Carrying your SUP

So you just bought your brand new SUP and now its time to take it to the water. Well it can be somewhat awkward to carry large boards if you’re unfamiliar with a few efficient techniques. After all, you want to use your energy for paddling on your new board, not carrying the board.

There are a wide variety of ways to carry your SUP and below I’ve described two different carrying techniques that I have found very effective.

Technique 1: UNDER ARM:
By carrying the board by the grab handle near the center of your board’s deck you can efficiently carry the board a short distance. You’ll do this by:

1. Rotating the board (on its side) so that the deck is facing away from you.
2. Reach down and grab the handle near the center of the board.
3. Lift the board up using your legs to lift (NOT your back) and carry the board in between your arm and leg/hip.

***If you are carrying your board under your arm in windy conditions please consider carrying it on the “downwind” side of your body. This is so if the wind catches the board and pulls it from your grip, you can simply let go of the board without having it hit you.

Technique 2: OVERHEAD CARRY:
By carrying the board overhead you support most of the boards weight with your body’s skeleton vs. your arm and shoulder muscles. The overhead carry is ideal for carrying the board over long distances. Here are some simple steps to getting the board into the carrying position from the ground:
1. Lay your board with the deck facing down.
2. From the tail of the board, lift the board so that the tail is over your head.
3. Begin to walk your hands forwards (towards the middle of the board) with your hands on the rails or sides of the board.
4. Once your hands get close to the centerline of the board you should start to feel the nose begin to lift off the ground (you’re close to the balance point). At this point, let the deck of the board rest on the top of your head.
5. Once you have the board comfortably balanced on the top of your head you can take off towards the water!

However you decide to carry your board you just need to make sure that it is safe and comfortable for you. After all, stand up paddleboarding is all about getting out on the water and having fun. Happy paddling.