Best Water Sports for Both Beginners and Thrill Seekers
Nothing says fun on the water like water sports. Whether you are a beginner or a downright thrill seeker, there is something for everyone when it comes to exploring water sporting adventures. Let’s take a look at the best water sports for beginners and thrill seekers alike.
Top Water Sports for Beginners
If you are just starting to take up the joy of water sports or are looking to get your family and kids involved in the fun, these are some of the best water sports for beginners.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP)
One of the best beginning water sports is stand-up paddleboarding or SUP for short. SUP was developed out of surfing, but it has become one of the most popular water sports for first-timers. The sport uses a board that looks much like a traditional surfboard, about 10 to 12 feet long, but the paddleboarder balances on top while it floats on the surface of the water and uses a paddle to propel it forward. Balance, stability, and core strength are key and it takes some practice, but overall it is easy to catch onto. The best stance for paddleboarding is to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold the paddle with one hand on the top grip and another on the paddle’s shaft. The paddle blade should be planted in the water and with a long stroke from the top of the board to your ankle, you can propel the board forward. It is important to keep your arms straight, engage your core, and twist your torso slightly to continue paddling in a smooth rhythm. A lifejacket is also a required basic safety equipment for SUPing.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is a great water sport and is far less involved than scuba diving, but can yield some similar thrills of exploring the life that is teeming beneath the water’s surface. Some of the benefits of snorkeling for beginners is that it is easy to learn and requires minimal equipment. You can usually learn the basics of snorkeling in an afternoon and you can get into the water and begin exploring right away. Snorkeling gear includes the snorkel, of course, but also a face mask, and flippers. Each takes a little bit of time to get used to wearing and there are some basics to learn that make becoming comfortable with the equipment easier.
Snorkeling is a fun experience that allows you to explore marine life and underwater landscapes. This is easier to do in calmer water conditions and if you swim slowly and steadily. Stay near reefs, calm lagoons, and areas teeming with marine activity.
Kayaking and Canoeing
Another fun water sport is kayaking and canoeing, which is suitable for all ages, especially since more than one person can occupy these crafts, making it easy for parents and children to enjoy together. Kayaks and Canoes are propelled through the water by paddling. Kayaks use double-blade paddles and canoes single-blade paddles.
Canoeing and kayaking for beginners is best suited for calm waters. The rougher the water, the more advanced the skills become to navigate the craft. Basic kayaking and canoeing skills though can be picked up easily with a lesson or two of hands-on practice in the water. This is one of the reasons kayaking and canoeing are some of the best water sports for families.
Boating Water Sports for Thrill Seekers
Some of the most fun water sports that offer the most thrill and adventure are water sports for boating. These activities enhance the boating experience by bringing something active, challenging, and adventurous to do. These recreational activities can also be enjoyed by the whole family, but safety tips for water sports need to be followed and choosing water sports equipment that is suitable for each activity is important too.
Water Tubing
Water tubing is an activity where an inflatable tube is pulled behind a boat while one or more riders float swiftly over the top of the water. It can be exhilarating fun but there are a few safety guidelines to follow, like wearing a properly fitting life jacket and keeping a spotter in the boat to watch the riders.
A few water tubing tips for first-timers include a few techniques for handling speed and waves. Riders need to remain on the tube by keeping a firm grip on the tube handles. This can be difficult while riding over waves and riders should keep their weight centered and pull back to keep their balance.
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding is a more advanced water sport where a rider balancing on a board is towed behind a boat moving at speeds between 18-25 miles an hour. It developed out of snowboarding and skateboarding, and some of the tricks are even similar. The purpose is for the rider to perform tricks on the board as it moves swiftly over the water. A wakeboarding guide for beginners requires learning how to balance on the board and remain upright. From there, beginner tricks include an ollie, tail grab, jumping the wake, and a surface 180. Mastering skills takes time and practice but is certainly thrilling.
Waterskiing
Nothing helps you explore the joy of water sports quite like water skiing. Invented in Lake City, Minnesota a little over a hundred years ago, this sport continues to be a thriller for people of all ages. Whether with two skis, one ski, or no skis, this water sport helps prove that boating is not just for getting from point A to point B.
Waterskiing consists of attaching a specially designed ski to each foot and being pulled with a rope behind a boat so you glide across the top of the water.
A few important water skiing techniques for beginners include learning how to get up by sitting back on your bottom with the tip of your skis up out of the water and the rope between your skis. You need to keep your skis straight and close together while also keeping a firm grip on the rope and your arms straight. By keeping your arms straight and your body leaning back, you can allow the boat to pull you out of the water and up onto your skis.
More advanced water skiers often try slalom skiing, or water skiing with only one ski instead of two, which requires more strength and balance. Slalom skiers will usually learn by getting up on two skis and then drop one of the skis once up. Later, they work towards getting up on one ski.
Waterskiing requires a boat that can reach a speed that makes it capable of pulling a skier. Required equipment besides skis include a ski rope and a proper fitting life jacket It is also important to have a spotter in the boat to watch the skier.
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or kiteboarding is another one of the more advanced water sports, but it is also perfect for thrill-seekers. It combines elements of surfing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding. It uses a board with a kite to catch the wind and propel it across the water. The rider holds the kite and controls it by hand. It is a perfect sport for thrill-seekers as it is exhilarating and requires strength, endurance, and flexibility.
Some kite surfing basics include:
Setting up the kite
Keeping it tethered down
Controlling the kite and board
Maintaining your body positioning
Parasailing
Boat-towed parasailing is one of the top boating adventure activities and having a chance to explore the unique thrill of flying above the water is hands-down something not to be missed. Key tips for safe parasailing include harness checks and communication with the boat operator. First-timers can expect a fairly calm, almost weightless, and controlled experience where they are able to enjoy an aerial perspective of the surrounding landscape. Overall, it is an experience that requires minimal physical exertion or experience.
Renting a Boat for Exploring Water Sports
If you are ready to jump in and explore some top water sports destinations, then having a boat is key. If you do not own your own boat, a boat rental can be your ticket to experiencing the best water sports. Contact Your Boat Club and they can hook you up with the right boat for the water sport activity of your choice.
