The Most Versatile Sport

So we’re in a recession. I might seem like a bad time to be spending $1500 on a SUP board and paddle. But unless you plan to huddle in your apartment, slowly turning to suet, you’re going to do some kind of sport or workout. Even running takes good shoes, and it’s just not that much fun. For less than the price of a yearly gym membership you can have a SUP board, and it’s simply amazing how versatile your new board can be.

For example, over the last two weeks I used my Bill Foote 10’11″ to:

1. Surf anytime there was surf, and sometimes when there really wasn’t. We had some very small days, when there were only a few people out, but I still paddled out to the reef and had a nice time.

2. Do downwinders, and upwind/downwind runs. On Christmas eve I did a 20 mile paddle with my friend Johnny. He’s the 25 year old son of one of my oldest friends. He’s a surfer, and he’s been paddling in the rivers in Portland. Big. strong kid–I stuck him on my Starboard 12’6″ which is an excellent cruiser and I expected him to zoom away from me, but I actually lead most of the time, the little (for me) 10’11″ worked just fine for distance.

3. Sail and have a blast. I have three windsurfers in Maui, a couple more in Portland, but I rarely use them anymore. I prefer to sail my SUP board. It’s fun because once you get into the waves you’re on a board that surfs well. and the sailing is relaxed and old school. After we did the 20 mile paddle I took Johnny over to Kanaha and started teaching him how to windsurf. In a relatively short time he was successfully uphauling and sailing. Today I’ll teach him how to waterstart, and he’ll be off.

4. Fish–both with a rod and reel, and with a spear. SUP boards are so portable and safe in the water. I’d much rather fish from one than from a kayak. You can get a great workout while you’re trolling, of just paddle out to the reefs and cast or jig. You can see far more than you can from any other craft since the standing angle is so good. With a pair of polarized glasses I can see clearly into reefs that are 20 feet down or more.

5. Dive–what a platform for freediving. I could certainly carry my SCUBA gear on my 12’6″ with the PVC cage i made for it. Haven’t done that yet, but I’ve taken along my freediving fins and mask/snorkel and used my SUP board for transportation to outer refs and as a diving platform.

6. Play with kids–you plunk them down on the nose with a lifejacket and take them for a ride. Kids love being on a SUP board, it’s like their own little boat. They can see everything and it’s exciting.

This is simply the most versatile, easy to use, economical and fun watercraft I’ve ever owned, and I’ve had just about every kind you can think of. I really can’t see owning a boat here in Maui now that I have a SUP. So in that sense my $1500 SUP has saved me $50,000, plus fuel, plus a bigger truck to haul the boat, plus maintenance. Maintenance on a SUP board is washing it off and fixing the rare ding.

It’s a far better workout than hanging out in a gym, and a lot more fun than any other activity I’ve tried. I think it’s the perfect recession/green era sport. Minimal fuel, great for your health, great for your attitude, and you can even catch some nice fish for the table.