Standup paddleboarding is the number one fastest growing sport in the world for a reason (or three!).  Anyone, literally anyone, can buy or hire a paddleboard, get it on the water, and be standing in minutes.  And they immediately get the physical and mental health benefits of paddleboarding.  Simply put there’s no better ‘toy’ to make use of days at the beach, lake or river. We hardly need say it but SUP’s the perfect activity for all the family.

Unfortunately, the ability of anyone to get on a paddleboard and have immediate success has highlighted an issue. Because paddleboarding is so accessible, many fledgling recruits don’t have any prior water experience. Simple stand up paddle boarding safety considerations, that experienced watersports proponents put into practice intuitively, don’t even register with newbies. This isn’t a criticism – it’s just a statement of fact. You don’t know what you don’t know after all!

The last two to three years has seen an explosion of paddleboard rescues and incidents requiring intervention. Sadly, there have also been a number of avoidable fatalities caused by the use of incorrect equipment.   

Education is key. Here at McConks we  want to do as much as we can to help new paddlers. With that in mind you’ll find a whole load of stand up paddle boarding safety info on this page. We’ll be adding to it regularly so keep your eyes peeled. And, as always, if there’s anything specific you want to see, then let us know.