When practising inflatable paddle boarding, handling and equipment care steps are essential to keep your gear healthy and reliable over time. Deflating is a key step for properly storing your SUP.
In this article, we will answer the following question: how do you deflate and store your paddle board? We will also cover the problems you may encounter and how to avoid them. We will start with the equipment, then the procedure itself, and share a few tips along the way.
1. Preparation
To store your paddle, you will need the following equipment:
- The storage bag,
- a cloth
- and your hands.
To deflate and store your paddle while looking after your equipment, it is essential to follow these steps during preparation:
To prepare, find a suitable place, avoiding areas where your paddle could blow away or be damaged. Ideally, use a large mat or carpet on the ground to protect your SUP.
Then, make sure you have everything you need within reach.
2. Preliminary steps before deflating
- Before deflating your paddle, start by using your cloth to wipe it down, which helps protect it from mould, sand that could damage it, and odours.
- Then, remove your fin so you can lay the SUP flat on the ground.
- Dry and store your fin.
3. Deflating the inflatable paddle
We now come to the most important part, deflating the paddle.
To do this:
- Open the cap of the inflation valve, then open the valve by pressing the central button and lock it in the open position with a quarter turn before releasing.
- Let the paddle empty of air.
- While the air escapes, store or remove the paddle leash in whatever way suits you best. Removing it prevents it from dragging once the paddle is rolled up.
4. Rolling and storing the inflatable paddle
We will now move on to rolling the paddle:
- Stand at the back. The SUP should be the right way up.
- Start by folding forward so that the three fin boxes are visible.
- Then fold the fin box furthest back over the other two, bringing it towards you.
- Finally, resume rolling in the original direction. Roll the paddle while applying pressure to expel the remaining air from the SUP.
Once folded, put it in its bag and close the bag.
For storage, choose a dry, cool place, sheltered from direct sunlight.
The SROKA tips
- First small tip: be wary of algae, which can react with the materials and risk staining them, so rinse your paddle thoroughly, especially if you store it for a long time.
- When storing in the garage, avoid putting weight on your paddle and ideally store it upright, not flat.
- Finally, although it may seem obvious, avoid deflating your paddle in the water, because even though it prevents sand, letting water get inside your SUP would be disastrous.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pay attention to the place you choose to deflate your paddle, make sure it is as clean as possible when storing it, especially for long-term storage, and above all, learn our homemade folding technique to avoid damaging your fin boxes.
All that is left is to enjoy our paddles which, we assure you, if you look after them, will last a long time.
How do you deflate a paddle board? Now you have the answer. Always take care of your equipment, it is the guarantee that it will last a long time! All that is left is to head out and enjoy the water. Many other articles are available on our site to support you in your paddling practice, so don't hesitate to take a look!
If you still have questions about this, or any other request, don't hesitate to contact us!
