River Surfing SUP Thailand

River Surfing on Stand Up Paddle-boards in Thailand

Starboard have been making prototypes and testing boards to come up with a dedicated Stand Up Paddle Board for Riding Rivers. To my delight I was invited to come along. Scotty Mc Kercher was in town and also joined us. ( he wore a pair of board short and a smear of sunscreen and went down the hardest section first - dont do this at home kids :)

A few quick safety points

Dont wear a leash - you may end up being caught with your leg upstream and not be able to reach up against the flow to release it.
Do keep your hands and arms tucked in when you fall.
Wear a helmet, life vest and, the more rough, the more padding to consider. Have a plan in place to get help if needed.
Start small and work your way up.

Location Nakhon Nayok - Rapids - Near Khao Yai National Park - North East of Bangkok

Outer Ring Road (9) to 305
305 to Nakhon Nayok
Out of Nakhon Nayok, take road 3049 toward the dam.
At km 14 take a right down a small road toward "Keng Sam Chan." There is a sign, but it is only in Thai.
Follow the road until you get to a parking area.
Go through the parking area and look for the entrance to the "Riverhome Phodaeng Resort (037-328-411)." Again, the sign is only in Thai. Look for the large Gorilla statues at the entry gate.
The rapids are just upstream of the resort.

Making the Ideal River SUP Board

I think anyone who thinks they have good balance is curious to see how they go White Water River Surfing, It is not easy and rocks are hard! However due to its challenging nature, you can have an absolute blast in rapids that would be totally non-challenging to the white water kayak-er.

Which ironically means that you can have a lot of fun and build balance skills in quite mild and not so dangerous conditions. Minor Rapids and fast flowing water is much more common that class 5 rapids also.

So what makes an ideal River Board? You will have to wait for the product launch to see what we came up with, but basically the board must have extra width to make it forgiving in the challenging environment, this also means you can push it harder before you fall. Length not so important as you are most often using the energy of the river. If you want to move fast across water, you will always do better with a longer board, and if you want to make fast turns or carry a board through jungle, you will do better with a short board. Even in a range as extensive as Starboard's - the ideal shape had to be specifically invented and tested, with the aim of reducing compromise and increasing fun. Then there are the rocks...

River Board Technology

To find the best build technology to make the Perfect Stand UP Paddle Board for Riding Rivers, Starboard turned to their windsurfing division, where they have been leading the market for over a decade. The New Armour Technology is being tested for use with the New Starboard SUP RIVER BOARD - below you can see Starboard owner, Svein at a typical day at the office. Svein is a man of unquenchable enthusiasm and unlimited vision. Nice bloke too, don't let the hammer thing put you off :)

Of course simply gliding down the river can also be the most epic and touching experience you can have on an SUP. For me it is like sliding through the bush on ice-skates, except you do not have to move. The sights and sounds, the smells surround you and you pass through the mystery without leaving a trace or making a noise. Yet the board under your feet is still highly responsive and keeps you grounded in the experience.

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