You just got a new Inflatable board, now what?
Congratulations on your new inflatable board purchase. Here are a few tips for your new board to maximize your enjoyment and longevity of the board...
* If running the Salt River, or any rocky rapid shallow river be sure to use a flex fin or shallow river fin. The performance fin your board came with is designed for lakes and ocean use. Flex and River fins designed for your fin box are available at NoSnow.
* Literally the coolest thing about our NoSnow brand boards is the PRV! (Pressure relief valves) They are added to the boards to assist with self-relieving should the PSI reach 17psi they will blow themselves off. If you hear hissing it is too hot! You can also manually blow off with a quick press of the intake valve
* With our extreme Arizona summer temps we suggest a maximum psi of 12 as your boards will gain psi with direct sun and our hot temps in minutes of exposure. Full 15psi for weather under 90F and even then use good judgment.
* Paddle Practice - The paddles that we sell are of the higher performance category. Your paddle will last you decades if you care for it. Tips on care of your paddle are; never touch the ground especially when in shallow sections of the river, never strap the paddle to your board when transporting it, leaving in direct sun for hours can cause the resin to break down, if you do put a deep scratch on your paddle bring it in for inspection as a small crack can cause full failure if not repaired, and be sure to paddle with the blade pointing forward. For reference on the NoSnow brand, the NS logo faces AWAY from you. Time to time the locking mechanism pins will loosen, you can tighten but be sure it is in the closed position to avoid too much torque on the clasp and risk snapping.
* Totally fine to store board inflated! We suggest lowering to 8psi to allow your board to relax and not stress the seams and structure. This is good practice as part of your pre-ride checklist should be airing up to your needed psi for the day.
* Leashes - Fastest way to risk drowning yourself is wearing a leash in swift water. If running the river be sure to NOT use a standard leash. Quick release waist mounted leashes are an option as these can be manually released when you have fallen and your leash is stuck on debris, river rock, brush or tree. Know how to properly deploy the QR and wear only if you feel confident/experienced enough under pressure. If paddling on the lakes or coastal cruising the ocean/bays a leash is a great additional layer of safety.
* Like yourself, when out enjoying your board and you are taking a break on shore we encourage you seek shade for both you and your board in sunny hot weather.
* Fin breakage does occur. Fin breaks are caused by going sideways in the shallow rapid sections of our Salt River, or sitting or standing on the board while in shallow water or on the shore. Avoiding these two practices will ensure your board, fin, and fin box will stay in one piece for years to come. Best practice is keeping the fin in knee deep water on entrance and exit to ensure bottom clearance.
* We encourage the use of 303 protectant spray to best protect your board from UV rays. Simple soap and scrub brush can be used for general cleaning. Time to time scuff marks on the vinyl can occur in which case you can spot clean with acetone but rinse thoroughly after. Allow the board to dry completely before rolling back into bag to limit the chance of mold or musty smell in the deck pad.
* The inflation valve pin is spring loaded. To deflate push valve pin and twist ¼ turn to lock in the lower position. To inflate always be certain pin is in upright inflate position. Up to air up, down to air down.
* Hand pumps are included with the boards, depending on the board size, expect near 275 pumps to reach 12psi. The gauge will not begin to register until pump 200-ish. Service your hand pumps regularly to avoid the gasket drying out by removing the 2 screws and lubricating with any grease or even Vaseline type products to ensure full lubrication. NoSnow can complete this service for a nominal fee if you need.
* The valve tool included in the canister is to tighten your inflation valve and/or your PRV (pressure relief valve) should you discover hissing from the sides...they are threaded and can loosen over time. If unsure always just bring it to us at the shop as that is what we are here for!
* You may notice two round "bubbles" on the bottom of your board near the center fin, don't panic...these are the areas opposite the inflation valve and PRV. This is normal as the internal inter-stitching needs to be cut away during construction for these valves.
* Any questions regarding our local water ways or your new board and paddle please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for supporting local business. We look forward to seeing you on the water.
* Remember, as a NoSnow board owner you always get free air to inflate when the shop is open March-October! Membership has its privileges… 😊
Heather &Court Fetter
* If running the Salt River, or any rocky rapid shallow river be sure to use a flex fin or shallow river fin. The performance fin your board came with is designed for lakes and ocean use. Flex and River fins designed for your fin box are available at NoSnow.
* Literally the coolest thing about our NoSnow brand boards is the PRV! (Pressure relief valves) They are added to the boards to assist with self-relieving should the PSI reach 17psi they will blow themselves off. If you hear hissing it is too hot! You can also manually blow off with a quick press of the intake valve
* With our extreme Arizona summer temps we suggest a maximum psi of 12 as your boards will gain psi with direct sun and our hot temps in minutes of exposure. Full 15psi for weather under 90F and even then use good judgment.
* Paddle Practice - The paddles that we sell are of the higher performance category. Your paddle will last you decades if you care for it. Tips on care of your paddle are; never touch the ground especially when in shallow sections of the river, never strap the paddle to your board when transporting it, leaving in direct sun for hours can cause the resin to break down, if you do put a deep scratch on your paddle bring it in for inspection as a small crack can cause full failure if not repaired, and be sure to paddle with the blade pointing forward. For reference on the NoSnow brand, the NS logo faces AWAY from you. Time to time the locking mechanism pins will loosen, you can tighten but be sure it is in the closed position to avoid too much torque on the clasp and risk snapping.
* Totally fine to store board inflated! We suggest lowering to 8psi to allow your board to relax and not stress the seams and structure. This is good practice as part of your pre-ride checklist should be airing up to your needed psi for the day.
