Stand-up paddleboarding is one of the fastest-growing watersports around. The reasons for this are simple, it’s fun it’s great exercise and pretty much anyone can do it. Beginner level stand-up paddleboards generally fall into two categories.
- All-around boards designed for exploring flat water lakes, rivers, and oceans and
- Race and touring boards built for speed and long-distance paddles
Most boards weigh between 25 and 40 pounds and measure 10 to 14 feet in length giving plenty of options for new paddlers looking to find the perfect board.
All stand-up paddleboards have three common features
- A handle typically cut in the center of the board for easy access in balance carrying
- A cushioned deck pad for increased comfort and traction and
- Fins which allow the board to track straight wind paddle
Apart from these common features boards come in many different shapes and sizes. All of which affect how they perform.
Stand Up Paddle Board World are basically bigger versions of traditional surfboards. The larger size yields more buoyancy which is critical for keeping a person afloat even when they are not moving.
The overall buoyancy of a board is affected by its length, width, and thickness. Often this information is listed as board volume and is measured in liters. The material a board is constructed from can also affect the buoyancy. It is important to find a board with enough buoyancy to put your body weight sufficiently because the lower a board sits in the water the less stable it becomes. For example on any given board, lighter paddlers will float higher and therefore be more stable than a heavier person on the same board.
This is due to the fact that the heavier person will cause the board to be lower in the water. The length and width of a stand-up paddleboard also impact how the board moves through the water. A longer board will move fast, straighter, and more efficiently through the water, so beginner paddlers will want to get the longest board they can store and transport by themselves generally between 10 feet 6 inches and 14 feet long.
Width is a major factor in a board’s overall side-to-side stability. Typically the wider a board the more stable it is. Narrower boards can be a lot faster but they can also be more difficult to stand on because they have less side-to-side stability. For beginners, a wider board of 30 inches or more is a great place to start.
the final feature of a stand-up paddleboard to be aware of is its hull shape. There are two main types a planning hull and a displacement home. A traditional surfboard style planning hull is round and flat and literally planes across the surface of the water by pushing water down while lifting the nose of the board.
It’s a good all-around choice for beginner level paddlers because it is typically very stable. A displacement hull has a pointed nose similar to a kayak or canoe that is designed to cut through the water displacement holes are a great choice for those interested in paddling longer distances.
They can still be very stable and are generally more efficient than a planing hull. Stand-up paddleboarding is a fun and easy way to get outside finding the right board for yourself may take some experimenting so the best way to get started is to get on as many different boards as you can.