Stand Up Paddle

You can do this!

Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) are the latest water sports phenomenon. This amazing sport is so easy that anybody can do it while still presenting a true challenge to the hardcore waterman. The range of activity with you SUP is awesome. You can cruise in flat water or drop into massive waves or you can take on a 5-mile coast run or a 30 minute early morning lagoon paddle. It’s a great family sport and suitable for every age and fitness condition. It requires no strength, very little balance and yet rewards the paddler with the best core workout available on the water. Expensive lessons? Forget about it. You can do it right now anywhere there is water! The gear is durable and light and comes in all kinds of styles and price points.

We sell and rent new and used boards and organize group paddle trips throughout PR and the Spanish Virgins. Our try-before-you-buy program includes lots of models from our stock and the Saturday demo has stoked lots of newcomers on this great sport.

Gear Primer

Paddleboarding in definitely a gear-intensive sport. From flat water racing to big wave surfing and everything in between, having the right gear for your size and conditions will make a huge difference in how much fun you have.

We carry the biggest assortment of gear in the Caribbean! From all-out raceboards to hard core wave boards, our selection will leave you breathless. So, no matter what, your best bet is to consult the experts at Velauno to make sure you get the right gear for your needs. To get you started on your searc, here’s quick guide to selecting the right gear for you.

Boards

The Stand Up Paddleboard is the core of your SUP gear set. Board size is a prime purchase consideration and a lot of parameters help define board size: primarily length, width and thickness and then shape (outline, rail shape, rocker). The most basic selection guide is: the heavier you are the bigger the board. The more skilled you are the smaller a board you can use. For riding normal size waves, the bigger the wave the smaller the board.

Other considerations may be water conditions and what type or paddleboarding you are going to do (fitness, surfing, distance, cruising, passage making, distance racing or sprint racing). In general, bigger boards are easier and more stable while smaller boards are more maneuverable and challenging. In choppy water you will require a lot more skill and/or a stabler board to manage the conditions.

So a heavy beginner would need a fairly large board (a big combo of long, wide and thick) for flat water paddling while a light weight expert surfer may go for a smallish wave-style board for surfing.

Boards vary in length from as short as 8′ for surfing to as long as 18′ for racing. The narrowest boards are around 25″ while the widest go up to 35″ and thicknesses vary between 3.75″ and 6″. For any given rider skill/weight combination, if you make a board really wide you could make it a little shorter and it would still work.

Performance-wise, as a general rule, you could say longer boards are faster and have better glide while shorter boards turn easier and are more maneuverable. Boards with less rocker (bottom curve) are faster while a good amount of rocker is usually needed to make turny waveboards which are a little slower in flat water.

Paddles

Paddles vary in blade area size, length and construction materials. A great article on paddle specifics can be found by clicking here. In summary, the faster a board will be going through the water the bigger the paddle blade you want to use. In situations were you are always going slow or trying to get going (like when surfing) smaller blades work better. Also stronger/heavier people can benefit for somewhat larger blade sizes while smaller people are better served by smaller blades.

Paddle length is easier. For distance or fitness paddling the ideal paddle can be 8″ to 10″ longer than the rider is tall. For paddling in waves, the length should be around 4″ to 6″ longer than the height of the rider. Remember this important rule: paddles can’t really be too long but they can be too short. If in doubt cut your paddle longer than you think and DO NOT glue the handle in permanently. If, after trying it in varying conditions, you find you want it shorter, cut it some more and try it again. Once you find the right size for your epoxy the handle in place.

Paddles are made from composites of plastic, aluminum, wood, fiberglass and carbon fiber. The more exotic the construction material the more expensive it is. For the extra bucks you usually get lighter weight, stronger products and higher performance. For riding in surf weight and strength carry greater importance. For flat water cruising or recreational paddling, the less expensive wood, aluminum and plastic paddles work great. Get the most expensive paddle you can afford. It will be with you a long time. If you are scrapping to get into SUP, take advantage of the cheap plastic/Alu paddles prices to easily afford into the sport.