* Leashes - Fastest way to risk drowning yourself is wearing a leash in swift water. If running the river be sure to NOT use a standard leash. Quick release waist mounted leashes are an option as these can be manually released when you have fallen and your leash is stuck on debris, river rock, brush or tree. Know how to properly deploy the QR and wear only if you feel confident/experienced enough under pressure. If paddling on the lakes or coastal cruising the ocean/bays a leash is a great additional layer of safety.
* Like yourself, when out enjoying your board and you are taking a break on shore we encourage you seek shade for both you and your board in sunny hot weather.
* Fin breakage does occur. Fin breaks are caused by going sideways in the shallow rapid sections of our Salt River, or sitting or standing on the board while in shallow water or on the shore. Avoiding these two practices will ensure your board, fin, and fin box will stay in one piece for years to come. Best practice is keeping the fin in knee deep water on entrance and exit to ensure bottom clearance.
* We encourage the use of 303 protectant spray to best protect your board from UV rays. Simple soap and scrub brush can be used for general cleaning. Time to time scuff marks on the vinyl can occur in which case you can spot clean with acetone but rinse thoroughly after. Allow the board to dry completely before rolling back into bag to limit the chance of mold or musty smell in the deck pad.
* The inflation valve pin is spring loaded. To deflate push valve pin and twist ¼ turn to lock in the lower position. To inflate always be certain pin is in upright inflate position. Up to air up, down to air down.
* Hand pumps are included with the boards, depending on the board size, expect near 275 pumps to reach 12psi. The gauge will not begin to register until pump 200-ish. Service your hand pumps regularly to avoid the gasket drying out by removing the 2 screws and lubricating with any grease or even Vaseline type products to ensure full lubrication. NoSnow can complete this service for a nominal fee if you need.
* The valve tool included in the canister is to tighten your inflation valve and/or your PRV (pressure relief valve) should you discover hissing from the sides...they are threaded and can loosen over time. If unsure always just bring it to us at the shop as that is what we are here for!
* You may notice two round "bubbles" on the bottom of your board near the center fin, don't panic...these are the areas opposite the inflation valve and PRV. This is normal as the internal inter-stitching needs to be cut away during construction for these valves.
* Any questions regarding our local water ways or your new board and paddle please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for supporting local business. We look forward to seeing you on the water.
* Remember, as a NoSnow board owner you always get free air to inflate when the shop is open March-October! Membership has its privileges… 😊
Heather &Court Fetter
Just got a new RIGID Stand Up Paddle board… How do I take care of it?
From our friends at Padl Monster (formerly DistressedMullet.)
From our friends at Padl Monster (formerly DistressedMullet.)
How do you keep your baby shiny new and in good shape? Here’s how to take care of your paddleboards.
Don’t drop the board
That seems obvious, yes? However I’m pretty sure the first thing my friend Barbie did was drop her board. However that is why we got her something indestructible. When you drop your board you will likely crack it and then it will have to go to ding repair. If the board cracks, water can get in and the board will start to self-destruct from the inside-out in various ways.
Do not lean the board against things
Whenever possible, keep the board flat. NEVER EVER EVER lean it up against a car or wall without it being bungeed to the wall.
Related: Do not leave board on top of car without strapping it on
A gust of wind comes along and BANG the board is on the ground. With cracks. Needing ding repair. Always tie the straps, at least enough so that the board won’t fly off the car, before leaving it to do other things.
Related: Check the straps before you drive off (Or LOCK your SUP Taxi)
If you strapped the board on and then went away to do something else, check to make sure the board is still secure before you get in the car and drive off.
Keep the board cool
You might like to bake in the sun but your board does not. There are gasses in the board from the materials and the glazing. There is possibly water in the board. All of those things will expand when the board heats up and will push on the covering (epoxy, fiberglass, carbon) and it can explode or start peeling (which is called delaminating). Once a board starts to delaminate there is VERY LITTLE you can do to get it to stop. Keep the board in a reflective board bag if it is on your car. Open the vent plug if possible. Park out of the sun. Keep the board in the garage. (Keep board out of direct sunlight especially here in Arizona!)
Set the board on the ground with the bottom up
The top is the pretty part that you look at but the bottom is where the board comes into contact with the water. If that surface gets scratched or dinged the board won’t go as fast. Also, setting the board bottom-down on the fin is not good for the fin or the fin box.
Don’t stack stuff on your board
The top picture is a good example of how NOT to treat your boards. Don’t pile them on each other and don’t pile things on them. They can get pressure dings from things sitting on them. Dings on the bottom = uneven surface = uneven water flow = not going fast.
Hose off the board after using it
Particularly if you paddle in saltwater because the salt will crust up and again keep you from going fast. I’ve had a fin screw rust before but that was probably because I used a crappy screw.
Don’t crank the straps down hard
If you’ve never strapped a board on your car, this might not make sense but if you have, what I am talking about is, when you pull the straps tight, don’t pull them so tight that you squeeze the life out of your board. That’s a good way to crack the rails (edges of the board) or put pressure dings in the bottom of the board (or the top).
Travel with the Fin first
Place the board on the car upside-down with the fin in the front. That way if the strap loosens and the board slides back the fin will catch it and keep it from totally falling off (hopefully). Putting it on the car upside-down will also keep it from getting pressure dings on the bottom from the racks (provided that you don’t crank the straps overly hard).
How to strap a board to your roof rack (Thanks Boardworks!)
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