10 TOP TIPS FOR FAMILY PADDLEBOARDING

1 Don’t put your wetsuit on until you’ve blown up the board.

2 Pumping is thirsty work! To save energy (and your back) you might wish to invest in an electric pump.

3 Check the tide and wind. Anything over 10 knots is going to be tough. If possible, paddle into the wind and tide first so that coming back is easier

4 Pack the night before. Give each person their own IKEAtype bag for gear, and take a separate dry bag for bringing wet gear home. Having individual bags speeds up the time on the beach – especially when you’ve got 50 different bits of gear for a family of five!

5 However long you think it’s going to take you to get ready, allow double. This is especially important if you’re trying to catch the tide.

6 Rubber gloves (ie. Marigolds) give extra warmth under neoprene ones and woolly hiking socks are effective under wetsuit boots.

7 Choose a launching area with lots of space/interest for kids so they can play while you’re blowing up boards and setting up camp.

8 Don’t let kids launch until adults are already on the water. You can drift quickly before you get the momentum from the stroke.

9 Rather than just having your child as a ‘passenger’ get them an oar. If they’re paddling they’ll stay warm, have more fun and it certainly helps you out!

10 Take a drybag with a fleece, water, snacks and a hot drink. It’s always fun to ‘land’ somewhere, even if just a short paddle away, for a Swallows and Amazons-type adventure.