How to Surf Safely and Courteously on Your Inflatable SUP.
If you have ever been stand up paddle boarding on an inflatable SUP, you know just how much fun it is. If you haven't, it's time to get yourself an affordable board from BoatsToGo (which has an awesome paddle board sale going on right now!), get out on the water as soon as possible, and learn the basics of how to ride your board. It’s easy, entertaining, and also a great workout for your core, legs, arms, and cardio.
Once you have gotten used to the basics of stand up paddle boarding, it’s time to move your hobby from traversing over calm waters to riding waves. This is where the real excitement comes in! But with this added excitement comes added responsibility to both yourself and the other surfers around you. That’s why you need to learn how to ride your inflatable paddle board in a safe and courteous manner. Here are some tips on how to do just that:
1. Don’t get in over your head. Just like with anything else in life, stand up paddle boarding has a learning curve. And just because you’re good in calm waters, doesn’t mean you can ride huge waves. If you are a beginner, start by only taking your inflatable paddle board out on smaller waves in order to practice. Also, try to go to surf areas that are not crowded, so you can learn how to direct your board without the risk of hitting other surfers. Once you get used to surfing these smaller waves, move up in difficulty levels slowly. This will keep both you from getting hurt, or even worse, hurting other surfers around you.
2. Stay out of the way of other surfers. This goes hand-in-hand with not trying to ride in areas that are too big for your skill level, but there are also some other tips that can help keep you from getting into collisions on your inflatable SUP. First off, when you are paddling out into the surf, make sure to stay on the shoulder of the wave instead of where it is breaking. This actually makes it easier for you to paddle, and also keeps you out of the way of other surfers. Another thing you need to do is wait your turn. It is not polite to just jump on every wave if there are other surfers present. While there is not usually a specific order to follow, you can usually assess the situation and follow what everyone else is doing. Often, the surfer who is nearest to the peak of the wave has the right of way, so don’t try to sneak in ahead of them or you may cause arguments and accidents.
3. Follow other unwritten rules. One thing you should remember is to keep ahold of your inflatable paddle board at all times. Don’t just swim around dragging it behind you by your leash, as that is a danger to other surfers. Also, if you are visiting a new area, do not clash with the locals. It’s their beach, and they are often very happy to share it if you are polite. Another vital rule that should be obvious to everyone is that if you see another surfer in trouble, do whatever you can to help. Whether it’s swimming out to help them or making a lifeguard aware, you need to provide assistance immediately. They would do the same for you.
As you can see, it is not very difficult to surf safely and courteously on your inflatable SUP just by following a few simple rules. And now that you know how, head over to BoatsToGo, check out their paddle board sale, and consider getting started with this amazing sport.
