So, do you know what to expect first time paddle boarding?
You have bought your solid or inflatable paddle board and you are excited to get into the water. And have fun!
Today, I am going to share with you the very first experience you will have on your beginner stand up paddle board.
It may look like a smooth experience when you watch other people gliding on the water on their Easy Eddy Paddle Board, but it took them some time to get there.
So,
What to know before paddle boarding
Nothing good I can tell you for sure. But even Rome was not built in one day. It takes time. The key thing is to keep going back at it.
Here are a few honest things that will happen to you when you go paddle boarding the first time:
You will fall off the SUP a lot
Paddle boarding starts with knowing how to stand up on the board, find your balance and not fall off. But on the first day, you will fall a lot. However, in our article on how to get back on the paddle board after falling, you will see everything you need to know.
Just try hard to fall with your head away from the board so that you do not knock yourself out. Also, wear your SUP leash so that the board does not drift away from you.
You will have it rough if you don’t know how to swim
Okay, you may have learned that you can go snorkeling when you don’t know how to swim. You might also have seen information about going paddle boarding without knowing how to swim.
To make your first lessons easier, please learn how to swim first. Imagine falling face first in the water and you don’t know how to swim. That would be nasty on you and your trainer.
You will need to wear a life jacket
If you are paddle boarding the first time, please wear your Coast Guard approved life jacket. Since you will fall off the board several times, you will appreciate the work the jacket does to keep you afloat.
You can wear a type III life jacket but it has its limitations. For instance, it will not turn you over if you fall face first into the water.
A Type II life jacket would be more appropriate for people who don’t know how to swim or are not good swimmers, and are paddle boarding for the first time.
The Coast Guard regulations say to have a life jacket on the SUP board if you are going to be paddle boarding in an area out of the designated bathing, swimming or surfing zone.
In this case, have the life jacket on your person all the time, and don’t go out of the designated bathing zone.
You could lose your paddle
You will fall off the SUP board and your paddle will slip your hand and fall into the water. But it floats so you should not worry about it too much.
To truly avoid losing your SUP paddle, you can have it secured to your arm with a leash. It will be uncomfortable having a leash to the board on your ankle and a leash to the paddle on your arm, but it prevents unnecessary losses.
Just concentrate on learning, not fun
The first time you go paddle boarding is not the time you want to use your underwater camera to take photos.
It is also not the time, you want to start doing SUP Yoga or other fancy gimmicks on the water. It will be a day of learning how to get onto a paddle board, how to position your knees and how to launch.
Forget about speed. That will come later.
You will learn just a little
On the very first day of paddle boarding, you will learn almost nothing! Sure, you will learn how to carry your SUP board to the water, how to wear certain accessories such as the ankle SUP leash and so on.
You will be very anxious, so you will take longer to grasp facts. However, on the second day, you will have fun. You will enjoy yourself thoroughly.
From the third lesson, paddle boarding becomes more fun and enjoyable.
You will get wet a lot
It is a water sport and occasionally, you will fall off the board many times. This means getting wet a lot. Wear your swimsuit if you are a woman, or a wetsuit. If you are a man, wear board shorts or swimming trunks.
You will get very tired!
You will feel super tired, especially the day after the first day of learning how to paddle board. In another article on why you feel exhausted after paddle boarding, we said it happens to everyone. However, beginners are more likely to feel this exhaustion because your body is not used to it.
Tips for first time paddle boarding
Just like beginner surfing enthusiasts, you need a few first time tips for paddle boarding. Try the following things:
Choosing the right paddle board
This is where everything starts. Choose a cheap, wide SUP board. Width helps with the stability, so you will not be tipping the board over all the time. After you become good at this water sport, you can always go for a longer and slimmer board.
Learn the basics from YouTube
There are so many things to learn. One of them is how to hold the SUP paddle in the right way. You will find that it is curved on one side and flat on the other.
Also, learn everything else you think is necessary. It will help to build your confidence on the water. Here is a video you could watch:
Start by paddling when seated
Start paddling when seated on the board. Have a feel of the water, and the board’s movement on the water. Later, you can try to stand up on the SUP board.
You could kneel, sit cross-legged on the board or just straddle it. If you like, you can propel the paddle board while seated the entire first day.
Leash the board to your ankle
Keep the paddle board leashed to the ankle. When you fall into the water, the paddle board is not going to drift away from you with the current.
Water shoes or barefoot?
If you are renting the paddle board, the rental shop might insist you have to wear water shoes. Some rental shops might also insist you have to go barefoot.
Choose the barefoot option if it is available. It makes you feel more one-with-the-board.
Don’t go paddle boarding alone
No matter how much you think you have learned about paddle boarding from YouTube, don’t go alone! Take someone who is more skilled than you.
You could also hire a trainer for a small fee. It is worth it because you will learn how to paddle board fast and you can start having fun sooner.
Final Thoughts: What to expect first time paddle boarding
There is a lot to expect for the first time paddle boarding. Do not expect too much. Just make it a learning experience, where you can grapple with the first time mistakes and so on.
On the first day, you want to experience the paddle board, paddle while seated, and learn how the board handles in water. Advanced things such as how to steer a paddle board will come later.