Stand Up Paddle Boarding: What's It All About?

Stand up paddle boarding, also referred to as stand up paddle surfing or SUP is a relatively new watersport and continues to gain in popularity. It is, as the name suggests, an activity where you stand upright on a surfboard and use a long paddle to move about on top of the water. It can be practiced on calm waters, challenging waves and everything in between. Read on to learn more about how this sport came to be, and what equipment you need to do it.

Read More: Stand Up Paddle Boarding: What's It All About?

What You Need to Know to Buy a Kayak

Kayaking is one of the fastest growing activities in the US, with almost eight million people. Its increasing popularity is not surprising considering how simple it is to learn, surprisingly affordable and it is a great activity to enjoy with the whole family. Kayaking has rapidly become the next big thing in exercise, helping people develop cardio endurance, total body strength, flexibility and balance all at the same time.

It is so fun and addictive that most people probably don't even realize that they're working out at the same time. The good thing about kayaking is that it fits so well many other favorite activities such as hiking, camping and photography, it offers something for everyone. So what do you need to know in order to buy a kayak? Here are the steps that anyone looking to buy a kayak needs to know.

Read More: What You Need to Know to Buy a Kayak

Kayaking Is Fun for the Whole Family: Anyone Can Kayak!

If you're looking for family fun this summer, you need not look any further than the nearest body of water. Kayaking has taken the country by storm and opened doors to outdoor fun that have never been open before. Kayaking is a safe, fun, outdoor activity the entire family can participate in with little risk or investment. And, best of all, anyone can kayak.

There are many types and styles of kayaks and kayaking, so the first logical step is to call a kayak outfitter and tell them what you're interested in doing. You can ask questions and gather any information you are seeking; but it's the questions the outfitter will ask you that are most important. Where are you planning on kayaking? What kind of experience do you have? What are the ages and/or sizes of the youngest and oldest paddlers in the group? And the list goes on, depending on the part of the country you are in.

Read More: Kayaking Is Fun for the Whole Family: Anyone Can Kayak!

Kayaking Gifts for Christmas

Finding good Christmas gifts ideas is easy if you think about a persons hobbies. If you are buying for person who enjoys kayaking, here are a few ideas for kayaking gifts.

Kayaking Gifts

Kayaking is a sport that appears to require relatively small amounts of equipment. In truth, it is much more than a paddle and a kayak, which provides you with a lot of potential gift ideas.

Read More: Kayaking Gifts for Christmas

For Kayaking, Being a Bit of a Hoser is a Good Thing

Kayaks are a ton of fun, so maintaining your boat is an important part of a paddler’s life! Always keep in mind that an ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold. Keeping your kayak clean and well maintained will ensure the longevity of your craft. Cleaning it on a regular basis and keeping it free from clutter is a good first step. Here are a few tips that will help to ensure your craft remains like new for a long time to come. To begin with, it is important to use a hose to rinse the inside and outside of your boat after each use. This keeps the moving parts free of salt and debris. This is especially applicable if you do a lot of saltwater kayaking, as salt will those metal parts on the inside. Inflatable kayaks may not need as much maintenance, but still need caring for.

Read More: For Kayaking, Being a Bit of a Hoser is a Good Thing

Buying And Storing A Kayak

If you are considering taking up kayaking as a hobby or sport the first thing you need to consider is how much you are prepared to spend on a new or used kayak together with the cost of the essential kayak accessories you will need. The next thing to consider is where you will store your kayak when you are not using it.

Not many people take into account the cost of buying all the kayak accessories which together will often be more than the price of the kayak itself. A decent set of paddles are not cheap and can cost from $60 to $500 or more. Also there is the cost of a life jacket, wet gear, gloves, paddles, paddle leash, dry bags, kayak trolleys and so on. The list is almost endless and before you know it you would have spent well over your intended original budget.

To keep the cost down it is well worth looking into the possibility of buying used kayaks. Kayaks are very durable and used kayaks will normally only have sustained superficial scratches to the hull through general wear and tear.

However you must check over any used kayaks for cracks, splits or punctures especially if it is an inflatable kayak. Furthermore always check out the quality of used kayaks when there is good natural light available.

Once you have purchased your kayak or canoe you will need to arrange for practical and accessible storage facilities.

Read More: Buying And Storing A Kayak

6 Tips You Should Know Before You Go Kayaking

Like cycling, kayaking is a simple but great sport for beginners. In fact, it's easy to learn, unlike other sports. All you need to do is spend a few hours and you will be good to go. Kayaking is of many types like whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, and flat water kayaking, to name a few. Before you go kayaking, make sure you learn the basic skills. Given below are the top 6 tips that may help you get started.

Read More: 6 Tips You Should Know Before You Go Kayaking