Stand-Up Paddleboarding has taken off around the world for a variety of reasons. One is that it’s a relatively easy and safe way to enjoy the water.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks, and there are a few basic safety precautions that every paddler should take no matter how experienced you are. Here are a few SUP safety tips.
SUP Safety – Environment
The first bit of SUP Safety everyone should consider before you even head out the door is your environment. This includes air temperature, weather forecast, water temperature, wind, and tides/currents.
Beginning paddlers should choose mild days with comfortable air and water temperatures and little to no wind (and certainly not off-shore winds) to get started. Check the forecast for potential changes in the weather and wind, and keep an eye out for any changes while you are paddling. The same goes for checking the tide charts (beginners should avoid outgoing tides) and river flows.
Truth be told, the water temperature is far more important than the air temperature when it comes to safety.
Cold water can have physiological impacts on your body even when the air temperature seems warm. The typical threshold for cold water safety concerns begins around 55F/12C and becomes an increasing concern with decreasing water temperatures. You should always dress for the swim not the air temperature. Falling off your board is part of the sport! If you get warm while paddling, you can easily cool off in the water or by splashing yourself, but once you are cold it is extremely hard to warm back up while on or in the water.
For more information on cold water shock and the affects and safety concerns around paddling in cold water (especially below 50F/10C) check out the information at www.coldwatersafety.org.
Remember: When in Doubt, Don’t Go Out.
SUP Safety – Choose Your Crew
It’s always best to paddle with a partner or with a group of people. Why? So you can look out for each other and help each other if needed. But it’s also for some good old fashioned entertainment! Many people do like to paddle solo, but beginner paddlers should always be with another, preferably more experienced, person to help in case an issue arises.
If you can’t find anyone to paddle with (check social media for local paddling groups and look for organized paddling clubs – they are everywhere!), there are still some steps you can take to paddle safely.
- Pick a populated area to go paddling so there are other people around. You can’t rely on them for help, but they can potentially help or call for help if needed.
- Leave a “Float Plan” with a trusted adult. It doesn’t have to be an official form, but tell a trusted person where you are going, what you are doing, what time you expect to return, a description of your board and clothing, what time you expect to check in with them when finished, and the number of the local emergency services where you are paddling (Park Rangers, County Sheriff, etc). Have them call you if you do not check in by a certain time, and if you still do not answer, they should alert the listed emergency services.
SUP Safety – Equipment
I purposely listed this section last. Your SUP Safety equipment should always be viewed as a last line of defense, not first. Ideally by choosing the correct environment and crew you won’t need to use much (or any) of your safety equipment, but you still need to have it with you – much of it by law.
Life Jacket / PFD / BA
Your Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is like a seatbelt in a car. Everyone should be wearing it because by the time you know you need it, it is too late to put it on. According to the US Coast Guard, over 80% of boating fatalities in the United States each year have a primary contributing cause of “No or Not Wearing a PFD.” These devices keep you afloat, even if you cannot. They do not always float you face up (depending on the device) but a properly worn PFD will keep you floating with your head out of the water.
In the United States, every person on board any recreational vessel – which includes all paddle boards – must have a USCG approved life jacket on board and children under the age of 13 years old must be wearing them. While adults are not always required to wear them (some states, regions, and bodies of water do require it though!) again, PFDs are like seatbelts – they don’t help if you aren’t wearing them.
The only consistent exception to this rule and the federal regulation about having a PFD is while surfing. SUP (and prone) surfers are not required to have a PFD on their boards. This brings us to the next piece of safety gear.
Leashes
Leashes connect your board to your body for two important reasons. 1) this keeps your board from flying off toward other people (especially when surfing) and 2) it prevents your board from being blown away by the wind faster than you can swim after it – and it doesn’t take much wind to do that at all!
Wearing a leash allows you to quickly get back on your board after falling (or jumping) off, but they are not a replacement for a PFD. Leashes are not regulated or certified for any use. They wear out, corrode, and get damaged which can cause them to break. A leash, and even your board, on its own does not offer flotation for safety – you must be able to hold on to or get back on your board for that whereas a properly worn PFD will keep you floating all the time.
🚨GIANT INCOMING CAVEAT🚨
If you are paddling on moving water (rivers, streams, tidal estuaries or races) of any velocity DO NOT WEAR A LEASH. Leashes can (and do) become deadly entanglement hazards on moving water. Getting your leash caught on a bridge pylon, buoy chain, tree branch, or other object in the water can drag you down into the water with your feet upstream even if you are wearing a PFD. Always wear your PFD, and if you are on moving water, skip the leash.* It’s better to lose your board than it is to get trapped by your leash.
*Caveat on a caveat – there are quick-release leashes that are worn around your waist that are safer to wear on moving water. They are not a silver-bullet solution and are not for beginner paddlers. These quick-release leashes should only be worn by individuals who have trained and practiced with them to the point of muscle memory, and in supervised practice scenarios in the water, and understand the additional risks and potential failures associated with these devices. I do not recommend them to new paddlers.
Communications and Other SUP Safety Equipment
In the United States, in addition to all paddlers being required to have a PFD at least on their vessel, you are also required to carry a sound producing device at all times which is audible from at least one half mile away. This is typically done with a pealess whistle (which work when wet), or less commonly an air horn.
When paddling within one hour of sunset through one hour past sunrise, paddlers are also required to carry lighting equipment. This can vary based on your region, but the typical minimum requirement is to carry a white light-producing device that is visible in all directions. Some areas may also require appropriate green and red navigation lights.
You always want to carry a reliable communications device with you that works while on the water and is appropriate for what you are doing. For most paddlers a cell phone in a dry bag meets this need (though I do recommend carrying it on your person with a small waterproof phone bag on a lanyard). More advanced paddlers in areas with large boat traffic or in remote areas may also wish to carry a VHF radio and or a satellite communications device.
Last, but not least – sunscreen. Cancer sucks. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the united states. Sunscreen and UPF clothing are must-wear items!