Paddle board advice (23 Viewers)

[MrPG]

Forget about 2 adults on a paddleboard it will be a PIA.
I ended up with one by accident bought it for my daughter as a birthday present but unknown to me here hubby got her one so I kept it for myself.

If is good fun but limited by conditions, if it's windy you often go backwards and have to kneel down to paddle back against the wind. Only useable on rivers with very slow currents unless there is someone to transport you back.
Only used mine once at home this year as its been too windy all year.

My £300 Amazon Goosewing job is as good as daughter's £400 Two Bare Feet but hers looks posher. A friend has £800 one and he reckons mine is better on the sea. I think it's pot luck with the cheap ones.

I have a two wheel trolly I strap it to, for getting down the beach 200yds as the crow fly but 500 yds around the road & of course an electric pump.

grasscutter & his other half Paddleboarder are into quite serious paddleboarding.

I did 8 hours into a headwind on Loch Ness in April. With correct technique it’s not too difficult if it’s windy.
I’m leading an open water course this weekend in the Lakes covering paddling in wind.

 

[suavecarve]

I would strongly advise a PFD for any water sports.

Having been to more drowning incidents than I care to remember, the common theme in all of them, is that they weren’t wearing a PFD of some sort. As soon as you go sub surface, we can’t find you very easily if at all.

I know they are a faff and hot, but the alternatives are worse.

It isn’t just about falling in and hitting your head, you might have an equipment failure, or bad weather, or a medical episode.

I know I am dull, but I wear mine always.

I m a carefree sort of guy.
I even wear shorts on a motorbike ......... well a scooter really ........ in the height of summer ........ in Southern France ............. on small journeys.

An inland lake, with little to no wind (worst case we would go out in) and possibly a maximum of a km to swim to safety really isnt an issue for either of us.

I think your advice about bouyancy aids is spot on......just not for me and I think there is a massive bouyancy aid in the form of a canoe should i be wrong. As a complete aside, on BBC this morning the aid saved the life of a bloke in a canoe, attacked by a hippo

Cheers

 

[Lenny HB]

I did 8 hours into a headwind on Loch Ness in April. With correct technique it’s not too difficult if it’s windy.
I’m leading an open water course this weekend in the Lakes covering paddling in wind.

My wind experance is on the so have both wind and current to contend with and also I'm only a novice. Certainly different to sailing a Laser where a bit of wind helps.

 

[Johnen]

You will find that once you have pumped it up to 20psi you will be too tired to take it out on the water. Get an electric pump

 

[MichaelT]

I just cant foresee how a bouyancy aid would be of use to us. (yes I know I could fall off and hit my head etc but that hasnt happened and is highly highly unlikely to happen in a canoe on a lake as I think they are basically impossible to roll.

I seem to remember someone saying something similar on a short bike trip on a cycle path, now who was that mmmm

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[suavecarve]

I seem to remember someone saying something similar on a short bike trip on a cycle path, now who was that mmmm

The wife

 

[Silver-Fox]

I like it when it's a bit rougher

Very revealing, I’m seeing a different side to you Minxy

 

[Silver-Fox]

I even wear shorts on a motorbike ......... well a scooter really ........ in the height of summer ........ in Southern France ............. on small journeys.

I find that scary to be honest.

Gravel rash isn’t a good look and takes ages to get the bits of tarmac out of your recently congealed skin

Painfull as well

 

[Googlebot]

I find that scary to be honest.

Gravel rash isn’t a good look and takes ages to get the bits of tarmac out of your recently congealed skin

Painfull as well

Seen this a lot as well, I also know how much it hurts after falling off my bike at speed.

Again, it isn’t even something you might do wrong. Only takes someone to pull out and not see you.

You just need to hope you stop sliding before you need a skin graft.

 

[IRHP]

Does anyone make inflatable windsurfers do you think? I did a lot of windsurfing back in the day but there's no room for a rigid one in the van.

Have a look at STX boards. They are very good but more like the newer high volume wide boards. Not old school.

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[pappajohn]

My recomendation If your going to look at one the brands on Amazon to carry two people is to get one that will inflate to 20psi.

Where does inflation enter into it?
I, just an hour ago, watched a TV program about building paddle boards.
Two sheets of ply with an expanded foam core, cut to shape then vacuumed together then wrapped in glass fibre and resin.
No mention of inflation.

