Force 4 with 2ft 'chop' Paddling against the wind was hard work but great fun. Just my luck that the wind should drop to almost nothing when I turned around and headed for home

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mcdjl said:

Where have you been paddling?

The pictures were taken whilst paddling in the Baltic Sea, near Stockholm

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Disastrous said:

Standard, isn’t it? I love a good downwind but you can guarantee if I paddle out into a headwind it will drop when I turn.

It seems to happen every single time. I was really looking forward to paddling back with the wind behind me this time out because it didn't look like the wind was going to ease anytime soon but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came

[CharlieAlphaMike]

I know there are a lot of newcomers to the sport on here so tell me, how are you all getting on with SUP'ing? Do you need any more help/advice/tips? I'll be happy to help if I can

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mcdjl said:

Seen any real bargains?

I'm not looking so I'm afraid I don't know of any bargains. I know the supply of SUP's has been limited since the Covid outbreak (huge demand) so I'd be surprised if you'll find big discounts being offered. However, I have bought from this company in the past and a quick look at their website shows some amazing bargains. My personal experience of buying from them has been positive, although I didn't actually buy from their UK store:

https://euroskateshop.uk/water-sport/sup.html

[CharlieAlphaMike]

FunkyNige said:

Well inspired by this thread (and my in-laws buying a boat on the Norfolk Broads) I'm booked into a starter taster session next weekend to see how I get on, so assuming that goes well you can probably expect a few questions from about what kit to get! I did see in the opening posts on this thread advice about boards for taller people - I'm a lanky 6'4 so should I be looking for a wider or longer board? It'll be on the Broads only so won't be too many waves to worry about.

I'm really pleased to know that this thread has inspired you. Best of luck with your taster session. If you've never done it before, you can probably expect to get wet but don't let that put you off. If you find you're struggling to balance fore and aft, go back a couple of pages in this thread and look for my tips on using a slightly 'staggered stance'.

I've posted quite a lot of hints and tips on other pages too so it might be worth reading through everything. I have asked the MOD's (and they've agreed) to help me collate everything into the first post but there's quite a lot of work for me to get everything together. Perhaps I will when I have more time to spare.

I'll be pleased to answer any questions you might have so please post them here. As for recommendations. At 6ft 4", I'd be more concerned about getting the right size paddle. The general rule of thumb is that your paddle should be 20cm (slightly less if you're paddling in waves) taller than you. You'd therefore need a 203cm paddle. Some 1 piece paddles, for example, are around 200cm which would be too small for you. Most 2 and 3 piece paddles should be fine as they will extend to around 220cm. Paddle length obviously varies from manufacturer to manufacturer so check before you buy.

Here's a tip when adjusting paddle length. Stand flat on the floor with the paddle upright in front of you and the blade touching the floor. Extend the blade above your head until you can 'cup' the handle in your hand. In other words, you should be able to 'fold' your fingers over the top of the handle. Minor adjustments can then be made on the water. Cheaper aluminium paddles have limited adjustment. The more expensive paddles generally offer infinite minor adjustments.

Whilst on the subject of paddles. I use a full carbon fibre 3 piece paddle. The 3 piece construction is great for transportation and storage but I find there's the tiniest amount of 'play' where the bottom halves of the paddle connect. It's annoying and makes me want a 1 piece paddle but I know the actual difference when it comes to using the paddle, will be negligible. I think I've found a solution in the form of a silicone band which I think might hold both sections together more securely but the only one I've found in the right size, is in the USA and the cost of shipping makes it expensive for what it is. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and buy one. I'd be pretty p****d off though if it didn't solve the (minor) problem.

Back to your question. The 'volume' of the board and the recommended weight it can carry, is what you should be thinking about, rather than the size. It's true that a wider board will probably be more stable but where you intend to use the board and what you're going to use it for, should be the main consideration when it comes to size. If you're paddling on The Broads and intend to go touring, then a long board might be a better option for you, rather than a short, wave biased board. Check back through my other posts and you'll find more information about the pros and cons of size v use.

If it helps, all of my paddling now is done on the sea and I can be out for 9 hours a day but it's quite flat with maximum 'chop' of approx 2ft so quite similar to The Broads (I know the area well). I therefore use a 14ft x 29" x 6" iSUP.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

zax said:

CharlieAlphaMike said:

If it helps, all of my paddling now is done on the sea and I can be out for 9 hours a day but it's quite flat with maximum 'chop' of approx 2ft so quite similar to The Broads (I know the area well). I therefore use a 14ft x 29" x 6" iSUP.

