Q&A for Paddle Board Beginner

Asked before playing

I can’t swim, can I experience paddle boarding?

Answer: You can experience paddle board sports. Paddle boarding is a water sport where you can stand, sit, and lie down on the paddle board, and play in still water areas without worrying about the danger of falling into the water. And there will be a foot rope to connect you with the paddle board, even if you fall into the water, you can quickly return to the paddle board.

Do you have to go to the club to experience paddle boarding? Can you go to the suburban waters to play by yourself?

Answer: You don’t need to go to the club to find a coach to learn paddle boarding, but it is strongly recommended that novices and beginners find a coach or a club, which is more secure. First, paddle boarding can’t be learned by watching mobile phone videos. Professional coaches can help us learn paddle boarding skills more easily and quickly. Second, the coach will also explain safety knowledge based on the water situation, how to find safe waters, how to identify dangerous waters, and understand the rules and precautions of paddle boarding, so that we can experience paddle boarding more safely.

If you want to experience paddle boarding by yourself, please go to a safe and open still water area, and wear life jackets, foot ropes and other life jacket equipment, and it will be better if you are accompanied by other people. (At least when you have an accident, you can have a friend call for help in time)

Note: Not all still water areas are safe, and there are no underwater dangers on the water surface. It is not recommended for people who cannot swim to experience paddle boarding alone! !

Is paddle boarding an extreme sport? Is it dangerous?

Answer: Paddle boarding is not considered an extreme sport. The danger needs to be determined according to the water conditions. If you choose to play paddle board in still water area, the risk level is low. If you choose to play paddle board in sea and rapids, there is a certain degree of danger. As long as you follow the rules of paddle boarding and listen carefully to the instructions of the paddle boarding instructor, dangerous situations are unlikely to occur.

What are the paddle board games? Is it easy to get started?

Answer: Paddle boarding is similar to cycling and swimming. As long as you learn how to paddle, you can quickly get started, and you can learn it in one class. At present, the main popular games on the market are paddle board gliding (cruising), yoga paddle board, paddle board camping, etc. In addition, there are paddle board travel, paddle board frisbee, paddle board fishing and so on.

Who is the paddle board suitable for?

Answer: From children (recommended over 10 years old) to middle-aged and elderly people (around 65 years old), healthy friends can experience it.

Who is the paddle board not suitable for?

Answer: People with heart disease, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease are not suitable for paddle board sports. Menstrual periods, pregnant women, people who stay up late for a long time or alcoholics are also not suitable for paddle board sports.

Plan your trip before playing

Which waters can paddle boards choose?

Answer: Reservoirs, rivers, lakes, river areas, and even oceans are all acceptable, but you must choose an area that allows launching. If there is a pattern that prohibits launching, you must not enter the water. If you choose to paddle board in the ocean, you may even meet some cute creatures~

I want to go paddle boarding, where can I go?

Answer: Depending on your city, look for safe waters that are currently open. If you don’t know how to find it, you can search for “city + paddle board location” on the social app, and you will find many beautiful water attractions. For example, Wang Qianjinding, a sports blogger on the site, once wrote an article introducing the meeting points for paddle boarding in Beijing. If you want to try paddle boarding, you must read it~

When is the best time to play paddle board?

Answer:

In terms of season selection:

Playing paddle boards in different seasons has different experiences. And playing paddle boards in spring and autumn, the weather is cool, so you don’t have to worry about heatstroke in high temperature weather, but the water temperature is low, and you will still tremble when you fall into the water.

Play paddle boards in summer, although the high temperature is unbearable, heatstroke and sunburn are easy, but you can swim in the water and have fun. You can paddle board or swim.

If you are playing paddle boarding in winter, you need to wear thick warm clothing. If you accidentally fall into the water, you will feel chilly. Moreover, many waters in the north are frozen, so it is difficult to find suitable waters. However, playing paddle boarding in winter, You can see different views.

In terms of time selection:

Few friends choose to paddle in the morning, most of the paddling time is more than 1 hour, paddling in the morning is close to noon, it is easy to suffer from heat stroke, many friends will choose to start paddling in the afternoon. If the location is good, you can also see the beautiful sunset view.