 

[ChrisL]

Where does inflation enter into it?
I, just an hour ago, watched a TV program about building paddle boards.
Two sheets of ply with an expanded foam core, cut to shape then vacuumed together then wrapped in glass fibre and resin.
No mention of inflation.

Some are inflatable, not all are constructed in the same manner.

 

[MichaelT]

Where does inflation enter into it?
I, just an hour ago, watched a TV program about building paddle boards.
Two sheets of ply with an expanded foam core, cut to shape then vacuumed together then wrapped in glass fibre and resin.
No mention of inflation.

All the ones I've seen are blow up ones.

 

[TDub49]

Where does inflation enter into it?
I, just an hour ago, watched a TV program about building paddle boards.
Two sheets of ply with an expanded foam core, cut to shape then vacuumed together then wrapped in glass fibre and resin.
No mention of inflation.

I would hazard a guess that over 90% of the paddle boards that you see cluttering up our rivers and coastline are inflatable versions. For sure there are ones built along the same lines as surf boards but nowhere near as convenient as an inflatable SUP which folds down when deflated and is relatively easy to transport and store.

 

[Brains]

Where does inflation enter into it?
I, just an hour ago, watched a TV program about building paddle boards.
Two sheets of ply with an expanded foam core, cut to shape then vacuumed together then wrapped in glass fibre and resin.
No mention of inflation.

Yep, but they are a bugger to fold.

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[BouncyBoatFolk]

Yep, but they are a bugger to fold.

And, when you see the new converts eagerly blowing up their brand new purchase at the waters edge, it's that, wait for it, wait for it, moment, as they reach the ultimate pressure and release the pump to board connector, and WHOOOOOOOSH, most of the air comes blasting out because they've left the plunger down on the valve stem. I did try telling a chap just along from me in the summer to check this,before he got to his pressure value, but he just looked at me like I was talking martian. Lessons learnt the hard way have a habit of staying learnt.
Mike.

 

[Minxy]

Very revealing, I’m seeing a different side to you Minxy

Good job hubby doesn't read this forum much! He might get 'ideas'!

 

[gilbaro]

Don't go too cheap. There's a lot in the construction. 10ft 6in is a good all round starter board. I personally wouldn't consider two on a board. PFD essential along with leash with quick release if using waist leash.
Electric pump is good idea but can fuse cigar lighter type outlet. No need for vacuum deflater but consider a whisper deflater to avoid upsetting the neighbours.
Consider weight of boards, pumps, bags and wetsuits etc. Our two boards and bits weigh in at 30 kgs plus and take up a good bit of garage space.
Took boards with us in UK this summer but always an excuse not to inflate - tides, wind, sky wrong colour etc.
Didn't take on our current European odyssey.

 

[Minxy]

An inland lake, with little to no wind (worst case we would go out in) and possibly a maximum of a km to swim to safety really isnt an issue for either of us.

Sorry to disagree, even though you are experienced you never know when you will need the help of a BA. A km is actually quite a way to swim never mind if you're hurt, got cramp, or if your back plays up. Is it really worth it? You can get some less bulky BAs nowadays so maybe something smaller would do? Also a BA allows you to concentrate at retrieving other stuff that's gone in the water and be able to get them back, in my case such as a dog (not that it's ever happened!).

I very, very rarely go out without mine, the only time being if I'm just playing at the ends of the water with the dogs jumping in and out of the canoe or a short trip no more than 20ft from the edge to give them a little trip if it's not deep, otherwise the BA is always on and if I'm going out a distance a pink fluorescent tabard on top.

I've only ever gone in the water once when canoeing, we were going along the canal over the Loire at Pont de Canal, Briare, and I'd got out to see if we could get down to the river, we couldn't so I went to get back in but the step under the water at the side of the canal was very slippery so I went flying and bashed my coccyx on the wall/step as I went it ... to say it hurt like hell is an understatement, fortunately I had my BA on so didn't have to try to swim which was good as I was in a lot of pain, if I hadn't had it on it would have been more painful as I'd have had to support myself rather than just 'float' for a bit.

Please wear one.

 

[Minxy]

along with leash with quick release if using waist leash

I had an issue with the one on my paddle board, when I came off it trapped my leg up at one side with me at the other, due to it being a long board it wasn't easy to get round to the 'leg' side so if I was still using a SUP I'd certainly have some way to release where it's secured to the board and attach it to the centre strap rather than the end loop.

Hubby took a photo which shows what I mean:

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