A little history

SUP stands for Stand Up Paddle. Thus, sapboarding is a kind of surfing, respectively, and the history of sapboarding traces back to surfing, which appeared in Hawaii. The prototype of sap is considered to be the canoe used by the Hawaiian people. The canoe was steered while standing, using an oar to guide the boat downstream. The Hawaiians made “sapboards” of wood and quite long – the longest boards reached six meters in length and, of course, belonged to the royal family and nobles.
But today Paddle-board is making a new round in its development: the first company producing sapboards appeared in 2005, and in 2007 the first competitions in sapboarding were held. Sap is also convenient because it solves the problem of training in a full calm.

If you are interested in sapboarding

If you are interested in sapboarding, then feel free to grab your board and look for the nearest body of water. Sapboarding does not require waves or special weather (some sapboarders ride even in winter!); both a calm lake surface and a river with a slow current will do. Having lowered the board on the water, you need to lie down on it and swim away from the shore a little, then get up on your knees and, feeling the balance, try to get to your feet. Take an oar and, slowly paddling, enjoy the views and tranquility.
Of course, falls are not uncommon at first, but don’t be afraid. First you have to get on your board yourself and then go for your paddle. Just make sure in advance that your paddle does not sink.

Improving your skills, you can learn how to steer the sapboard and on the waves, or go for a hike on the river, or, having learned to keep your balance, do various tricks and even do yoga.

How to choose

But before you get on the water, one of the most important topics is the choice of equipment. We will try to outline the possible options of boards and accessories for sapboarding, as well as describe their advantages and disadvantages.

First of all SUPs

Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of the board.

Sapboard width varies from 65 cm to 1 meter, and length from 3 to 4.5 meters. Hard sapboards use the lightest materials: fiberglass, wood, resin or carbon. Of course, the lightest boards are made of carbon, but they are also the most expensive. A separate category – inflatable SUP-boards. What type of board to choose, rigid or inflatable – it is up to everyone, but the advantages of inflatable boards are their compactness: you can easily take a board with you, it fits in a regular backpack and is easily stowed in the trunk of a car; and relative cheapness of inflatable boards in comparison with rigid ones.
Rigid sapboards, whether they are fiberglass, wood, or carbon, cost an order of magnitude more than any inflatable board. But it’s likely that any rider will want to try riding different saps made of different materials, including rigid saps. In any case, the sapboard market is overflowing with different boards for all tastes.

Sapboard paddles are usually about 20 cm longer than the rider’s height and as well as sapboards, they can be made from different materials: carbon, wood, aluminum. Of course, the most expensive and lightest paddles are made of carbon.
Lish, or safety leash, is necessary for most beginners, as it helps not to lose the board in case of a fall. As a rule, it should be 30 cm longer than a board.

Also among the accessories for a board it is worth mentioning different fins that help to stay on the water more stable. The fins are made of different materials and have different shapes. Thus, you can choose the style of riding for every taste. Today there is even a fin with an electric motor that is attached to the sipboard instead of the usual fin and is controlled remotely, using a remote control. When using such a fin with an electric motor, you will only need to use the paddle as a “steering wheel”; all that remains is to enjoy the water ride.

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Hungry for any kind of activity people started to take up wakeboarding or wakesurfing, moved on to mastering the wind with windsurfing. But from our side we have noticed huge demand for the hobby of SUP surfing. All over Russia schools, rental outlets and mass events are being opened. Do you want to learn about exciting water sports? Then read our article next.

SUP-boarding

Sup boarding has really become the most popular type of recreation on the water this season. This type of recreation on the water each year is gaining more and more fans around the world. Especially in comparison with classic surfing inflatable board is very easy to manage, and you can master it immediately getting on the board. All you need is the basic skills to keep your balance, a board and a paddle, as well as a great mood. The wide range of boards allows you to pick up absolutely any interest. Universal boards are suitable for riding in calm water in the city. Touring ones have a little more rigidity and are designed for open ponds or hiking with a lot of equipment. Specially designed boards for yoga on the water have a larger area for absolute stability and comfort. There are also sapboards for fishing, they are equipped with a comfortable cooler seat and rod holders. Choose a board for absolutely every taste and discover the fascinating world of water sports. For longer outings and even more convenience, consider waterproof bags that can hold extra clothes or gadgets without getting anything wet in case of emergencies.

