8 Powerful Tips for Safety when Paddle Boarding in The Rain!
Once you get used to paddleboarding, you’ll often want to spend time in rivers and reservoirs. However, the weather won’t always be calm or sunny. This begs the question – can you paddle board in the rain? Yes! You can SUP in the rain and during gloomy weather.
Paddleboarding in the rain is fun if you stay safe and know what you are doing. Of course, it is challenging due to the slippery nature of your board. But if you love challenges, you shouldn’t hesitate to go out on your paddle board in the rain.
Can you paddle board in the rain? Handy tips
SUPing in the rain is a bit trickier. And if you are not cautious, you can fall off the SUP board or end up in dangerous situations.
Luckily, we have a few tips to make paddle boarding in the rain enjoyable and safe. Let’s get right into it!
Trust your gut feeling
Paddleboarding in the rain can be very risky for both beginners and experienced paddleboarders. Therefore, sometimes your instincts will tell you the conditions aren’t good for paddleboarding.
Maybe the visibility is poor, or the rain is just too much. In such cases, you should trust your gut instincts and get out of the water.
Don’t test your limits
Knowing how to paddleboard doesn’t mean you should try new things or go to unknown spots. It would be unwise to attempt new things in rainy or gloomy conditions. So, avoid getting yourself in situations that you can’t maneuver. Stick to what you know until the rain clears.
Certainly, if you are a beginner in stand up paddle boarding, do not attempt it in the rain.
Bring your safety equipment
Paddle boarding in the rain adds a lot of challenges to this lovely water sport. For starters, your board will become slippery due to the precipitation.
This increases the chances of you falling off the board. Secondly, you might struggle to remain stable or keep your balance on the paddle board during rainy conditions.
With all these possibilities, you should carry a personal flotation device for paddle boarding with you. Also, ensure you bring a paddle board leash.
Attach the SUP leash to your calf or ankle to prevent the board from drifting away when you fall into the water. This way, you can always get to your paddleboard with ease.
Wear the right gear
If you want to paddleboard in the rain, you’ll need to wear protective clothing. You can’t wear a vest and shorts and expect to be fine.
You are much better off wearing a wetsuit or dry suit. You also need proper footwear and waterproof gloves.
The gloves will give you a strong grip when paddling. Proper footwear will prevent you from sliding off the board.
Stay close to the shores
Due to visibility problems and rising water levels, you should always stay close to the shoreline. This is the only way to protect yourself against winds and tides.
If anything happens, you can get to land without difficulty. So, try your best to stay close to the banks or shoreline if you must paddleboard during rainy days.
Be careful and avoid losing your SUP paddle, because it can be hard to recover it when it is raining and the currents are all over the place.
Don’t paddleboard during thunderstorms
Paddleboarding during thunderstorms is dangerous because you can get struck by lightning. So, if it starts raining, and you notice signs of a thunderstorm, head back to shore immediately. You don’t want to take any risks that may cost you your life.
Check the weather forecast
SUPing in the rain is quite okay. However, you still need to check the weather forecast to ensure the conditions won’t worsen. You’ll know if storms, strong winds, or lightning will hit your location.
Keep track of the water levels
Rain can quickly turn a river into roaring rapids. So, don’t take anything lightly. You must monitor the water levels to know when to get out of the water.
If you are paddleboarding in the river and the water level starts to rise, don’t take your chances.
Risks to Beware of When Paddle Boarding in The Rain
Rain makes most water sports difficult and unsafe. So, don’t assume your experience will be smooth. Here are some of the risks you might encounter when SUPing in the rain:
Your board might get slippery
Rain can make your inflatable or solid paddle board slippery. So, if you aren’t careful, you will struggle to stay on the board. Luckily, you can use a traction pad on the board and wear water shoes to improve your grip.
You’ll get cold
As expected, paddleboarding in the rain exposes you to cold conditions. The showers will make you wet and cold at the same time.
Amazingly, you can protect yourself from the rain and cold by wearing a wetsuit or dry suit. Ensure you also wear a waterproof jacket and a hat.
Poor visibility
Precipitation and rain can affect a paddleboarder’s visibility. Therefore, you might struggle to see what’s ahead of you or in the water. This can make your SUP boarding experience quite difficult.
Choppy waters
Calm waters can become choppy when it rains. So, unless you are comfortable paddleboarding on rough waters, you should stay indoors or find something better to do. Remember that it’s pretty challenging to navigate choppy waters.
Items to Bring When Paddle Boarding In The Rain
Carry the following items if you plan to have fun paddle board in the rain:
Dry Bag – This accessory is ideal for storing your smartphone, sunscreen, first-aid items, snacks, and a change of clothing.
Safety Whistle – Don’t forget to carry your whistle when you go out paddleboarding. You can use the whistle to signal for help.
Bow Safety Light – Due to the limited visibility, you need to attach a bow safety light to your paddle board. This light alerts others of your location, thus preventing collisions.
Conclusion
Paddleboarding in the rain shouldn’t scare you if you are an expert in the sport. You only need to heed the advice that we have shared in this post.
Additionally, it would be best if you did a lot of practice before to gain enough confidence to paddle board in the rain.
While you might consider paddleboarding in the rain, you should not do it at night or in lowly-lit conditions, no matter how advanced your skill is.