Now that Ireland has officially adopted stand up paddle boarding as it’s new favorite outdoor hobby, lets talk about looking after your paddle board, care and maintenance. A good quality SUP board should last you many enjoyable years on the water but, it will need some TLC for a happy and healthy life… span. Here are iSUP’s top tips to preserve your SUP board.

1. Cleaning your SUP board

Rinse your stand up paddle board with fresh water after use. You don’t need to wash it after every use (unless after being in salt water), but a quick rinse to wash away dirt or gravel will keep your board clean and prevent damage or any debris from marking or scratching the board’s artwork. Keep a cloth nearby to dry and wipe away any dirt or grit.

After paddling in salt water, always rinse your SUP board with fresh water to wash away corrosive salt water. Over time, salt can corrode a SUP board’s material and weaken it’s seams.

Over time your SUP board will inevitably get some scuffs and scratch marks. If cleaning these scuff marks, use a natural biodegradable cleaner/soap so as not to damage the board’s PVC and surface laminate.

2. Storing your SUP board

SUPing is a fun activity greatly enhanced when the weather is fine. There is no problem taking your board out on a hot sunny day for several hours but when it comes to storing your board for an extended period you should keep it out of direct sunlight. Roll it up, pack into it’s storage bag, place somewhere cool out of the elements and direct sunlight or away from heat sources.

For those that live close to water or have a roof rack and SUP frequently, you can keep your SUP board inflated to save pumping each time before use. We see people do this over the summer months in particular. Remember to remove the fin after use so it doesn’t get broken and check the air pressure weekly to make sure it’s at the required PSI before going out on water.

3. Transporting your SUP board

Most SUP boards nowadays come with a backpack so it’s very easy to carry from place to place. For long journeys by car we recommend packing/rolling a SUP into it’s backpack and keep out of direct sunlight. For shorter journeys with an inflated SUP on a roof rack, we suggest deflating the board by 4/5 of PSI so the roof rack straps don’t damage or misshape the board. Try not to over tighten roof rack straps.

4. SUP board dos & don’ts

Do

  • Do store a SUP board in a cool dark place
  • Do rinse a SUP board periodically or after use on salt water
  • Do dry a SUP board after washing
  • Do remove fin(s) before folding/rolling a SUP board
  • Do wipe away any grit, gravel or sand

Don’t

  • Don’t bend the fin plates
  • Don’t store in direct sunlight
  • Don’t over inflated your SUP board
  • Don’t drag a SUP board across rough ground
  • Don’t transport a SUP board at full pressure
  • Don’t transport a SUP board next to rough or sharp objects