Good Stand Up Paddle Board Storage Ideas For Off-Season

When you’re not having fun out on the water with your board, you need to safely store it so that it will last you for many seasons to come. When the board is stored, it needs the most care in order to make certain it can last for many trips out on the water. And the proper storage can literally make or break a SUP board. If you’re looking for some good SUP storage solutions for your gear, then let us help you out.

Disclosure: We receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

Types of Storage

Ceiling racks are one of the most common ways to store SUP boards in the home. They usually are placed at a comfortable height where they can be easily placed on and off the rack. This method of storage is one of the quicker versions to deal with considering SUP boards can just slide in and out of the rack with ease. These racks can be stored in a garage or a bedroom or guest room with ease.

Wall mounts make for a more beautiful, decorative appeal to storing a SUP board. They can be hung right inside a living room to be a centerpiece and a focus for conversation. Since SUP boards love warm, dry conditions, storing it in a living room makes the most sense because of the comforts it features for common area living styles. Also, the praise from guests is also nice to receive, too. This type of mount can also be placed in a garage, bedroom, or guest room, too. It might take up a little more space that a ceiling rack as it usually sits lower to the ground.

Personalized display racks also exist to make sure the rack fits any type of home’s style and anyone’s lifestyle needs. Artistic styles can also be displayed in this type of rack. This storage method shows a great deal of love and appreciation for SUP boards.

Should You Store Your Rigid SUP in a Board Bag?

Board bags are a great way to store boards to make certain they are protected from the elements, namely dust, and moisture. These bags can be rather spacious so that any SUP accessories can be paired with the board proper. However, many SUP board owners think of board bags as a backup option for storage because they cannot be used for an extended period. The deck pad of the board can be negatively affected, and so can the SUP board’s core. Racks limit this warping effect because of how they support the board.

Can You Hang a SUP by Straps?

SUP straps are a newer storage technology. They act like racks, but a pair of straps holds up the board instead of hard, rung-like material. For people who are not comfortable with using racks, this storage option might be the best bet, especially since some accessories like the paddles can be stored with the board.

Another thing to note is that strap storage systems are not as popular as most of the other storage systems. Therefore, they can be difficult to find, and not much information is known about them. A few options can be found by doing some general search engine research. Straps follow the same idea as ceiling racks and wall mounts, as mentioned previously, so they will work well to keep a SUP board out of the elements as much as possible. It is just a very distinct look over the other storage methods.

What to Consider When Looking at Storage Options

Storage options that need to be considered above all are daily functionality and off-season storage. Daily functionality focuses on how easily and safely a board can be removed and replaced in and out of storage, so nicks, chips, and warpage are all avoided as much as possible. However, warpage needs to be considered the most when off-season care is the type of storage at hand. If a board is positioned the wrong way for too long, the deck and core can warp easily. Therefore, board bags would not be the best idea for off-season storage, so a ceiling rack or wall mounts might be the best bet to go with in the long run. They are great for easy storage and removal for storage on a daily basis, and they can support a board for the long term, too.

Storage Methods that Save Space

Storing SUP boards can be rather difficult when it comes to saving space because these racks and mounts usually lay horizontally. In order to store more boards with less space, a surfboard rack can be used to make use of a smaller, vertical space. These surfboard racks also come in freestanding forms, so holes do not need to be drilled into walls or ceilings. The best thing about this type of rack is the fact that more than one or two boards can be stored in one space. One word of caution, though: surfboard racks may not protect a SUP board from nicks, dents, and scratches as much as a standard SUP board might.

Another way to save space is to store the rack into ceiling recesses. Racks or poles can be stored across and within these recesses to be sure the board can easily be placed and removed from the area in which it is stored. Storing SUP boards in this space can also add to a room’s decorative appeal and interior design. If a recess does not exist in a ceiling, then the ceiling can still be used. If a ceiling has exposed beams that are both far enough apart and close enough together at the same time to support a SUP board, then they can be used with ease.

Things to Do for Storage

When it comes to mounting a ceiling rack, straps, or a wall mount, a few things need to be considered. These mounts and racks need to be supported well to make sure they can bear the weight being placed on them without collapsing. A collapse could dent, scratch, or even break a board. Therefore, the mounts and racks should be drilled into a stud in the wall to which they will be attached.

Things Not to Do for Storage

Bubble wrap should be avoided at all costs when considering storage options, daily or off-season. Plastic likes to stick to the board, especially if temperatures are warm. Therefore, to avoid a residue or patchy stickiness from forming on a SUP board, leave the bubble wrap alone, no matter how tempting it is to use this material for the cushioning it provides to most products. The main reason why the plastic sticks to the board are because of the resin being used – it attracts and adheres to plastic rather easily. At the same time, bubble wrap acts as a way to hold heat and moisture. Each bubble is like a miniature magnifying class that can focus heat on the board, and moisture can pull around certain areas of the plastic. Both of these occurrences can cause damage and warping in the long term.

Other Types of Damage to Think About

UV damage can kill a SUP board. It will peel away the board’s finish in now time. When the board overheats, the air in the foam core expands, which can also mess up the core’s strength. Delaminating, cracking, and splitting is only a few of the things UV damage and heat can cause in the long run.

Should Fins be Removed before Storing?

Fins and a fin box usually come standard with most SUP boards. They can be easily installed or replaced. They should be removed before long-term storage occurs because of the way screws interact with the board. If tightened screws are left in place for too long, then they can cause cracking or splintering. Also, the excess resin can build up around the screw holes from time to time, and if this resin is not removed, it can cause removal and replacement issues.

How to Store Inflatables?

These type of SUP boards need to be cleaned well, as any SUP board should be, before storage. Not cleaning a board before storing it can make the board a breeding ground for bacteria and rust, both of which can destroy a board over time. Inflatable boards should also be deflated and rolled correctly to avoid rips and tears.

Some Final Things to Consider with Storage

Vent plugs are a great way to allow a board to keep removing inner moisture while it is being stored. When a board is not being used, the vent plug can be unscrewed to allow for this moisture to escape. However, the vent plug needs to be replaced before the board is used, or it might affect the way a board operates on water since water becomes free moving in and out of the core.

Boards should frequently be cleaned, especially before and after long-term storage occurs. After each cleaning, the resin should be reapplied, too.

A storage shed can be made rather easily as an outdoor method of storing SUP boards. A shed can contain a few racks or mounts along with shelving for accessories. Therefore, everything needed for a trip is located in one place that is out of the way, and a home’s interior design does not have to revolve around storing racks and mounts.

There are many ways to and reasons why to store a SUP board. These methods can be aesthetically appealing, functional, and easy to use for daily and long-term usage. Storing a SUP board is crucial to making the lifetime of the board extend as long as possible.