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It was only last week that we posted a feature about White Water (WW) SUP basics, as many paddleboarders are being tempted by the challenge of this SUP discipline. However not all paddleboarders are new to WW. There are plenty of good paddlers across the country who already have a really good level of white water paddling experience, whether it’s in a kayak, a canoe or on a SUP. Over the next few years we will definitely start to see more and more paddlers heading down rivers on SUPs.
Dave Jackson from Active Adventures SW is one of those WW paddlers who has found his way into SUP. Dave has recently been having fun running his local river on his new Red Paddle Co board. The interesting thing about watching the video filmed from Dave’s head cam is that you can see the lines that you have to look out for when running a river. It’s not all about just charging the river to get the the bottom! Dave tells us about his paddle and WW SUP in the UK.
“This is a quick run down the River Barle, that runs through the fantastic scenery of Exmoor. It’s my local river and tends to only be at the best levels in the winter or during the summer flood or spate runs.
I’ve been desperate to run this section and finally found a suitable board for the shallow rocky flows of the SW. The board is a Red Paddle Co Flow 9’6″. I was introduced to the sport in Hawaii a few years back, as a surfer and canoeist for over 30 years. River SUP combines all the elements that draws me to each sport… the contact with the water of surf and the finesse style of a paddle through the water. River SUP is the future, and this sport will take off massively in the UK over the next few years.” Words : Dave Jackson
For more information about Dave Jackson and Active Adventures SW click here.
Are you a WW SUPboarder? Have you been river SUPing for a while now? If so we’d love to hear from you and share your experiences. What board are you riding and which rivers are you paddling? Together we can put UK white water SUP on the map.
Inflatable boards have a lot of traction now, mostly because they’re a better option to an expensive epoxy board that explodes when it hits rocks. But the problem with them is that you cannot actually design a “real” shape. Look at kayaks – the intricacy of the hull and deck design. Because of the construction method, all you can adjust on an inflatable is the outline and to a degree, the rocker. This essentially means that, for all practical purposes, you’re learning to paddle on the SUP version of a squirt boat crossed with a door. Hardly ideal. But people… Read more »
I fully agree that this is a sport that will grow and possibly rival kayak and canoe numbers someday. I loved the video and give Dave huge props for his technique and willingness to share his experiences with his friends and colleagues. I did however notice one particular still shot in the middle of the film of another paddler who appeared to be wearing his leash around his ankle. Hopefully it was very loosely fastened but picturing this without an explanation could lead to others trying the same. I see that Dave himself has the appropriate setup for the leash.… Read more »