The Paddleboard Bible

From the basics of getting on and moving, to mastering advanced techniques and going on paddleboard adventures, this book gives you everything you need to know to get up and get SUPping.

All the fundamentals are here, from equipment (a guide to boards, including bargain-priced inflatables, as well as paddles, clothing and simple safety gear) to essential techniques (getting on, getting moving and, just as importantly, landing and getting off). The book also explores more advanced techniques, places to go and things to see, and explains all the important things you'll need to understand about weather, tides, waves and currents.

The Paddleboard Bible will take you on paddleboard adventures, from night paddles to wildlife-spotting safari and unique photography opportunities; it even reveals the benefits of fishing from a paddleboard. And it's not all gentle stuff – for adrenaline junkies there is SUP surfing, riding white water rapids and for the more competitive types, SUP racing.

This second edition is thoroughly updated throughout to reflect current guidance and safety regulations, and includes new advice on accessibility and travel. Whether you're new to the sport or a seasoned paddler who wants to challenge themselves further and enjoy the social side of SUPping, The Paddleboard Bible is the one-stop book that covers everything you need to know about the most beginner-friendly and inexpensive paddlesport.

About the Author

Dave Price is a certified SUP instructor at Easyriders, one of the UK's leading watersports centres, as well as The Watersports Academy, home of stand-up paddleboarding on the south coast. As well as teaching beginners, he also leads SUP expeditions, and his wildlife tours are especially popular. He has been featured in the Guardian's Weekend magazine for his SUP activities and is the author of The Paddleboard Bible.

Table of Contents

• Introduction: The SUP-rising: A potted past of paddleboarding
• 1. Basic Techniques: Equipment, Step by step, Become a stand-up paddler, The stroke, Why does the paddle go that way round?, Common faults, Stopping, An initial word on wind
• 2. The Joy of SUP - board games and challenges: One-board wonders, Games for more boards, Games with frontiers
• 3. Advanced Techniques: Why is good technique useful?, Steering and turning strokes, Top tips for efficient paddling, Passengers, Tows and rescues
• 4. Choosing equipment: Boards, Paddles, Pumps, Leashes, Buoyancy aids, Clothing
• 5. Places to go, wildlife to see: Rivers, Canals, Lakes, Make the most of the coast, Other points of interest, Wildlife around the world
• 6. Stand up for 'SUPways': Access, Voluntary work, Biosecurity and invasive species
• 7. The Elements: Tides, Waves and currents, Weather, Forecasting, Climate change
• 8. Sense of Adventure!: Tour planning, What to pack, Navigation, Down-winders and down-streamers, Night paddling, Supping through the seasons, Photography, Interactions with other pastimes, Travel
• 9. Live to SUP another day: Site or route assessment, Hazards and health risks, Reducing risks, Accidents, Insurance
• 10. Thrills, Skills and Spills!: SUP surfing, White water, Races - speedy boarding!, Boards for specific activities
• 11. Body and Soul: SUP for a healthier life, Nutrition, Hydration, Fitness, SUP Yoga
• 12. What'S UP? - the social side: Groups, Forums, views and news, Events, Teaching
• Acknowledgements
• Appendix
• Picture credits
• Index