Coolers on Board

The guys in our very casual stand up paddle boarding group have taken casual to a new level, they now paddle board with coolers! This is a new thing for them. On the morning of our 35 mile paddle down the Deschutes River, Oregon, three of the four guys in our group showed up with coolers. It seems as though they simultaneously and independently came up with this brilliant idea (or none of them are taking credit for it).

They claim that to rest a tired back or nurse a shoulder injury, the cooler is a useful seat that coincidentally stores a six pack of beer. Though there were a few of us non-cooler carriers that may have smiled or made the occasional possibly snide inquiry about the coolers, by the 25th mile when the guys were sharing their beer and treats, we were all grateful for their ingenuity.

Here's a few things we learned about putting coolers on top of your stand up paddle board:

• Don't tie a strap around the bottom of the board. As slim as the strap may be, it creates too much drag.
• The cooler makes your board much more tippy when you sit on it.
• The cooler may require a second trip if you have to portage your paddle board.
• Though none of our guys or their coolers fell in during the 35 mile trip as they tested their cooler-on-board idea, it seems a good idea to get a cooler with a locking lid that floats.
• To strap your cooler to your board, be sure to order a set of attachment tie-downs for your stand up paddle surf board.

Note: Thank you Judy Shasek for the cooler photos

Cooler Guys: Eddy Miller, Al Paterson, Eddie Shasek

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