If you are reading this blog, it is pretty safe to assume that you are new to paddle boarding or want to try paddle boarding. But you also are most likely afraid to get in the water. Whether your reason is because of a cold lake or ocean you plan to try paddle boarding on, or you might not be the greatest swimmer. Either way it doesn’t matter, Paddle Board Nation is here to help you with all of the paddle board questions you might have. And in this blog post we will be answering the commonly asked question “Will I Get Wet Paddle Boarding”.
Reasons Why You Might Get Wet Stand Up Paddle Boarding
When it comes to getting wet while paddle boarding, there are a variety of reasons why you might fall off your board. These reasons range from being a beginner to there being a lot of boat wakes and a few different reasons in between. Because of this we will start by giving you the most common reasons why you might get wet while paddling.
Getting On
When you decide to take out a paddle board for the day you need to launch it somewhere and most of the time that somewhere is the beach. Due to this primarily being the most common place to launch this entails you stepping into the water and jumping on the board.
When getting on the board for the first time it can be a little tricky depending on how stable your board is. So if you have a cheap board that isn’t very stable, you might be taking a dip in the water.
Boat Wakes
If you are going to be paddle boarding in a lake or bay it typically is very nice and calm. But, on busy days with lots of boats around it the water can get pretty choppy from wakes that come off the boats. These wakes are one of the most common reasons why paddle boarders will end up falling off their boards and getting wet.
Running Into An Object
This one may sound pretty obvious but many beginner and even some more experienced paddle boarders will fall off their boards and into the water after running into an object. These objects can be a variety of different things depending on where you are in the world. For example, you could possibly drift into a dock in a bay or be moving too quickly to slow down for something you didn’t see in front of you. Either way, this is a common, but avoidable way that many people end up in the water.
Waves
Many paddle boarders do not have the opportunity to paddle in bays or lakes where it is calm, because of this it is very common for people to paddleboard in the ocean. When paddling in the ocean you always run the risk of getting wet paddling out through the break or even getting knocked off by a wave paddling around past the breaks. With that being said, if you do not want to get wet, I’d recommend not to take you board anywhere near waves.
Is It Possible to Stay Dry While Stand Up Paddle Boarding?
Now this is a tricky question, why, you ask? This is because no matter what you are going to atleast get your feet wet getting the board in and out of the water. Also, many paddle boards will get your feet a little wet just from paddling around.
But to answer the question, yes it is very easy to stay dry with some practice. But if you are deciding to go paddle boarding and really don’t want to fall in, paddle boarding might not be the activity for you if you don’t like the water.
How To Avoid Getting Wet While Paddle Boarding
Avoiding getting wet while paddle boarding just comes with time and practice, but there are a few things you can do to try to avoid it.
Get The Correct Size Paddle Board
With some practice and a paddle board that is correct for your height and weight, you should have no problem staying dry while paddle boarding. This is because having the right board will make a huge difference in how stable the board is.
If you are not sure what size paddle board you need, start by reading our other blog post “What Size Paddle Board Do I Need?” or by using our paddle board size calculator.
Launch From A Dock
Rather than walking into the water with your board on the beach, you could try to launch your board from a dock. This will allow you to get directly on your board without having to even touch the water.
Avoid Choppy Water
Another easy way to avoid getting wet is to avoid choppy water. Whether that be in a busy lake, bay, or in the ocean, stay away from the choppy waters to keep your clothes dry.
Stay Calm
Lastly, do not panic when a wake or wave comes. That is the worst thing you can do, what you should do is just point the nose of the board towards the wake and paddle through it. This will make it a lot easier and keep you balanced.
Get A Waterproof Backpack
Usually even more annoying that you getting wet on a paddle board is your belongings getting wet. Your car keys, phone, camera, spare clothes, beach towel etc… To avoid this get a waterproof backpack or a waterproof bag (also called dry bags) and store all your items inside. A good brand that makes good looking waterproof bags and backpacks is DryTide, but there are also others. A good waterproof backpack can fall into the sea and everything inside it will stay dry.
Should You Even Worry About Getting Wet?
Ultimately, if you are worried about getting wet while paddle boarding, this is probably not the sport for you. Everytime you take out a paddle board you need to be willing to take the risk of falling in the water.
Conclusion
To end this blog, if you are really worried about getting a little wet from falling in the water or launching the board from the sand, I suggest that you try another activity. But if you are cool with the possibility of it happening, then you should make the jump learn to paddle board. I promise you that you will have a blast and remember the better you get, the less likely you will be to get wet while paddle boarding.
