What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

You’ve done your planning as we discussed in the previous blog, you’ve carefully checked the conditions and you’ve invested in the best safety equipment. Yet things still can - and do - go wrong.  This is where the third cornerstone of paddleboarding safety comes into play: knowing how to deal with a situation when things don’t go according to plan. 

There are two quite distinct aspects to dealing with problems:

• Knowing what to do.

• Doing it.

This is our second set of excerpts from the series of SUP SAFETY books written by Bill Dawes,  National Safety Officer for stand up paddleboarding in New Zealand.

Paddling can be a fun, relaxing and adventurous outdoor activity, but it also comes with its share of challenges - especially when the weather turns unpredictable or when you're navigating unfamiliar waters. At Paddle Logger, we understand that staying safe and connected is paramount for every paddler, whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out. That's why we’re so excited to introduce our new route-planning feature, PaddlePLAN™ - recently featured by Apple at their Keynote event. Designed to enhance your paddling experience and keep you connected, even in tough conditions.

A few weekends ago I had the incredible opportunity to compete in the Fort Boyard Challenge, a downwind stand-up paddle race in the picturesque waters off the west coast of France. It was a great two-day event, featuring races on both Saturday and Sunday with a mixture of crafts including SUP, foils, va’a, windsurfers and more! In total, there were over 600 competitors. I was fortunate enough to win the SUP races on both days.

Whether you’re into stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing or any other paddle sport, understanding your performance data is key to maximise your potential. With Paddle Logger, you can track vital metrics like speed, pace, and heart rate, and check out how they change throughout your session by viewing the graphs. This isn’t just about numbers; the data is designed to help you improve and become a better paddler.