Just to add to the list, I'm 6' 5", hovering between 100 and 110 kg and paddle a Jobe Neva inflatable. It's a long-ish board since I'm mostly touring, and as above on relatively flat water. The board will take 130kg so I have some headroom for carrying camping gear or small to medium sized dogs

The standard 3 part paddle was fine in length for me, I tend to have it a bit less extended these days as paddling technique developed.

Thanks for your input Zax. The Jobe Neva is a 12ft 6" board isn't it? I'm sure it's great for touring on flat water and will be fine for carrying 'stuff' too. How do you like the Jobe?

I think most standard paddles (especially 2 or 3 piece) should extend enough for people over 6ft tall. The problem of having a paddle that's too short when you're...errr...taller than average, will normally only be an issue with 1 piece paddles. It's always worth checking before you buy, especially when buying a 'package' SUP at the less expensive end of the market.

I should have added to my post probably that I'm about 5ft 10". I'm not sure how much I weigh but I'm under 100kg. Maybe 95kg

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mcdjl said:

Some of those appear to be single layer construction (as opposed to double. While that clearly makes them lighter, does it actually add/remove any durability from scraping them on the ground- the side walls all being double layer?

I haven't looked at any of the details of the boards they offer because I'm not looking for one. My guess is that if they are advertised as single-layer construction, it will be the top and bottom that will be constructed this way, with double-layer for the rails. I can't imagine any SUP with single-layer rails. It's the rails that take the knocks and scrapes. I guess durability will then depend upon where you're using the board. If you're paddling is on shallow rivers, then there's a chance you could catch the bottom of the board on sharp rocks which could be a problem. Remember though, iSUP's will bounce off objects most of the time and that if the water is really shallow, your biggest problem will be with the fin hitting the sea/river bed or rocks beneath the surface.

Yes, a single-layer construction might be lighter but it will be less rigid. That would be the biggest disadvantage for me, especially with a long board.

You also have something called 'stringer' construction which is basically a single-layer construction with another layer down the middle of the board. This gives some rigidity but as there's only a little extra material being used, it doesn't add that much weight.

Then there's the latest 'laminated double-layer' construction. Basically a single-layer board, with an additional PVC layer laminated directly on top and bottom. They're still quite light but offer more durabiity than a single-layer and obviously feel quite rigid underfoot.

'Glued double-layer' boards will be the most durable but this is old tech. I don't know which SUP manufacturers offer this type of construction these days but you'd only want one of these if you paddling on rough rivers/rapids where you really need that extra durability. Glued SUP's are much heavier than the others mentioned.

Always best to check with the manufacturer before you buy.

Who'd have thought Paddle Boarding would be so complicated? But this was one of the reasons I decided to start this thread. Buying the first board you see would be wrong because if you buy the wrong board for your intended use, I think you'll soon become bored (excuse the pun) with the likelihood that your SUP will end up at the back of your shed or garage, never to see water again (unless your shed or garage has a leaky roof)

NB You can buy 'rail tape' which will protect the rails on your SUP if you think they're going to be subjected to some scrapes and knocks. My board has quite a few marks on the rails now. I wish I'd invested in rail tape when I bought the board but it's just cosmetic so there's little point now. Clear tape won't hide the scratches

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mcdjl said:

Cheers, I wasn't expecting you to do all my research for me!
I'd just end up getting precious about the anti-scratch tape instead of the rails....

Absolutely no problem. I started this thread to try and encourage and help others to get the best out of this sport. I'm sure I've read somewhere that it's seen huge growth in its popularity over the last few years. It's a minefield if you're new to SUP'ing though and choosing the wrong equipment might mean you give up before you start.

I did a lot of research before I bought my SUP. I remember spending literally hours chatting to various SUP manufacturers and retailers at a boat show before I decided which board would be best for me. I also think my 30+ years of windsurfing experience helped too. I'm therefore just sharing what I know.

As for the rail tape I'm with you on that. Here's a thought. We could always put rail tape on top of the rail tape

[CharlieAlphaMike]

It was pretty much flat calm yesterday, with barely a breath of wind but unfortunately, I was late getting out on the water so only managed 5 hours on my board.

I did take a few more (slightly better focus) pictures of the old abandoned military ship that hides on the bank and because the sea was so calm, I was able to get quite close. I'd love to know more about the vessel if anyone has any ideas? I'm guessing it belonged to the Swedish navy.





