4 Things to Consider Before You Learn to Stand up Paddleboard in Sydney
So you’re thinking of learning to stand up paddleboard in Sydney? Firstly, congratulations. You’re making great life choices. This is definitely something you won’t regret!
However before you jump in the deep end (literally!) there are a 4 things you should consider before you learn to stand up paddleboard in Sydney. As someone who introduces hundreds of Sydney locals (and visitors) to stand up paddleboarding every year via our women-only SUP Confidence Lessons or our open-to-all Private Lessons (ideal for families, couples or groups of friends), here are a few tips to get you started.
Consider your location
Sydney offers a variety of stunning spots perfect for stand up paddleboarding, but not all spots are suitable for learning/absolute beginners therefore selecting the right location can significantly impact your experience. The main things to consider are avoiding waves (likely from ocean facing beaches) and heavy boat traffic. Look for calm bays, harbour ways and rivers as your best options for minimal water disturbance and the most relaxing settings to learn in. At She SUPs, we teach in a beautiful bay in Cammeray, North Sydney. We have hand-picked this location as it offers a great location for our paddlers to learn in a safe and secluded environment which is most of the time mega calm! Other great spots include the harbour side of Manly, Lane Cove River, Rose Bay, Narrabeen Lakes and Gunnamatta Bay.
What equipment will you be learning on?
So your friend has offered to show you how to stand-up paddleboard. That’s great! However, if they are showing you the ropes on a poor quality iSUP that isn’t fully inflated, you’re going to have a really challenging first experience. Set yourself up for success by knowing what you’re looking for. Most paddlers like to start on a 10-11ft paddleboard with a width of around 32-34 inches. This means it’s likely to be what’s called an ‘allrounder’ style board, with great stability. When using an inflatable stand up paddleboard, make sure it’s inflated to a minimum of 15 PSI. If your friend says “oh it’s fine, I always paddle at 10 PSI”… show them this blog. Hi friend! A minimum of 15 PSI is what you need to learn on a stable board that won’t bend like a banana! If your friend has a hard board, just check the dimensions match the dimensions mentioned above to ensure it’s not a super short surf SUP or a skinny race board which may make learning a bit more challenging. At She SUPs we teach on premium 10’6 stand up paddleboards and SUP hire is included in all beginners lessons (which we call our ‘SUP Confidence Lessons’) to ensure all paddlers learn on the best boards possible to support them on their SUP journey. Oh and don’t forget your leg rope. Your leg rope is there for your safety so that if you fall, the board will stay close with you. Never learn without a leg rope.
Have you checked the wind forecast?
This one is a biggy!! Wind can make or break a paddleboarding experience. If you pick a calm low wind day, you can focus your energy on finding your sea legs and working on stroke technique rather than trying to prevent being blown into the shore. But what does a calm low wind day look like? Well, at She SUPs we always keep things below 12 knots (which is approximately 22kph). This is an industry-wide safety cut-off, however if you’re brand new to SUP or you’re learning with children, consider keeping things under 10 knots to ensure you have a stress-free experience. You can read a blog I wrote called ‘How to check the wind before you SUP’ HERE for some further tips and advice (including which apps/websites to look at) on reading the wind forecast before you go stand up paddleboarding.
Would this whole experience be much less stressful (and easier!) if you take a lesson from a professional? Probably 😬
Having taught thousands of people to SUP over the last 5 years, I hear time and time again; ‘I really should have had a professional lesson first’. Learning to stand up paddleboard does not have to be a struggle, nor should it be a stressful experience, but for many their first experience can often put them off for good. A first SUP experience should not be plagued by choppy waters, poor equipment and fear of being blown out to sea. Quite frankly, that sounds terrifying and I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t want to try a SUP again after that! Instead, you should be able to relax knowing that you’re safe, your supported and you’re learning the core foundational skills to set you up for success and the next time you go paddling, you can be confident that you know what you’re doing. She SUPs instructors are all qualified through a governing body called ‘ASI’ (Academy of Surfing Instructors) and then receive further in-house training to tailor their teaching style to the supportive and inclusive She SUPs methodology. Any instructor teaching one of our lessons, will have their Level 2 Instructor Qualifications (as a minimum) as well as their SUP Safety and Rescue Award, meaning you are truly in the best hands to keep you safe and empower you with knowledge. If the wind is blowing above our safety cut off we will always inform you and help you reschedule your session to a safer window. We keep our group classes small to ensure you have tailored 1:1 attention and we only use the best equipment in the industry to ensure nothing is holding you back from achieving your full SUP potential. If you’re interested in learning with a qualified instructor, check out our women-only SUP Confidence Lessons here or our open-to-all Private Lessons (ideal for families, couples or groups of friends).
So there you have it. 4 things to consider before you learn to stand up paddleboard in Sydney; now the rest is up to you! The Summer is just beginning so now is the best time to learn to stand up paddleboard. This sport is so incredible for so many reasons, from the fact it’s an incredibly social sport with an amazing community, to the fitness benefits and not forgetting how incredibly mindful it is as an activity. It’s so so good for the brain and your mental health, I know you will love it. Good luck with your SUP journey, let me know how you get on in the comments and I hope to see you on the water sometime soon!
Vikki x
Founder of She SUPs