Part 1: How to setup & inflate your paddle board:

1:45 Video setup tutorial:

Step 1: Close the Valve:
Be sure to the valve is in the CLOSED (up) position before you connect the pump.
Up = closed. Down = open.

SUP valve open and closed for inflating and deflating

Step 2 and 3: Attach the pump & Inflate to 12 PSI.
The range is 10-15 PSI. Don’t inflate over 15 PSI.
Broke or lost your pump? Here’s where to buy a replacement ($38).

SUP pump single and double action setting SUP PSI inflating recommendation

Looking to buy and Electric Pump? Check out all my recommendations here.

Step 4: Attach the rear fin
Insert the part with the metal side pins, then slide in. Lightly push the fin down and screw the screw in. No need to over-tighten the screw.
Loose you fin? Here’s where to buy a replacement on for about $15

SUP how to attach the rear fin

More about Pumps: Almost all iSUP’s come with a “Dual-Action” hand pump. They let you toggle between inflating on just the down-stroke, (single action) or both the up-and-down strokes (double action). High-end SUP’s may come with a pump with two chambers giving you three inflation setting – called a “triple action” pump. They let you inflate like a dual action pump but a third setting lets you inflate with both chambers. This is difficult when inflating at high-pressure, but helpful for the first 80% of the process.

Examples of manual and electric SUP pumps

Dual action SUP pump Bravo SUP3 Tripple Action SUP pump dual chamber

Part 2: How to hold and use the paddle

First, to be sure to properly hold your paddle facing the right way. You’ll notice the blade of the paddle isn’t straight with the pole. Be sure to point the paddle blade angle away from you, not scooping inward. When the blade points away when you first put it in the water, by the time you pull it towards you it will be perfectly flat & vertical.

Place your hands far apart so you get a strong and comfortable amount of leverage. If you keep you hands close to each other, it will feel like way more difficult that its supposed to – like pulling a door open just a few inches from the hinge. (Demo credit to Blue Planet Surf). holding paddle correctly green holding paddle wide enough holding paddle backwards

how to paddle straight 1

how to paddle turn

To paddle straight: Don’t just paddle parallel to the board, but instead, put your paddle in about 2 feet away the board then pull down and toward the side of the board.

Your first few stroke will slightly turn your SUP because you have no momentum.