Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs)

[steve]

Does anyone out there paddleboard? @Tess and I have recently really gotten into it. It's a lot of fun, mostly due to the learning curve. Within 15 min you can ride them across a lake, but there's still so much more to learn.

 

[steve]

Here are a few pics from this past weekend:

 

[Yvonne]

awesome!!!
I'm pretty much hooked on getting an inflatable SUP after a nice guy in Escalante let me try his board on Wide Hollow Reservoir.
It only took a few minutes to get used to it. Loved it!!!

 

[Nick]

I need to buy some stock in the SUP industry. I need to try one one of these days...

 

[Yvonne]

I need to buy some stock in the SUP industry. I need to try one one of these days...

you'll love it, Nick.
It was perfect for me, especially since I'm still not allowed to hike. And the paddle board was just perfect to have a bit of fun.
I guess if I can find one of these inflatable ones on sale I will get one.

 

[steve]

I need to buy some stock in the SUP industry. I need to try one one of these days...

No kidding. Just about every watersports company has a SUP now. I used to think they were just a fad and the latest trend, but I really enjoy taking them out now. They won't replace my kayaks, but the learning curve makes them fun for short stints. I grew up surfing and I'd love to take one out to the surf one day.

There was a huge difference between the two paddleboards we took out. The Sea Eagle needlenose was narrower, tippier, a bit less rigid, but way faster and tracked straight as an arrow provided the nose was in the water. The Isle was wider, more stable, easier to balance on, easier to turn, but much slower. Both are a ton of fun, and I fell off both of them multiple times.

 

[Yvonne]

how long are your SUP's?

I really like the Isle brand a lot.
The longer they are the easier they are to handle and more stable. Same with regular surf boards. I started with a long board and then upgraded to a 7'2 fun board and even tried a short board. Long time ago, but I miss surfing.

 

[steve]

both are 12'6". The sea eagle is mine. The isle is a friend's.

On paddleboards, length doesn't affect stability too much since you're moving so slow. It's quite different from surfing. It's a lot slower and less exciting, but less exhausting too. Surfing is a lot of work. SUPs don't require insane amounts of strength.

 

[steve]

I used to think the needlenose looked stupid and I liked the traditional look of the isle board. But after riding both, I realized what a difference the needlenose made with efficiency, tracking, and speed. The isle was more playful though. Once you step back and lift the nose, they both felt pretty similar.