Paddle Boarding with a Navigator Plus Inflatable SUP from Body Glove
If you enjoy water sports and are looking for something new to try this summer, consider getting an inflatable paddle board - it's lightweight, portable, durable, and built for adventure.
This past spring, the son of my longtime massage therapist, Rod Kaufmann, graduated from college. Knowing that he was already an avid and experienced surfer, I decided to gift him with a Navigator Plus SUP paddle board from our business partner, Body Glove - the well-known water sports apparel and accessories company founded in 1953. Stand up paddle boarding, or stand up paddle surfing, is a water sport where participants use paddles to propel themselves through the water - it's a great way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- It’s hot and sultry in the Northeast, but at Kent Lake in Southeast Michigan, the weather this week has been perfect – sunny with temperatures in the 70s. Kent Lake offers plenty of fun activities such as fishing, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, or picnicking along the water. 80 to 90 percent of the lake is less then 10 feet deep and the entire lake has a 10 mile-per-hour speed limit.
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- Kent Lake is a 1200-acre reservoir lake formed by the damming of Huron River near its headwaters in 1946. For decades, Kent Lake has attracted visitors of all ages to its shores.
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- Garrett Kauffman loves to surf, so I knew a paddle board would be a nice graduation gift. Here he is with the Body Glove Navigator Plus Inflatable SUP, a highly stable and rigid board loaded with features. The Navigator Plus model is great for both beginners and advanced paddlers, and comes with a cell phone dry bag, pump, ankle leash, and a comfortable, durable backpack.
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- In paddle boarding, surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing, skegs, usually known as “fins”, are attached toward the tail of the board to improve directional stability and control throughout the ride.
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- Here’s the adjustable paddle. The general rule is that the paddle should be six to 10 inches above the height of the paddler – a little longer for flat water use and shorter for use in the surf. The blade is typically bent at a slight angle to the shaft to allow for more forward reach when taking a stroke.
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- Body Glove’s Navigator Plus Inflatable SUP, or stand up paddle board, offers a patented multi-purpose handle to carry a water bottle and the paddle. It also has superior welded drop-stitch construction, heavy-duty poly vinyl fabric material, and a weight capacity of 320-pounds. In all, this board is 11 feet long, 34 inches wide, and six inches thick.
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- To use a paddle board, it is important to first get out into in water so the fins are free from hitting the bottom. Garrett takes a few strokes on each side of the board while maintaining a steady stance in the middle. His feet are parallel to the stringer – about shoulder width apart. And he keeps a slight bend in the knees and his core centered over the board.
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- Garrett heads out into the very calm lake waters, but paddle boards can also be enjoyed in oceans, rivers, and bays.
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- Here is a closer look at Garrett on the paddle board. A stand up paddle board is much thicker than an average surfboard.
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- Garrett keeps his balance throughout. Beginners who are unaccustomed to paddle boarding and surfing should use a wider, longer board, which offers the greatest stability to learn the paddle board basics. As one gains experience, one can progress to smaller paddle boards.
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- To make turns, the paddle is placed in the water on the opposite side of the board as the turn that is desired. If going left, the paddle goes in on the right side. At the same time, the paddler turns his or her torso to the left side and pulls to the right, towards the tail with the paddle. Turns are very easy on this Navigator Plus model because of its design and durability.
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- On this short paddle board ride, Garrett takes his Shepherd-Terrier mix, Bella. Because Garrett is already an experienced surfer, this was easy for him to do. Another tip – always hold the paddle with one hand on the top of the handle and the other on the shaft. Keep shoulders width apart, and toes pointed toward the nose. A coil ankle leash is also part of this board package. In fact, this board won a Connect Gear of the Year award in 2019.
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- Bella seems to enjoy the slow and easy paddle ride with Garrett – both maintained good balance on the board.
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- Paddle boarding is also a very good workout. Garrett is able to dip the blade fully into the water and take long strokes, using his strong back muscles to do the work.
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- Here they are coming back to shore and smiling for this quick snapshot.
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- Once the two are on shore, it is very easy to carry the Navigator Plus Inflatable SUP out of the water. The entire board weighs 24-pounds.
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- Garret has already used the board more than a handful of times – I am so pleased he likes it.
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- And it is so easy to store because it can roll up to the size of a sleeping bag. Here’s Garrett rolling the board as it deflates. Inflating it back up is also very easy. The high-quality dual-action pump with gauge inflates it in less than 10-minutes.
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- The packed bag dimensions are 37-inches by 19-inches by 10-inches. The board and all its accessories weigh under 40-pounds.
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- Garrett says he always looks forward to getting the board back out into the water. Enjoy it, Garrett. And congratulations on your college graduation!! And please go to the Body Glove web site to learn more.
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