Buying your board Paddleboard SUP by britsurf - May 11, 2017August 30, 20230 Buying your board The moment you have been waiting for, getting a shining new stick! Consider your budget and also the standard you are at. Try not to buy a soft board as a beginner as you will out-grow it very quickly. Spend time on a soft board and get comfortable making turns and taking long rides before you consider buying anything. Also, remember to try different boards before you buy, if possible! Think about this; you need to catch many waves to progress, so get a board you know you can stand up on often! Get advice from experienced, approachable people who you trust. As a novice, get something fairly wide, at least nineteen inches across the belly of it, and around two point five inches thick at least. Try not to go for anything shorter than you until you rip! As a novice, head for something about a foot taller than you as a rough guide, no seriously. You can stay updated with surfing trends by following surf news on our website. Where to paddleboard Compton Bay, Isle of Wight. View Airbnbs. River Wye, Herefordshire. View Airbnbs. Glencoe Lake, Scotland. View hotels. Lake Windermere, The Lake District. View Airbnbs. Bournemouth Beach, Dorset. View Airbnbs. The River Thames, Shepperton, Surrey. View Airbnbs. Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland. View Airbnbs. Rutland Water, Rutland. View Airbnbs. Freshwater Bay, The Isle of Wight. View Airbnbs. River Wensum, Norfolk. View Airbnbs. Check out what Airbnb offers on their experiences for the area you’re staying in. If you’re already booked in with a managed Airbnb, you may even be eligible for a discount. Board advice Fins may baffle you, but don’t worry too much; mind out for them because they are very sharp and fragile! Whether you like one big one or three little ones is up to you, they all stabilise the board and provide the drive as you pressure your back foot and tip over to make a turn happen. Three fins were developed to get as many turns in the wave as possible during surfing. Fins developed from the traditional single fin, which is very stable on larger boards and provides a good hold for the board when travelling through water. Having three fins loosens up the turn in a wave and makes it ‘snappier’. Avoid two fins as a novice since these are very loose, a little unstable, and generally used as a sliding platform with less hold in smaller conditions. Don’t forget a vital safety component: The Leash! Always wear one since it protects you and others from the board and keeps it near you, which is an important buoyancy aid. Never get lazy, relying on your leash by letting go of the board. This is very dangerous to others behind you in the line-up. If you must let go of your board to get through a wave, you should not be in conditions of that size since it probably means you can’t handle it. Hold on! Get a leash at least six feet long. Any shorter, and your board may hit you in a wipeout. As a rough rule, get a leash the same length as your board but no less than six feet long. A must is also a rail saver, a piece of flat nylon that attaches to the part of your leash linking to the board. This stops the cord from ripping through you, spanking new rails. Always keep your leash in a good state and look out for damage or cracks, replacing it immediately if you suspect damage. Read how to paddle beyond the white water.