Beginner's Guide to Stand Up Paddleboarding on South Lake Tahoe
SUP is an adventurous, relaxing, and fun hobby suitable for both children and adults. Anyone who enjoys being out on the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe can enjoy paddleboarding.
Stand up paddleboarding is also relatively easy to get started with, even if you have never been on a board before. With just a few tips for staying balanced and paddling, you will be able to easily navigate your way around the lake on your stand up paddleboard.
How to Launch and SUP
The easiest location to get on an SUP for the first time is in shallow water with a sandy shore. Several beaches on the south shore of Lake Tahoe meet this requirement, such as El Dorado Beach, Pope Beach, and Baldwin Beach.
To get up on your board, you will:
Get in the Water - Float your board out into knee-deep water and stand to the side of it. You need to be deep enough that the boards fins are no longer touching sand.
Get Onto the Board - Place a hand on the left and right side of the board and pull yourself on so that you can kneel near the center, just behind the point where the carrying handles are attached.
Move to Your Feet - Leaving your hands in place, slowly move each foot to where your knees were.
Stand Up - Continue to move slowly for this part, first extending your chest into a vertical position and finally, straightening your knees as the last step.
As you are getting on your board, lay the paddle across perpendicularly across the board and hold on to it rather than the board. You can also have someone else hold your paddle and then pass it to you once you are standing if you have a friend with you.
How to Keep Your Balance on a SUP
A stand up paddleboard is designed for easy balance unless the water is particularly rough. If you have rented or purchased a beginner board, these are also optimized for maximum stability.
These additional techniques to maintain your posture will also make it easier to stay up:
Center Your Feet - Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart and centered between the left and right edges of the board with your toes pointed towards the front.
Bend Your Knees - Keep a slight, comfortable bend in your knees.
Straight Back - You will want to keep your back straight with your head and shoulders up.
Look Forward - Although it can be tempting to stare at your feet, keep your gaze in the direction you are going since this will actually improve your balance.
When you do need to shift your weight to help steer the board, move your hips and knees rather than leaning. This keeps your weight centered over the board but still enables the small adjustments necessary to change direction.
Paddling a SUP
Now that you are on your board and relatively well balanced, you can begin paddling out into the lake. An SUP paddle has the paddle at one end and a T-grip at the other. Your hands’ position on the paddle will change depending on what side you are paddling on.
For instance, when your paddle is in the water in the water on the left of you, your right hand will reach across your body to hold the T-grip and your left hand will be comfortably a few feet down the shaft of the paddle. When you paddle on the right, you will switch hand positions.
In the water, you should angle the blade of the paddle slightly forward so that it is pointing towards the front of your board.
When using this grip, you can use any of the following SUP strokes to help you smoothly glide through the water:
Forward Stroke - Likely the stroke you will use the most, the forward stroke provides straight, forward motion. With your arms straight, you will put the blade of the paddle into the water about 2 feet in front of your feet, then pull the paddle back level with your ankle. Much of your movement from the stroke should come from twisting your torso as you push forward on the T-grip with your hand. Keeping your paddle as vertical as possible will help you stay straight, but you will also need to alternate sides about every 3 strokes as well.
Reverse Stroke - Opposite of the forward stroke in execution, the reverse stroke can help with slowing down, stopping, and turning. You will place the paddle a few feet behind you and insert the blade completely into the water. Then draw the paddle forward until it is in line with your feet. This movement will cause your board to turn towards whichever side the paddle is and will slow your forward movement.
Sweep Stroke - This stroke lets you turn while you are moving. To execute this stroke, you will twist your body so that the shoulder of the side you are paddling on is forward. For example, if you are paddling on the left side, your left shoulder will be forward. Lean forward slightly to insert the blade of the paddle near the front of the board. Turn your torso to move your paddle in an arch from the nose to the tail of the board, turning your board in the opposite direction as you do.
Another key element that will help with movement is the wind. When you are standing on a stand up paddleboard, your body acts as a sail. When your back is to the wind, this will push you forward. Facing into the wind will make it more work for you to paddle, and wind coming from the side will start to change your direction. As you are getting started, take into account which way the wind is blowing to make for easier paddling.
What to Do If You Fall Off a SUP
Stand up paddle boards are stable, but everyone will fall at some point if you make the wrong movement or find yourself in choppy waters. For this reason, you will want to know how to fall safely and then get back up onto your board.
As a beginner (but really at all times), you will be wearing a personal flotation device and have a leash that connects your ankle and the board. These will help keep you safe and prevent you from getting separated from the SUP.
When you feel yourself falling, lean to the side so you can fall directly into the water. This is less likely to cause injury than falling on a rigid board.
If you can hold on to your paddle as you fall, this will save you a step later. But the paddle will float if you need to drop it.
Be prepared for cold if you are stand up paddleboarding in Lake Tahoe. The lake’s highest temperature is only 70 degrees, so taking a plunge can be shocking. Rely on your life jacket to keep your head above water and continue to take deep and measured breaths.
To get back on your board:
In the water, take hold of your paddleboard by the handle with one hand and face your body towards the front of the board.
Let your legs begin to float towards the surface until your body is horizontal next to the board. Lightly kicking will help as well.
Use the handle to pull yourself up onto the board until you are lying there on your stomach.
Use the process for standing up described earlier to get back to your feet.
If you dropped the paddle when you fell, you can now use your hands to paddle your board over and reclaim it.
Beginners Tips for Stand Up Paddleboarding
The best way to get started with SUP is to simply try it out yourself. Renting an SUP in South Lake Tahoe is a low risk way to get started with all the equipment you need included. SUP Tahoe is the best place to rent SUP in South Lake Tahoe. We have boards for your entire family, and paddles, life jackets, leashes, and car racks are included at an affordable price.
Both our rigid and inflatable stand up paddle boards will work for beginners, although iSUPs are often more durable in case you hit any rocks on your first few times.
Choose days that are sunny and with low wind. Lake Tahoe also generally has smoother waters earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon when wind is reduced and fewer powered-boats are out to create choppy water.
Stand up paddleboarding will also be an intense physical workout, so plan for about an hour trip on your first excursion and avoid getting further than 30 minutes away from your launch point. This way, you can get safely back before you get too tired. If, after the first hour and a short rest, you are still feeling good, you can always head back out to explore further on your SUP.