Wakesurfing

Nowadays only a lazy person or a person without internet has not heard about wakesurfing. As soon as people were allowed to leave their homes, and the heat in the cities was quite strong, the whole Instagram was filled with photos and videos of people mastering this sport. Wakesurfing board is a great alternative in an urban environment. To create a surfer wave, a special boat with an offset center of gravity is used to form a keel wave. Wakesurfing is not easy to master in one lesson, but from the first lesson you will not be left indifferent and want to return again and again. The start is out of the water, where a person holds on to a special halyard attached to the boat and picks up speed, trying to catch a wave and stay with the board. Once the balance is stable and the halyard looks like an unnecessary accessory, it can be tossed aside and enjoy the free wave. The theory may look complicated, but you definitely won’t be able to forget this adventure and want to master urban surfing.

Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding today is one of the most popular and extreme water sports among young people. Free, fast, interesting and diverse – all this can be said about wakeboarding. Learn wakeboarding and curb the board is not so difficult, just choose the right equipment and instructor. You can ride both behind the boat and on the winch in a wake park, but it is easier to learn in the park area. The wake itself consists of a board and special bindings, where the rider inserts his feet and controls the board. To master a simple move on the smooth water does not need to spend a lot of time, and once your rack will be strong, and you feel confident, you can move on to the development of figures and tricks. Wakeboarding is an exciting and dynamic sport, which is why it is most often chosen by novice athletes who are looking for a thrill.

Windsurfing

A sailing sport that is rapidly developing and gaining popularity. Windsurfing is similar to sapboarding, but the motion of the board is not by paddling, but by wind and sail. An inflatable board with a sail attached to it and keels to keep the board afloat more easily. With enough desire and persistence you can learn not just free movement on the waves, but also freestyle tricks. If you are in love with waves and action sports, then windsurfing is exactly what you need.

Waterskiing

Mastering the direction of water skiing is not easy for the beginner, but at the same time, this sport attracts more and more new athletes every year. There are several directions in this sport and each one needs its own skis. That is why there are slalom, figure skis as well as the usual pairs of recreational skis. The very essence is simple: the rider moves behind the boat, while holding the halyard. The boat’s driver continuously monitors the athlete and controls the situation in order to retrieve the athlete from the water or give him the halyard. Slalom (single) skis have a higher length and stiffness compared to pairs of recreational skis. Figure skis have a short length and medium stiffness for performing maneuvering tricks on figures. Pair cross-country skis are the golden mean for the beginner to consider.

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Inflatable, rigid, single-ply, double-ply,…how do they differ from each other? Which board should I choose? If we speak in plain language, following the logic, you can understand that the inflatable board can be blown, folded into a bag and put away for storage, but with hard to do this will not work. Agree to travel with a board that fits in the backpack is much more convenient, to make air travel or throw in the trunk of the car, and if necessary, inflate. As for the rigid board, it will not fit in every car or will require the installation of the trunk for transportation. For such moments, there are inflatable car roof racks, but it is better to drive carefully and not to exceed the speed limit, so that your board does not fly away on its own solo trip down the freeway. We won’t even list a number of inconveniences you’ll have to deal with when transporting a hard board by air, from buying a new travel case to handling oversized luggage.

Many people believe that rigid boards are more maneuverable and faster. Yes, that fact is not to be disputed. However, thanks to the development of technology, modern inflatable boards are not inferior in parameters. On the basis of this, of course, if you do not participate in any world competitions in this discipline, then feel free to take an inflatable SUP-board.

Even among the rocky beaches inflatable SUP-board will show itself better than the hard because of the impact resistant PVC material and the bumper safety, thanks to which it is difficult to puncture. Drawing an analogy with the rigid board, you can leave a chip or dent, just putting it on the asphalt, so these boards are better to use on beaches with sand. As we understood from the previous paragraphs, inflatable boards win in almost every way, so let’s break down the layers.

