Posted in New York Times, Style Section, by Sarah Tuff | Photos: Paul O. Boisvert for The New York Times
STAND-UP paddle-boarding, once reserved for Hawaiians and Hollywood celebrities, has reached the landlocked masses. Thanks to a new fleet of boards designed for flat-water cruising, just about any body of water — from Lake Tahoe to the Hudson River — is suitable for aspiring Laird Hamiltons ready for a powerful, peaceful workout. With wet suits, stand-up paddle-boarding can last long into the fall and would be great way to view foliage on the shore.
Some flat-water boards feature long, single fins to keep them gliding straight while paddling with canoe-like J-strokes; others look and act more like kayaks, or can cross over to ocean paddling and have inserts to tie down fishing gear and coolers. Nearly all have special deck pads and very stable construction that allow newbies to pick up the sport (great for the core and upper body) without dumping into the drink too many times.
“Stand-up paddle-boarding has a really low barrier to entry,” said Russ Scully, an avid water-sports athlete and owner of a surf-style restaurant called The Spot in Burlington, Vt. “The only thing in your way is the cost of the gear — it’s a little pricey. But once you realize the amount you’ll use the board, it clicks.” Mr. Scully (left) recently tested five boards near his home on Lake Champlain.
The Review
HOBIE 11-FOOT 2-INCH A.T.R. $1,599, hobie.com. The A.T.R., which stands for all-terrain riding, had “the most comfortable traction paddling,” said Mr. Scully, who also liked the “spooned” nose that surfed and glided across small wind-chop bumps on the lake. The shape was “not as sexy,” but this board tracked a “very straight line,” was “very efficient, very stable and very buoyant” and had “great performance” in upwind powering. The “rugged sidewalls” also seemed less prone to dings and scratches from the paddle blade.
