The Hudson River, looking south, from Breakneck Ridge. On the left side, the three peninsulas are Little Stony Point, the town of Cold Spring, then Constitution Island and Marsh.
1. Plant your blade fully in the water before you begin to pull
2. Always assume the ready position when paddling
3. Use your core muscles for all of your strokes
4. Keep your board as quiet as possible
5. Always be aware of what is going on around you, even far away.
These are my rules I added:
6. Reach forward to get your paddle in the water as far ahead of you as possible. All your energy comes in front of you.
7. When your paddle blade comes next to you, lift it out of the water. You get no power paddling once you're in front of it.
8. Keep your upper arm as straight as possible. This forces you to use your core muscles instead of your arm muscles. Just focussing on doing that will completely change your stroke.
9. Don't be macho. Wear a PFD. The Coast Guard requires them. Only use a waist/inflatable PFD when you're with other people.
10. Always use a leash. In the weedy Hudson, a coiled leash is great. The wind can pick up your board and move it faster than you can swim. Just don't use the coiled leash whilst surfing.
11. When on the water for longer than 1/2 hour, bring water, especially when it's hot. A camelpack fits nicely over a PFD. I did a 45 minute paddle yesterday without water and almost threw up from dehydration. An energy bar also fits in a camelpack.
12. Know where the boat channel is and stay out of it. If you must cross it, do it quickly and deliberately. Commercial shipping do not have to give you the right of way. They can crush you, and they're in their rights to do so. If you see a barge or freighter, cross behind it. They're traveling a lot faster than you think.
13. Hats are good. So is sunscreen.
14. Know the tides. They can have a major impact on your paddle, especially if the wind and tide are working in the same direction.
15. When the river gets cold, dress for immersion. Wear your wetsuit, even if it's hot. Don't go out and paddle, assuming “I just won't fall in”. Mr. Murphy is watching you. (Farmer John wetsuits are perfect for standup paddling. They protect your legs but leave your arms free. I recommend the ones from NRS. You can combine them with a wetsuit jacket for some serious protection.)
16. Since we are a new sport, boats will come close and check you out. Be nice and use this as an opportunity to spread the message about the sport. As well, watch and make sure the boaters don't do anything stupid.
17. Don't stress about river wakes. That's the river telling you you need to improve your wave skills.
18. Don't make a fetish about “not falling”. Falling means you're learning. Besides, everyone needs to learn how to fall without getting hurt.
19. Learn quick turns. They may save you. The simplest one is to paddle backwards, but there are many others.
20. Wear good footwear on the Hudson. Always have good protection, even when it's hot. If you don't believe me, Google "water chestnut seed pod". Those boogers are everywhere, and they will puncture a thin shoe. (Trust me on that.)
21. If you don't have a fancy waterproof container for your car key, two zip-lock baggies work fine, one inside the other.
22. If you need assistance on the water, the universal signal for help is to wave your hands above your head.
23. Make friends with kayakers. The experienced ones have a lot of knowledge.
24. There are no sharks in the Hudson. There is almost no marine life on the Hudson that will hurt you, except accidentally. The most dangerous thing to watch out for is an idiot on a powerboat. On major holidays the river is filled with them, and they will be drinking. Stay close to shore.
25. Become members of Standup Zone (www.standupzone.com). That's a great forum for asking all sorts of questions. Most of the members are well-mannered and generous with their knowledge. I post there under the handle “Ichabod Spoonbill”.
And can I add this: it's not just the wind that will take the board away from you, it's also the river current and tide. With a leash, you can just float in one spot (another reason to wear a PFD) and pull the board back towards you. Tip on the watershoes: if you're one of those people who likes to use their toes to grip onto the board as you would while barefooted, those bizarre looking Vibram 5 fingers are great for that and they still protect your feet. They're machine washable too to get river stench out.
ReplyDeleteGreat points. I would add that water shoes are great when you are paddling but they can be useless on any rough land. I bring flip flops with thick soles in addition to wearing water shoes. If you ever have to walk along the railroad tracks in your water shoes your feet will be hurting a lot! Also, the key to safe enjoyment is T.O.W (time on the water). The more you get out there, the more you learn about the river, the gear and yourself, the more confident and safe you will be. Spend some time in a shallow water (eg. Croton Point Beach) "freestyling", practicing risky maneuvers (pivot turns, paddling backwards, shifting weight and ect.) You will fall a lot so consider it swimming with your SUP. This will help you get a better feel for your board and will improve your balance.
ReplyDeleteWhen paddling with a group and crossing the channel, stay together. It makes it easier to be seen and it gives power boaters only one obstacle to avoid.
ReplyDelete