Previously, I offered some tips about where to stand on the board for the best balance. I was keen to take some pictures but was so worried about dropping my camera, that I didn't concentrate 100% on where I was standing in the first picture You'll get the idea though. With knees slightly bent, my feet are just behind the middle of the board (reference the carrying handles) and are (or should be) spread equally apart (my right foot should be slightly further forward) and close to the rails. This stance gives good balance side-to-side and is fine if it's flat calm:



This second picture gives you an idea of the staggered stance. Again, with knees slightly bent, you can see that my feet are still spread equally apart and close to the rails but that my right foot is slightly behind my left foot. This position still gives good side-to-side balance but also gives good fore and aft balance too. I use this stance when it's windy and the sea is choppy or when crossing the wake of passing vessels. In this picture, I'll be paddling on the right (starboard) side. If I was paddling on the other side, it would be my left foot behind my right foot:



The only issue I have with the staggered stance is that I can get some pain in my Achilles but I suspect this is more likely because of an old injury; I have something called Achilles Tendon Bursitis which can be very painful sometimes

Beautiful day on my SUP

[CharlieAlphaMike]

FunkyNige said:

CharlieAlphaMike said:

I did take a few more (slightly better focus) pictures of the old abandoned military ship that hides on the bank and because the sea was so calm, I was able to get quite close. I'd love to know more about the vessel if anyone has any ideas? I'm guessing it belonged to the Swedish navy.

Could it be one of these?
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=...



That's a Hauk class, 14 were made and all have been decommissioned
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Hauk-class_patrol_boat

Seems a fair bit of variation on what was on deck
https://www.seaforces.org/marint/Norwegian-Navy/Pa...

Edited by FunkyNige on Friday 13th August 16:00

Amazing amount of information. Thank you. The Hauk-class boat you refer to looks a lot smaller to me, especially the flying bridge. Unfortunately, I can't get any closer to the boat I'm talking about and can't get to the stern or starboard side. I'm told that the sister boat that was moored close by was sold. There are a few houses nearby and I occasionally see people outside so I'll try and find out more when I see someone again.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mikeiow said:

Let's talk insurance!
(apologies, not read whole thread if it cropped up earlier)

Was asking Bosworth Water Park about using their lake for a practice (2 pals with SUP, us with a Sevylor Colorado kayak we haven't used taken to water!!).
They said there was a day rate (£10) plus some parking (at an expensive £3 per hour!)...
.....but also that it must have third party insurance.

I was looking at annual British Canoe membership for the kayak - is that the 'cheapest' option to be legal on caals/rivers (& give insurance for Bosworth!)?
Would the same apply to SUPs for our pals?

Looks about £45 for individual, £80 for a couple - presumably if the second person was never on their own (ie, only in a double kayak), one would only strictly need the individual?

Any other great places for a 'beginner' in Leicestershire to head to - easy entry from bank preferred!

Thanks!

Can't help I'm afraid. All of my paddling is done in the open sea.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

mcdjl said:

As for the ship where in Sweden are you? In the UK some of those wrecks are labelled on google maps to help you work out what they are.

The ship is just to the South of Stockholm. There's nothing labelled on Google maps. There was a 'sister' ship there until recently but that's gone (I believe sold). I've no idea how it was moved but I presume it went under its own power. Although it looks abandoned, it looks structurally sound and it's moored close to a couple of houses. This and the fact that one has now moved, suggests they were never exactly wrecks.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Managed another 5 hours today but after the flat calm of yesterday, conditions were somewhat different today. I think the picture (paddling back to shore) gives a good impression of the sea conditions. Hard work but great fun

[CharlieAlphaMike]

FunkyNige said:

I had my 2 hour introductory SUP lesson on Saturday morning over at Hickling Broad, was great fun once I was able to stand up!
We had a chat about types of boards, clothing to wear, what do you when you fall off, etc. then onto the water to get standing up and off we went!
The wind was just below the maximum he would take beginners out in (10mph) so we stuck near to the banks / reeds and practiced different types of turns, getting back on after falling off, moving on the board and all of that stuff.
The 90 minutes we were actually on the water flew by and we were soon back at the base.

Obviously I'm now looking at boards and getting hopelessly lost at the massive variation in prices!
I've decided I want a board between 11' and 12' with a pointier nose for touring, I'm trying to find out the width of board I was on as I don't want to go too narrow as I'm quite tall so am not the most stable of people.

