Learning to
Stand up paddle board involves patience and balance, you don't need to be
really strong or fit, you just need to choose the right conditions and the best
board for you!
There are a
couple of questions you should ask yourself so that you can purchase the best
and correct board for your needs.
- How much do you weigh? - bigger boards for heavier paddlers
- How tall are you?
- Where will you be doing most of your stand up paddling?
- Do you want to use it for long distance paddling or are you more interested in stand up surfing?
- Do you want a really stable board or would you prefer more maneuverability?
We have tried to explain in the
simplest format below the different elements of the Stand up paddle board, if
you are a little confused don't worry you can call us to discuss anything SUP
related!
BOARDS
All Stand up
paddle boards have the same characteristic elements which make them a board
such as ; nose , tail, deck, bottom, rails and fins. Measurements for the
length and width of boards is usually in Feet (ft) and inches ('') These
elements can be different for each individual board and therefore some boards
will be better in certain paddleboarding conditions than others.The volume of a
board loosely determines a board’s flotation and this can be related to both
the rider’s weight and skill-level helping determine the most suitable
equipment for that rider and where he will use it.
The board's
width is also related to its shape , the wider the board the more stable it
will paddle, as an example - a 28" inch wide board will be less stable
than a 32" wide board for an average 12st beginner paddler.
There are 3
main categories where you can use a Stand up paddle board and these sometimes
cross over into one another.
FLAT WATER SUP
If you live
inland near a river, lake or in a protected coastal area the idea of flatwater
paddling might appeal to you. Most Flat water SUP boards are designed to be
very stable in a flat water environment and are usually between 30-34 "
inches wide , 10ft+ in length and have plenty of volume.
Volume has a key role to play in choosing the type of
paddling you aspire to do, the greater the volume of a board = the easier
and more comfortable it will be to stand on. The volume of a flat water SUP
board will relate to the paddlers weight and skill level.
You can use
this formula below to work out how much Volume you should be looking at in your
board.
Beginners
- your weight in (kg) x 2 (ie 90kg x 2 = 180 litres
Intermediates
- your weight in (kg) x 1.7
Advanced
- your weight in (kg) x 1.3
Boards with a
more streamlined and pointier outline shape will be faster but not necessarily
as stable as they might have less width, so the board you choose for flat water
paddling will depend on how heavy you are. The pointier shape boards may
crossover into a Racing SUP style board which are usually made
with a lighter composite or carbon and enable you to compete in competition
racing or touring if you wish.
 |
| Team Moana on the Matai River Nelson |
Flat water SUP
boards usually have single or 3 fin configurations so that you can choose
depending on what paddling your taking part in. For example Imagine cruising down a stretch of coastline on your
stable flatwater SUP and discovering a clean little wave breaking, a flatwater
styled Stand up paddle board will catch waves with ease but it may not perform
like a surf SUP would!
SURF SUP
Riding waves
has to be the main pull for most who want to get into Stand up paddle
surfing.There are however lots and lots of boards on the market which may
confuse you and not meet your requirements or level.
As a common
rule in SUP surfing the more Volume a stand up paddle board
has, the easier and more stable it will be to paddle. Volume (usually in
litres) accounts to the amount of water displaced by the boards buoyancy as
discussed earlier. Boards with more volume sit higher on the water's surface
and are easier to paddle than a board with less. SUP boards with lots of tail
volume will be more stable than a board with less tail volume. The boards
shape and volume can play an important role especially in Paddle surfing.
Boards with
less volume will be hard work to stand on for long periods but perform better
on waves, volume has a key role to play in choosing the type of surfing
you aspire to do.
Longer boards with more volume and
width will have better paddling glide, speed and also catch waves easier than
shorter boards.
Longboard
style SUP boards are geared towards catching waves
early and enable the rider to cruise and perform classic longboard style
maneuvers such as 'walking the nose' and noseriding 'Hang fives'. These boards
will usually have a full and rounded nose to them and either have single , 3 or
multiple fin configurations.
 |
| Young surfer catching a wave on the Tumeke 9'6 |
Shortboard
style SUP boards look very similar to the
classic pointier surfboard shape and will be better at more radical slashy and
vertical style surfing. These boards are usually narrower in width making them
perform turns easier on waves than wider more stable boards. They too
will have 3 / multiple fin configurations which will change the
boards performance.
RACE SUP
If competition
racing or paddling as fast as you can from point to point is your idea of fun
then a dedicated racing paddle board is what you need. Racing SUP's can be
split into flatwater and downwind style boards.The majority of Racing SUP's on
the market today have some sort of displacement hull from the nose of the
board, meaning that they slice through flat or choppy water like a boats hull
and offer great glide to the user. Race or distance boards usually come with
single fin configurations lessening drag and enabling the paddler to pick fins
for racing or recreational tour paddling (usually bigger)
Racing SUP
boards made for flat and glassy conditions can be narrow making them very fast
but possibly too tippy and unstable for a beginner paddler. Therefore
manufacturers usually have the same model in different widths making the board
more stable for paddlers not too fussed about speed versus stability.
 |
| Trying out the Taniwha race board |
What you will
find with Racing stand up paddle boards is that their increased length will
usually mean increased weight unless they are manufactured in carbon.
Boards made
from carbon mean a lighter, stiffer construction making them more dynamic in
racing.
There is a
element to racing called 'down winders' meaning you paddle with the wind
blowing in your back taking you downwind of your starting point. This is
usually done on longer boards of 14 foot plus length , these boards are long
and fast, and enough speed can be gained to catch ocean running swell
with the wind behind you , and 'glides' of 50 -100metres are not uncommon in
the best conditions, therefore another cross-over is created with surf SUP.
We hope you
found this guide useful and are now better informed to make a decision on the
perfect stand up paddle board for your needs.
Don't forget the most important part which is to get our there and have some fun.
If you're
still confused - get in touch and we can talk you through it over the phone or by e mail.
