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Bay, Lake & Ocean Paddling
The Sea Eagle Hybrid SUP can be used on lakes,
bays and oceans. One thing you might notice if you are
accustomed to hard hull kayaks or canoes is the natural
yaw (side to side motion). The two small skegs and the
large center skeg prevent most of the yaw. The way you
paddle can prevent most of the rest of the yaw.
Big Paddling Tip:
When you begin to paddle, start slowly,
building speed with each stroke to control the natural yaw
further and allow you to paddle straighter and faster.
Sit Down Ocean Surfing:
The Sea Eagle Hybrid SUP is
a great pleasure on the ocean. If you’re not familiar with
the ocean should, you should take appropriate care, and
always paddle within range of a lifeguard station.
Surfing Tips: Warm-Up
Always perform some warm-up stretches before entering
the surf. This will reduce the risk of muscle injury or cramp
while you’re surfing.
Awareness
Make sure you’re in safe waters. Like surfing or
snowboarding and skateboarding, stand up paddlers
sometimes fall when they are still beginners. Don’t pass
over any rocks or underwater debris shallow enough to
hurt you if you go over. If you plan a long trip, consult a
navigational chart to be sure that your path is clear of reefs,
wrecks, rocks or other debris.
Wind Awareness
When standup paddling in windy conditions, a paddler’s
body will function as a sail. Paddling downwind is easy,
but paddling upwind can be challenging. Make sure you’re
comfortable in light winds before venturing out on a windy
day. Be aware of the forecast as winds can change unex-
pectedly while on the water.
Comfort Zone/Fitness/Food
You should only surf in waves that you are comfortable in.
NEVER
go into waves rougher than you can handle.
NEVER
lose sight of the oncoming waves.
NEVER
exhaust yourself in the ocean.
It’s always better to end the day early and safe than to push
your luck when you’re tired. Make sure you’re physically fit
when surfing, you’ll need to be able to swim back to shore if
you lose your board at the end of an exhausting session. It
is also a good idea not to go surfing until 45 minutes after a
meal, the same as you would for swimming.
Practice
The best way to become a better at anything is
practice,
practice, practice
. If you want to improve your abilities than
you need to be in the water surfing as regularly as possible.
Priority
Always make sure that you are not taking anyone else’s
wave. Remember, the surfer who is closest to the breaking
wave has priority. If you see someone already on a wave
then the wave is taken and you’ll have to wait for the next
one.
When To Hold/When To Throw
HOLD
onto your board when paddling out. You’ll get out
back to the line up more quickly and you won’t put anyone
paddling out behind you at risk.
THROW
your board if you
are about to wipe out. You are far more likely to sustain
an injury if you and your board are getting washed around
together.
The Buddy System
Bring a friend! Having a swimming or surfing buddy is
a fundamental principle that shouldn’t be ignored. Even
though the Sea Eagle Hybrid SUP is designed for solo use,
we recommend going out with at least one other person
while on the water. Not only do we believe you will have
more fun sharing this experience, we believe its a good
idea to have someone with you in case you need help and
the same for your friend if they need help.
Rips & Currents
A rip is a strong undercurrent in the ocean. You can
recognize rip currents by looking for a channel of churning
or choppy water, an area where the water is distinctly a
different color, a line of foam, seaweed or debris heading
out to sea or a break in the wave pattern. According to the
NWS (National Weather Service) wearing polarized sun
glasses makes it easier to see the signs of a rip current.
Escaping A Rip Current
If you are caught in a rip remain calm and conserve energy
as you’ll need it to swim back to safety. You may not realize
you are in a rip current until you are suddenly further away
from the shore than you realized.
It is important that you DO NOT SWIM TOWARD THE
SHORE. Swimming towards the shore is like swimming
upstream in a river and will tire you out before long. Instead
what you should do is swim parallel to the shore in order to
escape the rip current.
Once you feel that you’re out of the current, turn towards
the shore. If you cannot swim out of the rip current, calmly
float or tread water until you are out of the current.
Exhaustion is your biggest enemy, don’t fight a rip current.
When you are out, swim toward shore.