Couple of random boards, I'm confused why the price is so different as I've seen both brands mentioned in this thread already -
Zray Fury 11, £370. Length 11' - Width 33" - Thickness 6" - Volume 258 L - Max rider weight 142 Kg
https://www.nootica.com/sup-paddle-board/sup-board...

Jobe 11'6 Loa, £770. Length 11' 6", Width 34" - Thickness 6" - Volume 360 L - Max rider weight 160 Kg
https://www.jobesports.com/uk/jobe-loa-116-inflata...

Is the extra £400 worth a beginner spending to get that bit more stability?

Great to hear about much you enjoyed your first SUP lesson. 10mph wind is a Force 3. Force 4, gusting a 5 is enough for me. Anything more than that becomes a bit pointless IMHO. Paddling against the wind to go nowhere is missing the point I think.

Now for the minefield of which board to buy

I assume you've read through this entire thread? I've tried to offer as much advice as possible so if you haven't read everything, it might be worth a few minutes of your time.

Hickling Broad? Is that the same organisation as Norfolk Outdoor Adventures? If so, I've looked at their website and it appears that they use Naish and STX SUP's. Nothing wrong with those boards. Either way, I'd check with the people at Hickling and find out exactly which SUP you were using. In particular, I'd check the 'volume' of the board you were on. Volume is what gives the buoyancy. You said you were able to stand on the board you used so if you use the board you were on as your comparison, that will help when choosing. What you don't want, is a board that will be too easy to use. You want something that will challenge you as you learn (you might get wet again) but a board that will ultimately benefit you as you get better.

Did you say that most of your SUP'ing will be on the Norfolk Broads? If so, that's all going to be flat calm water so a longer touring board will probably be the better choice of board for you. Have you therefore considered a 14ft board? You'll have more room on the board (for storage if you need to carry stuff/people/dogs etc) and you'll get good volume so more stability and a better 'glide'. Pros and cons of board length have been highlighted elsewhere in this thread so take a look.

I almost bought a Z-Ray (14ft). And I think it was the same website that I looked at too. The board you've looked at is discounted by over £100.00. I note that it comes with a basic Aluminum paddle too. It also has a 3 fin set-up which isn't really necessary for touring and I note there's an option for a windsurfing mast and 'centre (dagger) board'. If you want a Z-Ray, what about this one:

https://www.nootica.com/sup-paddle-board/sup-board...

Nothing wrong with Jobe SUP's. The board you're looking at has much more volume than the Z-Ray (360 L v 258 L). It's a single fin set-up so more suited to touring. It also comes with a slightly better paddle (fibre glass/carbon fibre mix). I think this is the shaft only and so I'm guessing the blade will be still be made from 'plastic'. As a starter paddle, there's nothing wrong with that but I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor because you'll probably want to upgrade your paddle to a full carbon fibre paddle if you really start to enjoy your SUP'ing.

The extra £400.00 probably only equates to £200.00 when you factor in the discount offered on the Z-Ray and the slightly better paddle that comes with the Jobe board. Jobe actually list the price of the paddle that comes with this board at £134.00.

The thing I really don't like about both boards you've listed is the fin box. Neither board has a US fin box which means your choice of fin will be limited if ever you want/need to replace it.

None of this has helped you has it?

[CharlieAlphaMike]

croyde said:

Took the board out today on the north coast of the Sleat peninsula on Skye.

My first time not on the Thames. Wore a 2mm wetsuit that I've used the odd summers in Cornwall body boarding.

Firstly the sea up here so far north didn't feel anywhere near as cold as the sea on the north Cornwall coast. Nice surprise.

Very rocky shore and a strong on-shore wind made is a bit difficult to get out onto the water. Many rocks to bash your shins on whilst just getting the board into deeper water and not blown back onto the shore.

Tide was falling but the wind was causing big waves so I never tried standing up as I didn't want to damage myself falling in. Rocks again.

Stayed on my knees and it was nice to know that even when I managed to get out a bit, the wind and waves quickly took me back to shore.

Tomorrow I'll look at a couple of small inland lochs I saw whilst driving today and give them a go.

Great to hear. It sounds like you had fun. Be careful on those rocks though Big waves are great fun though

Have fun on the lochs. I bet the water will be colder than the sea but you should get some flat water so hopefully you'll be standing up on the board a bit more. Look out for the monsters