Introduction to Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Before you start paddle surfing you need to assess your swimming skills and your ability to handle yourself and your board in surf. Any watersport is dangerous, and good swimming skills are a necessity, even if you only do standup on flat water and lakes.

Leash: Wear one. Even on a lake. When you fall you often give the board a kick that sends it zooming away. Then the substantial freeboard gives the wind something to push against and suddenly you’re all alone. In waves it’s even easier to be abandoned by your board. I had to swim in from the outer reef at Kanaha when my leash parted one morning last summer. It was after noon before I hit sand. Long morning.

It’s not just your safety that’s at stake though–you can kill or injure someone with one of these boards. A leash is not a cure all for that problem but it’s a start. More important though is the issue of where you practice. Don’t learn where there are other surfers. These are big boards and it’s easy for them to get out of control. You don’t need the best spot in the lineup, all you need is some sloppy waves to practice on. Don’t forget how long the board and leash are. If you get worked and are bouncing along in the whitewater your board can be 25 feet away from you. There’s no excuse for learning where there are people below you who can be hit by your board. When you do fall in, pretend that you don’t have a leash. Do what you can to control the board. DON’T grab the leash though–if it gets wrapped around your fingers while you’re in the wave they can easily be broken. It’s happened. It’s a good idea to have a grab handle on the back of the board. Handy on the front of the board for that matter. If you have a solid handle to hang onto then it’s much easier to keep your board away from people. The other big advantage is that you can get an occasional breath while you’re being bounced around–you’ll always be near the surface if you’re hanging onto the board.

While we’re talking about breathing and drowning, your paddle is actually a big help when you’re getting pushed down by a wave. Put it across your chest with the paddle blade above your head and the dihedral bent down. As you are pushed through the water the paddle will send you upwards. I’m not sure why this works, but every time I try it I’m amazed at how fast I pop up.

Lifejacket: It’s not unreasonable to wear a kayak-style lifejacket. The inflatable kind that are almost as narrow as a pair of suspenders are really handy. Some of the best big wave surfers in the world wear them today. Yes, you’ll look stupid, but you’ll be alive and stupid, not dead and cool.

Be aware of the wind and currents, you can easily be blown to sea by an offshore wind or find yourself fighting a powerful current. Start your learning experiences where there are lifeguards, and it’s highly recommended to have someone on the shore that’s paying attention to where you are and whether you are screaming or not.

Etiquette: Once you get good, remember that you have a huge advantage over other surfers–and DON’T take more advantage of it than you should. You can start into a wave long before standard surfers can, you can get back to the lineup much quicker, and you can catch waves even when you’re out of the slot. Don’t be a wave hog.

There’s a backlash starting of surfers being pissed off about SUP folks coming into their favorite spot and taking too many waves. Of course for some of the territorial knuckleheads that think they own the beach, and any wave you take is too many waves. But there’s two good reasons not to irritate fellow surfers

• First of all, you don’t need their waves. A SUP surfer can surf almost anywhere. Waves that are too small for shortboarders are just fine for SUP. Long frequency, no shoulder waves give long and fulfilling rides. You can SUP surf in a ski boat wake. You can also travel long distances to get to outside breaks or breaks that aren’t easy to get to from shore. It’s fun and good exercise getting there, and you don’t have to dodge the grems.
• Second, they were there first. No matter how stupidly they might assert their territory, you’re the new guy, even if you shortboarded that break for the last twenty years. Give them room.

Kate Hudson Loves Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Kate Hudson has become an avid stand up paddler in her home town of Malibu and Maui. Look for her on a new Hovie Dottie real soon...

Hovie SUP Q-Sting

The all new Hovie Q-Sting SUP. A blend of the quick turning Stinger design with the speed of the Quad fin system. We offer this Sting Quad Stand Up Paddle Board in sizes of 9'0", 9'4" 9'8" and 10'0". Is has a wider nose then the Quattro, but has the Hovie Single concave that runs into a double barrel concave through the tail.

Hovie tests the all new GTQ - SUP

This is the all new GTQ, 9'8" x 30"x 4.3" Stand Up Paddle Surfboard Quattro model. It has a single concave bottom that runs into a double barrel concave, future fin system. It can be ordered through www.HovieSUP.com - Shoot us an email and we can put one together for you if we don't have on in stock for you.

