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Dean
17-08-2018 / BOARDS
let’s get SUP ready for Spring!
Time to dust of your board
Let’s get SUP ready for Spring!
With Spring just around the corner, it’s time to bring your stand up paddle board out of hibernation and make sure you are ready for this SUP season. Whether you haven’t been paddle boarding through the cooler months or you’ve been lucky enough to keep paddling through winter, now is a great time to give your SUP and equipment a spring clean, update some of your SUP accessories or add to your SUP experience with new equipment.
1. Your SUP
If your SUP is not brand new, now is a great time to go over your SUP and check for any dings that you may have gained over the life of your SUP. Most dings you can repair yourself with a repair kit from your local surf shop. If you’re unsure about what to do or you’re not confident in the task, any good surf repair shop can help you out. Fixing dings as they happen will prolong the life of your SUP and ensure no water gets inside your SUP.div>
If you have rail tape on your SUP rails, check the condition of it and make sure it’s not peeling off. If you have had it on for a while and you use your SUP regularly, it might be time to replace it with new rail tape. Always be careful removing old rail tape, so you don’t damage your board.
If you haven’t got SUP rail tape on your board, get some! It protects your rails from unfortunate knocks, scraping on hard surfaces like concrete and paddle scuffing.
2. Your Equipment
Your paddle gets a mighty workout each time you paddle and probably gets dropped a lot more than your SUP would. Check the blade edge for any cracks or chips. If your paddle is adjustable, check the shaft and the mechanics to make sure it is working correctly. Give it a good clean if you haven’t done so for a while. Salt water is not an adjustable paddle’s friend and will get rusty if not cleaned after each paddle. A good investment for your paddle blade is a paddle edge guard to protect it from any accidental knocks and drops and will prolong the life of your paddle blade.
3. What was I missing last season?
Were there items that could have made your SUP time on and off the water more enjoyable? From roof racks for your vehicle, secure tie down straps, a trolley to get your board to a nearby beach or racks for the garage, you’ll enjoy and probably get more time on the water or go more frequently if you eliminate the excuses.
On the water you may need a more comfortable life jacket, a leg rope, a hydration pack or water bottle holder, waterproof headphones, or deck bag to take your gear to secluded beaches or fishing spots.
4. Where do I want SUP to take me?
We trust you are as stoked on SUP as we are. Consider what you are passionate about and how SUP can fit into those activities on the water.
- Fitness and Wellness: Try a SUP Boot Camp, Crossfit, or SUP yoga class.
- Speed: try a SUP technique class or enter a local race.
- Fishing: grab a rod holder and go trolling.
- SURF: SUP Surfing is a TON of fun…and you don’t need huge waves to have a great time.
Stand Up Paddling can take you so many places, choose one path or many, keep on paddling and enjoy everything Spring has to offer!