So you have decided it is time to get your very own stand-up paddle board and stop renting and borrowing. How do you take care of your investment to ensure it will get you many trips out on the open water?
Stand Up Paddle Board Care Tips
Here are a couple tips for taking care of your paddle board and ensuring it maintains its brand new look.
Wash your SUP after each run on the water. This is especially important if you use your board in salt water. You simply need to rinse your paddle board with a hose to get rid of bacteria, which can cause mildew to grow on the deck pad.
Since salt water does not evaporate as quickly as freshwater rinsing your board off with fresh water ensures that it will dry faster and there will be no salty residue left behind.
You do not need to use soap on your board but if your deck pad has gotten dirty some simple green can remove the dirt. This is also good for removing rust or mildew. (However, you will not have any mildew because you will be rinsing it after every use right?)
After you give your SUP a general hose down with water you want to ensure that you go over any metal parts even stainless steel if you have a board with these elements. If you are entirely new to your board and not sure, where you may find thee metal parts you can check out tie down points, leash plugs, leash joints and fin hardware.
If your paddle is the adjustable type, you will want to rinse out the buckle lock and pop it out afterwards to allow it to air dry without touching the paddle. This ensures that the buckle lock will not rust.
When you are not using your SUP store it in an area where it will not be exposed to the direct sun. The EPS foam core of the board can become unstable if it gets too hot and can cause delamination. The heat will cause air pockets to appear between the foam core and the epoxy shell.
Some paddle boards have an air vent built in to help prevent delamination but there is always the chance that this can happen if the board gets extremely hot.
UV rays will damage your boards finish as well if they undergo prolonged exposure to sunlight. If your SUP board must be in the heat for some time place it in a bag to protect it from the heat until you can find a better storage space.
You always want to have a finger-tight vent plug so you must keep checking that. These plugs are responsible for regulating the board’s internal pressure when there are changes in elevation and temperature.
You do not have to check it before every outing on the paddleboard but you should check it regularly.
With these simple tips, you can properly maintain your stand up paddle board in pristine condition ready to let you experience the health benefits of SUPping whenever the desire arises.