Hovie SUP Photos on the new GTQ Stand Up Board

This is the all new GTQ - 9'8" Quad round pintail. 9'8" x 30" x 4.3". This is one of the performance stand up paddleboard models offered by www.hoviesup.com

Stand Up Paddle Photos Jan 18 2009

I headed up north this last weekend with SUP Photo man CJ Johnson. Scott Tagg drove down to meet up and take delivery on his new 10'10" GT5. We ended up stand up paddle surfing at IV point. My 9'8" Hovie SUP performance GTQ really worked unreal in the perfect small waves. The weather was perfect, with a few other Stand Up Paddle Boards on the water.

New HovieSUP Performance Wave Riders in Stock

I now have the all new HOVIESUP performance wave rider SUP in stock. From the 9'8" and 10'0" Quattro, the 9'4" and 10'0" Q-Sting Quad, 9'8" and 10'10" GTQ and the new five fin model GT5.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Paddle Surf Warehouse Remodels

www.paddlesurfwarehouse.com Remodels it's flagship Costa Mesa SUP paddle Center. They have over 40 new SUP in stock. Paddlesurf warehouse is Hovie SUP's retail sales outlet in Orange County CA. Home of the most thought out SUp in the world.

January 5th 2009 U.S. Coast Guard Classifies Stand-Up Paddleboard As Vessels

U.S. Coast Guard Classifies Stand-Up Paddleboard As "Vessels"

All applicalbe laws and regulations will apply to the use of a 'stand up paddleboard & paddleboard' that pertain to vessels under the U.S.C.G, such as wearing the appropriate USCG approved type of lifejacket persuant to the waterway being operated under, and not limited to other regulations. The Chief of Boating Safety for the U.S.C.G. has officially recognized a paddleboard as a vessel.

These laws will apply to enforcement of the boating safety regulations for paddleboard specific use. The USCG considers a "paddleboard" to be a vessel upon research and the criteria used and guidance provided in previous legal opinions regarding whether or not it is specified as a vessel under 1 U.S.C.&3.

Based upon the information available, the USCG determined when beyond the narrow limits of swimming, surfing or bathing area, the device known as a "paddleboard" is a vessel under 46 U.S.C.&2101, and therefore subject to applicable regulations administered by the US Coast Guard and its Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, unless specifically exempted.

PARAMETERS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A 'PADDLEBOARD" IS A VESSEL

(1) Whether the watercraft is "practically capable" of carrying persons or property beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing or bathing area:

A paddleboard is "practically capable' of and intended to be used as a watersport activity beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing, or bathing area. It combines traits of surfing and canoeing. In Paddleboarding, a person stands on a large board which is stable enough to support a person while they paddle the device using a paddle in a manner similar to operating a canoe.

Paddleboard manufacturers depict this activity as multi-use, ranging from use as a 'paddling' activity on inland waterways to a form of 'surfing' in the ocean. For novice and the less thrill-seeking, using the craft to simply enjoy time on the water is becoming more popular.

(2) Whether the useful operating range of the device is limited by the physical endurance of its operator:

The operator of a paddleboard manually propels the craft through the use of a paddle. To a large extend the operating range is limited to the physical endurance of the operator, although because of its stability, the paddleboard could easily drift with the wind and water current. This potential physical endurance limitation is similar to that impacting sailboarding, canoeing, kayaking and other boating activities requiring high levels of physical capability.

(3) Whether the device presents a substantial hazard to navigation or safety not already present:

Paddleboard maneuvered across a waterway to locations where other larger and faster craft travel present a substantial hazard to navigation or safety not already present. Paddleboards are not as powerful or maneuverable as larger craft and they are not as visible. The paddleboard user faces a similar hazard as other users of sailboards and canoeists/kayakers.

There are paddleboarding competitions in coastal areas and organized paddleboard excursions on inland waterways. Paddleboard 'trails' have also been established, including one on the Deschutes River in Oregon that is 60 miles long.

(4) Whether the normal objectives sought to be accomplished by the regulation of a device as a 'vessel' are present:

As a potential hazard to navigation or safety, regulation of paddleboards as vessels would meet the normal objectives sought to be accomplished by the National Recreational Boating Safety Program.

(5) Whether the operator and/or cargo would no longer be safe in the water if the device became disabled.

Paddleboards would provide a minimal level of safety to operators if they became disabled. Thus, the operator may no longer be safe in the water if the operator of the device became fatigued or disabled, or if the device itself became disabled.

Conclusion.

1 U.S.C.&3 states that "The word 'vessel' includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water." Given the answers to the questions above and the definition of the word "Vessel" in the US Code, when utilized beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing, or bathing area, a paddleboard is a vessel subject to regulations administered by the U.S. Coast Guard.