Single layer SUP board

The so-called insides of a sapboard consist of Drop Stitch material (high pressure chamber). This material is similar to 2 layers of PVC fabric connected by a huge amount of nylon threads, which do not allow the top and bottom parts to inflate into a ball shape, and as the air pressure inside the chamber increases, it becomes more and more rigid, similar to non-inflatable boards. With single layer boards, the high pressure chamber is covered with a single layer of PVC fabric. This makes the board lighter and less rigid. Aqua Marina SUP boards with DROP STITCH LIGHT high pressure chamber technology combined with proprietary high frequency welding technology are the best value for money on the market with the best stiffness and weight on the board.

Single ply boards are great for personal use. If you are planning occasional trips on calm water or in very small waves, single ply boards are great for this purpose. Modern technology allows you to ride on the water on lightweight boards. Aqua Marina’s large line of sup-boards provides a choice of boards for all riders and types of bodies of water.

Double Layer SUP Board

In the case of the double-layer board, the Drop Stitch material is coated with two layers of PVC inside and outside. The technology allows a second layer to be applied by hand on an already inflated board and because of this technology, double layer boards are heavier and stronger than single layer boards.

Double layer boards are ideal for advanced adventure riders who are racing or racing through rough water or for SUP rental shops and SUP schools where boards are used daily and are exposed to a lot of stress.

From this we can conclude that inflatable boards are a versatile way to have fun and relax on the water, regardless of the time of year. Consider your needs before buying a sapboard. If you do not include yourself to the extreme and like a quiet holiday, then you will be fine with a one-ply board. In case you are a risky rider and like active rest, you should pay attention to specialized professional or semi-professional models for your riding style.

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The main thing that distinguishes sapboarding from classic surfing is that you don’t need waves and wind at all on a SUP board. You can have a great time in the open water or in a calm lake. The only skill you have to have before you get on a SUP board is the ability to swim. When learning, frequent rider falls are possible, and you can buy equipment and a life jacket for more comfort.

How did the popularity of sapboarding begin

In the early 2000’s surfing legends such as Rick Thomas, Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama began to practice. The usual California waves that year did not please riders, so they had to train with a paddle. In just a couple of years about this new sport began to publish articles, opened new schools for the training of young riders. In 2004, in Hawaii, Brain Keaulana announced the new kind of SUP surfing at Buffalo’s Big Board Classic. At the time, the event was broadcast on numerous channels, so thousands of people around the world learned about sapboarding. In 2005, the SUP Surfing Federation opened in California, an event that served as a great additional boost to the development of this water sport. Thanks to all these activities and caring athletes, sapboarding has become very popular all over the United States and in European countries with open water.

Features of SUP Board Types

There are several styles and each has its own SUP board:

• SUP touring: hiking on SUP boards involves quiet exploration in smooth water
• SUP surfing: practically the same as in the classic surfing only with a paddle
• SUP racing: SUP boards are designed for active water fun and racing
• Whitewater rivers SUP: for those who love extreme white water rafting
• SUP yoga/fitness: for both yoga and water fitness

All round board is suitable for everyone, both beginners and professional riders. This type of board behaves perfectly in calm water and even in small waves. Sturdy, comfortable and maneuverable they show excellent directional stability in all conditions.

Speaking about distinctive features of Race boards, their specially designed long nose and narrow stern help quicker acceleration and maneuvers. Suitable exclusively for competitions and fast swims. Such a board will not be a universal soldier in your arsenal, their main task is to develop maximum speed.

Touring boards have their main purpose – long and comfortable stay on the water. For more stability these SUP-boards have a wide stern and a pointed nose. Thanks to this shape there is the least resistance of the board while maintaining high speed to overcome long distances.

There is a separate segment of boards designed for windsurfing. Manufacturers offer customers an ordinary recreational SUP-board with a sail attachment. Some manufacturers produce ready-made professional SUP-wind boards, one of such companies is Aqua Marina. Most often such boards are equipped with additional fin in the middle (keel-swivel) for better directional stability and planing.

Whatever the child may be, as they say, but every year the producers try to surprise the consumer and expand the possibilities of water recreation. Thus appear wide and equipped with additional handles yoga boards, large and stable tandem for the whole family and even favorite pets. Special SUP-boards for fishing, which are equipped with an additional cooler seat and special mounts for fishing rods.

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