What weather is not suitable for paddle boarding?

Answer: Thunderstorm weather: Thunderstorm weather will cause the water environment to become complicated. If it is windy and foggy, paddling will become difficult and the field of vision will become smaller, so novices play paddle boards in thunderstorm weather. If you are an adventurous senior player , but also pay attention to lightning conditions.

Typhoon days: Never play paddle boarding on typhoon days, especially in the case of strong winds, the whole person will lose control and fall into the water easily. If you are in the city and cannot travel due to the typhoon and stagnant water, you can use the paddle board as a lifeboat and leave in time when the wind becomes weak. (Note: Novices should not do this)

How to find a safe and reliable paddle board club?

Answer: 3 must-see conditions: whether the club has a professional paddle board coach, whether it has life-saving equipment, and whether the water environment is safe.

Professional paddle board coaches: At present, the State Sports General Administration has started training courses for paddle board coaches. Many coaches will obtain national coach paddle board certificates. If we want to find professional coaches, we can see if they have certificates. In addition, you can also look at the coach’s playing level and see his technical level.

Professional life-saving equipment: A paddle board club must at least stock enough life jackets, buoys, AED (automatic external defibrillator) and other equipment. Pay attention to whether the equipment such as life jackets and life buoys are old, and whether the paddle board sports equipment in the store is damaged but used.

Whether the water environment is safe: First, whether the water is clean and clear. If you are paddling on the water full of garbage, you will definitely feel bad. Second, whether the water is allowed to enter the water. For example, if there are signs of “no entry into the water” around the water, then don’t go to this water to play paddle boards.

Equipment Guide

What equipment is needed for paddle board sports?

Answer: Paddle boards (rigid boards, sup paddle boards), tail fins, foot ropes, oars, life jackets, pumps, clothing suitable for water sports, water shoes, etc.

If you’re going to a paddle board club to experience paddle boarding, they have a lot of paddle board equipment accessories, you only need to bring the appropriate paddle boarding clothing. If you’re going paddle boarding in the countryside alone, you’ll need to pack all the gear yourself.

Paddle boards: Paddle boards are divided into inflatable paddle boards and hard boards. Inflatable paddle boards need to be equipped with pumps, which are easy to carry and light enough, and are mainstream equipment. It has many styles and versions to choose from, and different sizes and versions can be selected according to the needs of players.

Paddle: A tool used to propel the paddle forward and turn. The height of the paddle is about 10 inches (about 25 cm) higher than the player

Life jacket: If you are not good at water, it is recommended to wear a life jacket to enjoy paddle boarding, because the waters are complicated and no one can guarantee the safety of this water. If you feel that the life jacket is too large, you can replace it with an inflatable waist pack strap.

Tail fin: The tail fin is installed behind the bottom of the board to maintain the stability and maneuverability of the paddle board and is detachable.

Foot leash : The foot rope can connect the paddle board to the player. Even if the player falls down, he can quickly approach the paddle board, so that the paddle board can also become a buoyancy tool. Therefore, players must wear foot ropes when paddling.

Paddleboard clothing: There are many kinds of paddleboard clothing, such as swimsuits, quick-drying clothes, yoga clothes, etc. Paddleboarding is an outdoor sport that can be participated in all seasons. You can choose appropriate clothing according to the weather conditions, such as summer wear Sunscreen swimsuits, winter clothing, knitted hats, boots, etc.

Can I wear a bikini for paddle boarding?

Of course, paddle boarding is a water sport. When it is hot in summer, standing on the water and receiving sunlight is prone to heat stroke. Bikinis are cool to wear and are a favorite choice for many paddle boarding girls. And, in the case of good scenery, you can take a good-looking blockbuster.

Can I not wear a life jacket?

Answer: No. Many friends feel that life jackets are bulky and unable to stretch their limbs, but life jackets are our safety equipment, which can guarantee our water safety to the greatest extent.

Note: If you are a professional and experienced player with proficient swimming skills, you can choose not to wear a life jacket, but you must prepare other life-saving equipment to avoid accidents. In any case, we must pay attention to the changes in the water area, feel that the water area has become complicated, and the weather is bad, and leave the water area in time.