Photo 4
Choosing between an inflatable and hard board primarily comes
down to considerations of storage space, durability, and speed. An inflatable is a great option any time storage space is an issue, or if you’d just prefer not to drive around with a surfboard on your roof. In my case, I can fit two inflatable boards in the back of my small hatchback with plenty of storage space in the Yakima roof box. Inflatables also offer superior durability and are easily repaired, making them a wise choice for whitewater or river surfing, where there will definitely be board-to-rock contact. If you have a house at the lake, a hard board will save you the time and energy it takes to inflate that 11 feet of SUP, making it easier to get out on the water.
HOW TO AVOID THESE COMMON BEGINNER MISTAKES You want your entry into stand-up paddleboarding to be smooth sailing, so make sure you avoid mistakes that can turn a day on the water from fantastic to frustrating. Here are five rookie errors to steer clear of.
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imagine your snowboard on top of the paddleboard, like you’re boardsliding a box (photo 4, page 36). Shifting your weight to your left or right foot can simulate a
pressure shift fore or aft on your snowboard. As you paddle, the counterbalancing movements of your center of mass toward the nose and tail work the same muscles you use to manage lateral pressure and make toeside/heelside turns on a snowboard. Try an ollie, rolling your center of mass over your right or left foot, extending to pop your body into the air, and then catching the board with your feet and flexing to absorb the landing. Whether you ski or snowboard, you can play with up-
unweighting and down-unweighting the paddleboard to quickly shift your stance; flexion and extension of different joints moving your center of mass and directing pressure; and the finesse movements of constantly managing balance on the board. More than any specific movement pattern, standing on a paddleboard in an active, muscular stance is perfect core training for all aspects of skiing and snowboarding. Te board’s ability to pitch, roll, and yaw allows you to replicate ski and snowboard movement patterns, while flat, choppy, and moving water all allow you to train in variable conditions similar to what you experience on a snow- covered mountain.
CHOICES, CHOICES... TIPS FOR GETTING EQUIPPED Just like with snowsports, there are a lot of considerations when it comes to choosing the right equipment. Te primary factors that help determine board size are your height and weight, and the type of paddleboarding you’d like to do. You’ll also need to decide between inflatable and hard paddleboards. For beginners and flatwater recreationalists, any 10- to 11- foot paddleboard will suit you, your friends, and your family just fine. It’s for this reason that PSIA-AASI Official Supplier Slingshot SUP has narrowed its inflatable line to the Crossbreed Airtech V3 in an 11-foot size.
36 | 32 DEGREES • SPRING 2017
1. Holding the Paddle Backwards No really, this is the paddleboarding equivalent of goggle gap. If you just grab a paddle and jump on a board for the first time, you'll probably hold the paddle backwards. A standard stand-up paddleboard paddle has a 10- to 12-degree
bend where the blade attaches to the shaft (photo 5). Many people instinctively grab the paddle with the bend angling the blade toward the tail of the board. Tis is actually incorrect, and you should hold the paddle with the blade angled toward the nose of your board. It all has to do with the angles at which the blade enters and exits the water. Whereas a kayak paddle scoops the water, almost like a spoon, paddleboard paddles are designed like outrigger canoe paddles. Te forward angle of the blade allows your paddle stroke to begin further toward the nose of the board and lets the paddle
Photo 5
SUP paddles – like those designed for outrigger canoes – are designed to enhance the stroke as the blade enters and exits the water.
CHRIS ROGERS
COURTESY OF CHRIS ROGERS
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