Stand Up Paddleboarding: a beginner’s guide

Simon Basset

Fernhurst 

£10.99

It wasn’t so long ago that a paddleboarder on my Suffolk river was as rare as an independently-minded dufflepud in Narnia. Now they’re as common as egrets. On August bank holiday, for instance, I was enjoying a morning coffee at the top of the anchorage when a friend arrived by paddleboard carrying his newspaper in a backpack and his small daughter sitting in front of him. Simon Basset is a pioneer of SUP, the sport which offers racing, surfing, tours in company – or floating yoga platforms. This slim and simple introduction is certainly appealing. Inflatable boards are easily stowed, suit most family members and offer an alternative means of exploration in shallow water or when there’s no wind to sail.