Ok here we go. I wanted to start writing this blog because of how much research I put into finding the best paddle board for me and the obstacles I found doing research. Also, I want to start sharing all the great places I find while out on the water as well.
First off let me start off by letting everyone know that I am new to paddle boarding and have only gone out a couple of times so far. I love it tremendously already though. Why? It's a cheap way to get on the water and you can get out of it what you want. Whether it be exercise or relaxation paddle boarding is great.
I'm going to try and give a summary of my background. I'm 37yrs old and living in West Palm beach with my wonderful fiance. I am 6' tall and about 300lbs currently(now the title makes sense). I grew up on the beach and as I got older, strayed farther and farther away from one of my longest loves. Part of it was you get busy. Start a career, family ect... The other part of it being of my own fears and insecurities of getting out on the water. I haven't always been 300lbs. In fact about 6yrs ago I was 330lbs and got all the way down to 250lbs. I've struggled forever, just like way too many, with my weight. So for me, taking my shirt off and jumping on a paddle board was a mental challenge first. Then being active all through my childhood and teens, I knew what a struggle I would have physically as well.
Let's start with the research. I wanted to find the perfect board within my price range. The other challenge was where would I store the paddle board. We live in a basic two bedroom apartment. With everything I was seeing, for my height and weight, a board of over 10ft was my starting point. Well, with 8ft ceilings, I'm not standing it up. Now, they make plenty of wall mounts too, but after measuring the space out on the walls, it just would not work. So this was a bit of a dilemma. After countless hours of searching, I came across inflatable boards. There are a couple of youtube videos out there to see how they worked and peaked my interest. They are portable and very durable. This wound up being the answer I'd been looking for.
I wound up going with the Solstice Tonga. It is a 10' 8" board with a weight limit of 325lbs. Perfect. It was also under my price range of $800. The board comes with pump with gauge, removable fin and carrying bag(paddle was separate). It is a really great looking board and so far has functioned amazingly. Solstice has several models of paddle boards and paddles. They also have a lot of great reviews online.
This is not intended to be an advertisement for Solstice and their products. I just want to share my experiences now and going forward with my entrance to the world of stand up paddle boarding (SUP). Until next time. Keep an eye out for my next post. Tell me what you want to hear about.
Jim.
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