Anyone can SUP from age 6 to 85 it only takes about an hour of finding your sweet spot to stand on the board, then getting the hang of balancing and finally learning to paddle and control the board. In just one hour you can be on your way to becoming a pro.

Selecting the right stand up paddle board based on size and skill level

Volume: Board carrying capacity is measured in liters of volume

There is a formula by Whitney Guild [GF x your weight = board liters] where GF is .9 for beginners .765 for experienced users and .585 for advanced paddlers.

If math gives you a headache here is a chart

Beginner
your weight 175 lbs needs a board volume of 158 liters
your weight 250 lbs needs a volume of 225 liters
[add a nice chart]

Experienced
Advanced

Selecting the best fin configuration for your usage

single large fins are for flat-water and surf

2 plus one 3 fin setup large fin in the center with 2 smaller fins just forward and outside. This is another surf and flat-water configuration. Three equal sized fins is called a thruster setup.

Quad setup for surfing has four equal sized fins all towards the outside of the board with 2 just forward and inward of the back two more towards the outside.

Selecting the right paddle length

8 to 10 inches longer than you are tall. So if you are 6 foot then your paddle should be between 6′ 8″ and 6’10”

SUP construction

sandwich
traditional
inflatable

Sandwich and traditional are very similar with the difference being a substrate layer in the sandwich construction.

Inflatable sups are made from a thick heavy gauge type of PVC plastic. Inflatable SUPS are ideal for travel and easy storage.

Dimensions of a board

Width- the wider the board the more stable is will be
length- the longer the faster it will be
thickness- the thicker the more flotation

The average board width is 30 inches. SUPS come in lengths of 9 to 15 feet. The typical thickness is 4 to 5 inches.

Top SUP manufactures

BIC
Pipeline Paddle Boards

 

Types of boards

polyethylene – plastic boards
poly outer shell boards
epoxy finish boards

small funs = thrustr for sterring during surfing

Paddles are made from

aluminium
wood
fiberglass
carbon fiber

 

Rules of paddle boarding

1 plant blade fully in water before you start to pull stroke
2 keep knees bent, back straight
3 use core mucels when paddeling – most rookies only use arems and wear out
4 keep board quiet – use mucles in feet and lower legs

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