I was describing my SUP experience to a friend as feeling like you’re standing up in a shopping trolley, pushing yourself along with a broom.

Is that unfair?

I was describing my SUP experience to a friend as feeling like you’re standing up in a shopping trolley, pushing yourself along with a broom.

Fair. From my limited experience. A friend explained it in a more meta way: if you’re on holiday, and you find yourself on a SUP, then something’s gone wrong with your day.

(Clicked on this thread just as I was about to punt £600 plus to Decathlon. So I’m now rich and can afford a bike wheel or something.)

Fairly accurate if you only go out in pan flat conditions

Your experiance will vary dependant on conditions.

We have done a few river runs to town from ours on the Dee and it’s a new perspective on our local area tbh

Ours gets taken to a local spot, along with the snorkelling and fishing gear, great way to spend a few hours. johnx2 your mate sounds a right dullard.

The other thing it is …is a good core workout for your lower back and all the stabilisers

Ours gets taken to a local spot, along with the snorkelling and fishing gear, great way to spend a few hours. johnx2 your mate sounds a right dullard.

Not really, more of one of those duracel bunny very active types (far too busy to lurk on here so I think I’m safe saying that) who would struggle to cope with anything as laid back as that sounds.

fwiw I’m hesitating over getting one of the decathalon inflatable surf ones, which probably won’t be ideal for either surfing or using on the river (wharfe at the bottom of our road which is good for canoing (as i like to call it to wind up the kayakers). I should probably just do it.

Not really, more of one of those duracel bunny very active types (far too busy to lurk on here so I think I’m safe saying that) who would struggle to cope with anything as laid back as that sounds.

Does he say dude a lot?

Mrs B had a 2hr SUP hire on Llyn Padarn on Sunday. She loved it and now wants to buy one.

The board she had was 10’6″ x 31′ with single skeg.

The lake was pretty flat, and the board seemed very stable. We have sea kayak and sit on kayaks to use if we want other transport on water.

It will probably get used on the sea a little too.

What should she buy? She is about 65kg and im about 81kg. Is there a size that we cqn both use and have fun ( independantly that is)?

Any recommendations gratefully received

Many thanks

Ian

I’m 5kg heavier than you, we have a 32″ aquaplanet and a 34″ decathlon one, I grab the decathlon cos it’s more stable, but tbh if we only had the 32″ I’d be fine with that too. I wouldn’t go any narrower though.

I was describing my SUP experience to a friend as feeling like you’re standing up in a shopping trolley, pushing yourself along with a broom.

Not as bad as that. The thing I am struggling with though is that I don’t think it’s as good at moving about on the water as a kayak or canoe, even my inflatable one. It’s slower, more difficult, and more faffy with switching sides. Trying to use stern rudder really slows you (me?) down, and from reading the techniques that you have available can only reduce the amount of swapping not eliminate it.

The only benefit of SUPs that I can see (and it’s a big one) is portability. I’d be quite happy walking a fair old distance into some place with even my big SUP on my back, whereas the 2.5 person kayak is extremely heavy.

Trying to use stern rudder really slows you

Not sure what you mean, are you taking the rudder off? does that not make the thing nigh on uncontrollable?.

I’ve tried to see if I can improve my stroke (ahem) to stop having to switch, I’m getting a wee bit better.

Trying to use stern rudder really slows you (me?) down, and from reading the techniques that you have available can only reduce the amount of swapping not eliminate it.

You need an effective J-stroke (or C-stroke if it’s cross winds), using a stern rudder as an isolated action will kill your speed no matter what. I don’t really swap sides on the paddleboard other than to muck about.a

Our iSUPs are comparable to my playboat on flat water pace, much slower than a sensible sized hard shell boat but faster than any inflatable kayak I’ve had the misfortune to paddle. Going any major distance I’d far rather be in a sea kayak and if there is any significant chop/wind/tides then it’s a no brainer, but I’m more likely to have the SUP there due to ease of transport. They’re toys with some capability.

Paddling in one side in a straight line or corrections in direction are quite simple and easy if you have a reasonable technique.  I tend to only change sides for a change if I’ve been paddling on one side for a while or if there is a something like a cross wind, current or swell that it’s easier to paddle against from one side.

The fin at the back isn’t a rudder it’s job is to keep the board going straight ahead in the direction of travel. If you find a board unstable you can use a larger “touring” fin as it will resist being pushed sideways through the water more when you wobble.

I think stern rudder your talking about using the paddle as a rudder at the back. Therefore, fighting against the fin, creating lots more drag and slowing you down like putting the brakes in. If you use the paddle as a rudder at the front it will have a much greater effect on turning the board, start of carefully and brace your self because it can have a lot of leverage on the paddle and not be in a particularly strong stance.

The biggest effect on direction are from the paddle furthest away from the fin as the board will mostly rotate about it (crossbow turn).

The angle and direction of the paddle on the first part of the paddle stroke in the water will have the largest effect on turning the board or keeping it going straight.  So a  canon style J stroke is less efficient.