Safety tips for paddleboarding

Paddleboarding is becoming a more popular sport, but there are a few precautions you should take when trying it out.



Renee Schultz hit the water on a paddleboard for the first time Tuesday.

 

"We've always been curious to try some stand up paddleboarding so we figured why not give it a try for the first time today," said Schultz.

 

Although she's comfortable in the water, she says she wants to play it safe.



Schultz got help from instructor Jake Kauffman.



"A big thing is a lifejacket," said Kauffman. "And it's also important to have a whistle on that lifejacket just for a distress call."



Paddleboarders like the sport for the exercise - and the view.

 

"It gives you a higher vantage point so you can really see what's coming up ahead a lot further than kayaking," said Schultz.



Kauffman says in addition to wearing a life jacket - you should never paddleboard alone.



"It's always good to have another person with you and a lot of people do, even the people who are experienced," said Kauffman.



You should also be aware of your surroundings.

 

"On a busy day like 4th of July weekend for example, there's tons of boat traffic and a lot of those big boats, they don't see you," said Kauffman.



On the river, there are additional challenges.

 

"When you get into rivers with current, that brings some trouble. You just want to stay away from any logs," said Kauffman.



Kauffman says it's important to only use the leash to attach yourself to the paddleboard while in a lake. If you're on a river, your leash can get caught on rocks or trees.