River SUP

[SUPMack]

Hi new to forum and new SUP, bought a 10'6" by 31"  Aquaglide Cascade and have been on a small lake by my house and been doing ok. There is a small river close and was thinking about trying to SUP down it, not any white water or anything just cruising, not sure what I would run into as I have never been down river on anything else. Just give it a shot? Whats worse that could happen? Is my board ok or do I need different board to river SUP?

[MtnSUPSKI]

How boney (rocks, trees, metal, etc) is river? I always wear helmet, pfd w/knife, quick-release waist leash, river shoes, knee pads, and wet suit if its cold. But that is for class III whitewater with lots of trees, rocks, old rusty farm equipment, etc. If is a calm river and you having an inflatable you should be totally fine with just a leash, maybe pfd, and some friends. I use iSUP and plastic boards on river because a hard board will get destroyed.

[SUPMack]

My board is iSUP and it seems like a calm river I'm sure there are some trees and stuff I have just only been on a small lake and not really sure what I would be getting into. Is it hard to steer in current? I don't have any friends with boards so will be by myself, was just looking to see if any advice or anythings I have not thought of. I'm kind of nervous about it as I will be alone and it seems like the advice for the most part is not to go to new places alone, but want to try it.

[MtnSUPSKI]

I would say try to find someone to go with if you are nervous plus wear a pfd and helmet even if there are not exposed rocks/branches/etc. You never know what may be lurking below surface. Slow current is not that bad but faster currents make maneuvering a LOT harder. Knowing how currents work on river and how to eddy is priceless knowledge which can easily be learned in slow, calm river. 

Does this river have lots of people using it, like tubers? If its a river with tubers, then find some friends to float on tubes, and bring some beers. When river drops here I use my board instead of a tube to float and enjoy cold ones. 

What river? Where?

[surf4food]

I've never river SUPed but have you seen anyone else SUPing that river?  Might be something to consider.

[WingSuit]

 Depending on the river, it might be listed on the American Rivers website.  Used mostly by whitewater kayakers, the website will describe the river and any rapids or hazards.  Also, you can look at the run on google earth to get somewhat of a feel for it, and scout as much from land as you can.  If you use a leash, please make sure it's attached to an emergency release on your PFD.  If you fall in, and your leash hooks on a snag, you don't want to be underwater trying to un-Velcro the leash from your leg while you hold your breath.  Also, just plain old Google it.  Maybe someone has run it and written it up. 

[Smokey Carter]

What WingSuit said--or don't wear a leash.

Otherwise just a helmet, lifejacket, wet- or drysuit unless it's super hot. Have fun. Don't paddle anything  you can't see. It's a fun segment of standup paddling, way more approachable than people think and everyone has a town run.

[SUPMack]

Its a small river like 25 or 30 ft wide in southern Mi. No rapids or anything and as far as I know nobody tubes or SUPs it that I know of, there is a canoe race on this river so people go down it, but I have never been down it.

[MtnSUPSKI]

Depending on the river, it might be listed on the American Rivers website.  Used mostly by whitewater kayakers, the website will describe the river and any rapids or hazards.  Also, you can look at the run on google earth to get somewhat of a feel for it, and scout as much from land as you can.  If you use a leash, please make sure it's attached to an emergency release on your PFD.  If you fall in, and your leash hooks on a snag, you don't want to be underwater trying to un-Velcro the leash from your leg while you hold your breath.  Also, just plain old Google it.  Maybe someone has run it and written it up.

Quick-Release belt with a river knife attached to PFD. Every white water kayaker and SUPer has them for a reason. I swear by using a lease because safest position is on board, not swimming through rapids. Getting a foot pinned in whitewater is one of the top causes of Whitewater death for rafter/kayakers/SUPers.

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/

http://river-maps.us/

[MtnSUPSKI]

As said above by the others, just get as much knowledge as possible and talk to people. Find local kayak/canoe/outdoor shops and ask them about the river.

[SUP Leave]

If there is fish in the river, you can probably find out what types of watercraft people are fishing from. You also might be able to figure out what floats/sections people are making drifts on. If there is a tackle shop nearby they will definitely know the river and what it is like.

You could also look for a fishing forum local to the area, and make a query on there.

Find a section you can scout and walk as much as you can. Mind-SUP it first then decide if you are up to it.

[AirJunky]

Does this river have lots of people using it, like tubers? If its a river with tubers, then find some friends to float on tubes, and bring some beers. When river drops here I use my board instead of a tube to float and enjoy cold ones. 

I've done this quite a few times on the Coeur d'Alene River out of Albert's Landing. It's a great time & I'm usually the only one out of 100s of toobers doing the float. There are only 2 or 3 sections of the river where it gets a little whitewaterish & I just make a point to point the boat downstream & guide myself thru them. Hasn't ever been a problem. And many times I can paddle over to one side or the other, go back upstream & take it again. I usually rent one of the plastic rotomolded boards (like the Imagine Wizard) but have also used the Badfish MVP & the C4 Waterman iSUP. the C4 was a joke, but I suspect it wasn't inflated enough. The Wizard was great but too heavy to haul around easily. The Badfish was pretty fun. I think I'll be taking it on the LakeShore Heavenly Air iSUP I bought last fall. Will be interesting to see how it does.

[MtnSUPSKI]

Does this river have lots of people using it, like tubers? If its a river with tubers, then find some friends to float on tubes, and bring some beers. When river drops here I use my board instead of a tube to float and enjoy cold ones. 

I've done this quite a few times on the Coeur d'Alene River out of Albert's Landing. It's a great time & I'm usually the only one out of 100s of toobers doing the float. There are only 2 or 3 sections of the river where it gets a little whitewaterish & I just make a point to point the boat downstream & guide myself thru them. Hasn't ever been a problem. And many times I can paddle over to one side or the other, go back upstream & take it again. I usually rent one of the plastic rotomolded boards (like the Imagine Wizard) but have also used the Badfish MVP & the C4 Waterman iSUP. the C4 was a joke, but I suspect it wasn't inflated enough. The Wizard was great but too heavy to haul around easily. The Badfish was pretty fun. I think I'll be taking it on the LakeShore Heavenly Air iSUP I bought last fall. Will be interesting to see how it does.

I think laying on paddle board floating down turned out to be a lot more fun then I though. Tubes are a blast with a cooler of beer, but a SUP is a floating bed, and easily can strap cooler too. Just make sure fins are short or have no fins, because float rivers around here are usually low and can easily go right over hand bars if standing.

[AirJunky]

I think laying on paddle board floating down turned out to be a lot more fun then I though. Tubes are a blast with a cooler of beer, but a SUP is a floating bed, and easily can strap cooler too. Just make sure fins are short or have no fins, because float rivers around here are usually low and can easily go right over hand bars if standing.

Yea, our float trips are like 2 or 3 hrs long so there is plenty of chances for me to standup, paddle around, visit other groups of people, paddle back to my own crew, sit down & have a beer or three, etc. Last year I took a 1 liter frozen gin & tonic. I did great for about 2/3s of the trip but was way too drunk to stand up at the end.... so I just hang on & hang out! Was a lot of fun though!
Oh, and a lot of times I have my wife's little 20 lb dog on the SUP with me too!

[SUPMack]

I wish I was close to the kind of rivers you guys are talking about, this is just a small river that really nobody does anything cool like tube on.