Sea Eagle NeedleNose SUP (NN116, NN126, NN14) - Manual (Page 4)

Warm-Up
Always perform some warm-up stretches before entering the surf. This will reduce the risk of muscle injury or cramp while
you're stand up paddling.
Awareness
Make sure you're in safe waters. Like snowboarding or skateboarding, stand up paddlers sometimes fall when they are
still beginners. Don't pass over any rocks or underwater debris shallow enough to hurt you if you go over. If you plan on a
long trip, consult a navigational chart to be sure your path is clear of reefs, wrecks, rocks or other debris.
Wind Awareness
Be aware of the wind. Stand-up paddling is far more affected by the wind than kayaking. The paddler's body functions as
a sail in windy conditions so paddling downwind is easy and paddling upwind can be challenging. Make sure you're com-
fortable in light winds before venturing out on a windy day, and it makes sense to paddle into the wind first so your return
trip will be a nice relaxing downwind glide. On longer trips, make sure you're aware of the forecast as winds can change
unexpectedly when you're out on the water.
Comfort Zone/Fitness/Food
You should only surf in waves that you are comfortable in, and never go into ocean waves that are rougher than you can
handle. Never lose sight of the oncoming waves and NEVER exhaust yourself in the ocean. It's always better to end the
day early and safe than to push your luck when you're tired. Make sure you are physically fit when surfing, you need to be
able to swim back to shore if you lose your board at the end of an exhausting session. It is also a good idea not to go surf-
ing until 45 minutes after a meal, the same as you would for swimming.
Practice
The best way to become a better at anything is practice, practice, practice. If you want to improve your abilities than you
need to be in the water surfing as regularly as possible.
Priority
Always make sure that you are not taking anyone else's wave. Remember, the surfer who is closest to the breaking wave
has priority. If you see someone already on a wave then the wave is taken and you'll have to wait for the next one.
Know When To Hold/Know When To Throw)
It's very important to know when to hold onto your board and when to let go of it. Hold on to your board if you are paddling
out, you'll get out back to the line up more quickly and you won't put anyone paddling out behind you at risk. Throw your
board if you are about to wipe out as you are far more likely to sustain an injury if you and your board are getting washed
around together.
The Buddy System
Although the NeedleNose is designed for solo use, we do recommend that you go out with at least one other person. Not
only do we believe you'll have more fun sharing the experience but you'll always have someone to help you out if you
need it and the same for your friend if they need help. Having a swimming or surfing buddy is a fundamental principle that
shouldn't be ignored.
Rips
A rip is a strong undercurrent in the ocean. You can recognize rip currents by looking for a channel of churning or choppy
water, an area where the water is distinctly a different color, a line of foam, seaweed or debris heading out to sea or a
break in the wave pattern. According to the NWS (National Weather Service) wearing polarized sun glasses makes it eas-
ier to see the signs of a rip current.
Escaping A Rip Current
If you are caught in a rip remain calm and conserve energy as you'll need it to swim back to safety. You may not realize
you are in a rip current until you are suddenly further away from the shore than you realized. It is important that you DO
NOT SWIM TOWARD THE SHORE. Swimming towards the shore is like swimming upstream in a river and will tire you
out before long. Instead what you should do is swim parallel to the shore in order to escape the rip current. Once you feel
that you're out of the current, turn towards the shore. If you cannot swim out of the rip current, calmly float or tread water
until you are out of the current. Exhaustion is your biggest enemy, don't fight a rip current. When you are out, swim toward
shore.
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OPERATING YOUR SEA EAGLE (continued)