Do you Need a Lesson to Paddleboard?

Paddleboarding has become a popular activity and sport due to the easy accessibility for many people to join in. However, it isn’t always as easy as it looks, and you may not always manage to look ‘graceful and serene’ as you glide across the water (especially at the start!).

It can be a mistake to assume that you can pick up your paddle and jump straight on the board, as with any water sport, there are dangers that you should be aware of and having the ability of how to deal with common problems in order to remain safe.

Staying safe isn’t the only thing you can learn on a SUP lesson, you also want to learn the right techniques to paddle so that you can be more efficient and eliminate any bad techniques that could cause injuries or increase fatigue as you get out more.

On a lesson, you will not only learn the correct techniques for paddleboarding, but instructors are able to highlight and help you understand water and weather conditions and when not to paddleboard. Paddleboarding can be a lovely and relaxing activity on a calm day with no wind, however, if the wind was to pick up or even be slight and in the wrong direction, your paddle can become a lot more dangerous and harder to get back to where you came from. This is particularly seen in our local Poole harbour spot where an off-shore wind can cause paddlers to struggle to get back to the beach and drift into the harbour, and the RNLI end up helping to rescue and tow back.

Last summer there was a report of some paddleboarders getting drifted out to sea and needing to be rescued, which you can check out here.
And of course we all heard on the news last October about the paddleboarders that died in Wales from the sudden high rise of water.

Knowing how to paddle into the wind, and what you can do to self-rescue if you feel as though you’re not making any headway, is an essential skill for any UK-based paddleboarder to have. While you may never plan to be out in strong winds, the weather can change quickly, so it’s best to be prepared. Even if it is also a calm day, knowing the most practical way to get back on the board if you are out of your depth is important to know. Many people can struggle with this is, as they tend to pull themselves up onto the board with the SUP rails (the long sides of the board), but this just turns the board over and makes more effort for yourself.

Where can I learn to Paddleboard?

There are many schools and centres now where they can offer lessons on how to paddleboard. Locally, we have the glorious natural harbour of Poole and Whitley Lake is the perfect place to learn to paddleboard. As it is super shallow and sheltered with the right wind direction, learning to paddleboard has never been so easy or comfortable. You can learn to paddleboard with our own centre, Poole Harbour Watersports School.

If you’re buying your own SUP paddleboard or have your own and haven’t had any tuition, book a lesson with us to gain more confidence and practical skills. 

Where can I rent a paddleboard?

If you book a paddleboard lesson, then the renting of the equipment is all included. However, if you want practice with some experienced supervision as well, then renting at paddleboard centres is also available. You can rent a paddleboard at most schools at Poole Harbour, but check out our hire page too.

Take a look at our Paddleboard range available to purchase too!

We hope you have found this helpful, if you have any other questions about how to paddleboard, please don’t hesitate to call 01202 700503, email info@pooleharbour.co.uk or even pop into our shop at Sandbanks.