Before you head out paddleboarding, you want to make sure that you have all the gear and equipment that you are going to need. Whether it’s that fish cooler box, that extra paddle, snorkeling masks, and swim fins, you need a secure way of holding down your paddleboard fishing accessories.
This is where SUP deck rigging comes in. In this SUP deck rigging guide, we will learn how to attach a bungee cord to the SUP for holding down all the necessary gear.
How to attach a paddleboard bungee cord
Not only will a SUP deck bungee cord allow you to hold down the gear you need when you are paddleboarding such as a dry bag, fishing equipment, and extra paddles, if you are paddleboarding with kids, it offers an excellent place for the kids to hold onto.
The ideal situation is for the paddleboard to feature D-rings as this makes the whole rigging process much easier. However, if your paddle board doesn’t have these, then you will need to fix the D-rings that come as part of the rigging kit. Other types of rigging kits may feature suction cups. Either way, these need to be attached to the paddleboard.
The stand-up paddleboards for fishing have enough deck size for carrying the extra gear.
The method you choose to attach these features will depend on the type of paddleboard that you are using. If for example, you have an inflatable SUP, then you can use an adhesive to permanently attach the D-rings. On the other hand, if you are using a hard board, then suction cups are best.
Having secured the D-rings, now it’s time to add the SUP deck bungee cord.
Passing the SUP bungee cord through the D-rings.
You will start by taking the bungee cord and passing it through each of the four D-rings. Begin with the D-ring that is close to the center of the board. Then by making a diagonal pattern, move the chord towards the nose.
After you’ve fed the chord through the D-ring that is nearest to the nose, take it to the opposite D-ring and then start working your way back to the center of the board in the same diagonal fashion.
Now you have a great way to carry your paddleboard accessories.
Ensure that the ends of the bungee cords are the same size. Adjust the bungee cord if you must and ensure that the ends are the same length once you have finished passing it through the D-rings.
Tie it down
Grab the cords tightly with one hand while using the other hand to tie down the chord. The best type of knot in this situation is an overhand knot. All the while ensuring that the chords are even. This is the same knot that you are going to use when tying down your stuff.
Why it is important to have a SUP deck rigging kit
The cool thing about getting your own SUP deck rigging kit is that you can get the size that you want. Even better is that you can attach the kit wherever you find it convenient on the board. There are even SUP rigging kits that are detachable. Once you are done using them, you can remove them.
You can find both small and large SUP rigging kits in the market. It all depends on the number and the size of the gear that you plan on carrying. A point to keep in mind is when attaching the SUP make sure that you do it directly onto the board and never on the traction pads. The D-rings and suctions pads simply will not stick onto the traction pad.
Make sure your deck rigging kit can easily hold your SUP paddle.
The fact that the SUP deck bungee cords are stretchy allows for a more secure hold on your items. This feature also makes them versatile in that you can carry both small gear and large gear. All you need to do is to pull up the bungee cord.
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The deck rigging kit allows for a much more wholesome experience. Instead of just doing paddle boarding, you can combine it with fishing, or camping.
The main difference between the large rigging kits and the smaller rigging kits is that the large ones have fewer suction cups or D-rings. While you may get up to 6 in the smaller kits, the larger ones have 4.
While you are at it, make sure that you have a quality stand up paddleboard.
The one that is best suited for you will come down to the type of SUP experience you are looking for which will ultimately determine the type of gear.
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Standup paddleboarding is great fun, but the experience can be even better when combined with activities such as camping or fishing. For this you will need extra gear and the best way to carry them on your SUP is by using a SUP deck rigging kit.
Skills Paddle Board Guides:
- How To Choose The Right Paddle Board Size
- How To Teach Your Dog To Paddle Board
- How To Convert A SUP Into A Kayak
- How to Transport Your Stand Up Paddle Board
- A Beginners Guide To SUP Surfing
- Make Your Own SUP Paddle
- SUP Fitness: How Many Calories Does Paddle Boarding Burn?