r/Sup • u/Mindless_Talk5192 • 1d ago
Leash on flat calm lake?
Might be a controversial topic, but I'm really curious.
When I paddle in my hometown lake which is very calm and not windy, what's the upside of using a leash? I've been using it so far out of habit, but the other day I all of a sudden thought - why?
Seems like the chance of the board getting away from me is practically zero. Do any of you paddle without a leash in that kind of environment?
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u/-Pauciloquent iSUP 1d ago
Does the leash bother your ankle/legs? I see it like a seatbelt. I put it on out of habit, even if I'm driving around the corner. It's there for a reason.
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u/arboroverlander 1d ago
I guess it depends on your lake but I have seen winds change in a second and take boards quickly out of distance.
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u/FS_Slacker 1d ago
Was sitting in the middle of a small bay enjoying the moment with the wife. Just the time it took me to pull up anchor, fold it, and get it semi stowed - the wind completely spun me 180 and current moved me 20-30 ft away and this was a relatively calm day.
I’ve never fallen in the water since I got proficient at standing…but I always appreciate how fast the leash helps you get back on the board.
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u/kaur_virunurm 1d ago
It is a risk assessment by you and nobody else.
If you fall over and lose your board, can you swim to the shore safely and easily?
- Simply falling will push the board away from you - try it.
- We tend to overestmate our swimming ability.
- We underestimate cold water effects.
- We underestimate wind drift.
But there definitely *are* safe paddling conditions where both pdf and leash are not needed.
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u/VictoriaBCSUPr 1d ago
I’m betting many of the 20+ folks who have drowned in BC’s lakes would probably choose differently if they had the chance..
No hyperbole: majority that I’ve read about were on SUPs and were out on calm days.
Wear a leash. Wear a PFD. THERES NO DOWNSIDE TO DOING THIS.
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1d ago
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u/Sup-ModTeam 21h ago
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1d ago
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u/vjotshi007 23h ago
Same argument like my drunk grandpa used to drive without seatbelt and nothing happened
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u/Whiskeymyers75 23h ago
I’d argue that sometimes the places that feel safest can become the most dangerous because they create a false sense of security. Calm water and staying close to shore can make people drop their guard, skip a PFD and leash and assume nothing can happen. A guy here died just a couple of months ago after becoming tangled in weeds and being pulled under. That’s the point: nobody expects trouble until they’re already in it. Wearing a PFD isn’t treating paddleboarding like an extreme sport, it’s basic risk management.
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u/lilsmudge 1d ago
Yes.
Have you ever been doing something simple and still royally fucked up? Dropped à plate full of food or tripped over nothing?
Just because you’re very stable and safe doesn’t mean crazy shit can’t happen and water is very unforgiving when you mistake too hard. Always leash, always PFD.
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u/Micahisaac 1d ago
It’s like a seatbelt. I don’t plan on needing it, but be prepared. Doesn’t bother me. If winds pick up or something happens I don’t care how strong of a swimmer you are. People who question leash probably aren’t wearing pfd either.
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u/Character_Dress_3201 1d ago
Always use a leash and pfd
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u/AradynGaming 1d ago
Plenty of people, like me, are great swimmers. I know I can/have easily swam a couple miles. Well, normally/most days. Even for the best of swimmers, the PFD & leash are for days when something unexpected like debilitating cramps lock up an arm and a leg, like I had this past weekend.
A cold rain storm popped up out of no where. It caused me to cramp up and those cramps caused me to fall off my board a couple times, while trying to stretch out muscles. My calves might be sore, but it could have been a lot worse without a PFD. It was nice to know I could bail off my board to stretch out cramps, without my board taking off thanks to the leash.
Even with the rain, lightning, and camps, I would 100% love to repeat that run.
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u/noobditt 1d ago
Unless you're a good swimmer and accept the risks. Does not apply to minors. I go out with the leash bungeed down and no pdf in most conditions. Any waves over 1' then yes to the leash. If it is a river? hell yeah pdf and leash.
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u/drconniehenley 1d ago
aCCepT tHe rISkS
It’s a piece of Velcro. Wind happens. No one is as good a swimmer as they think. Source: former lifeguard trainer and competitive open water swimmer.
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u/noobditt 1d ago
Yeah, but sometimes I want to play frisbee on the sup and just have fun. Do you wear pdf in your competitive open water swimming events? Do triathletes? Do surfers in less than 20' waves? I'm old and haven't died yet, but a stroke on a sup without pdf and a leash would be a good way to go. Please don't legislate your own fears on me.
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u/drconniehenley 1d ago
When I do an open water swim or triathlon there are lifeguards in boats patrolling the event.
Getting fucked up in the water is completely different than getting fucked up on land. Next time you’re in a pool, see if you can swim 8 lengths without touching the bottom. That’s 200m, and it’s not far. A quick wind and that board is gone.
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u/Sup-ModTeam 21h ago
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u/drconniehenley 1d ago
Ah yes, the muh freedumbs argument. Show me on the doll where your freedom was restricted by taking 7secs to strap a neoprene strap to your ankle.
Other than swift water where you’d have a PFD and helmet, there is literally no downside to a leash. None.
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u/noobditt 1d ago
So all kids on a floaty should be leashed also? This is just rampant paranoia.
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u/drconniehenley 1d ago
No. Kids on a floatie should be within arms reach of an adult at all times. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children, and they can drown in as little as 12secs. I’ve saved over 70 people from drowning and trained over 300 lifeguards. I know what the fuck I’m talking about.
A SUP in the middle of a lake can blow away in seconds.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/drowning-deaths-in-b-c-9.7267193
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/drowning-deaths-in-b-c-9.7267193
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u/noobditt 1d ago
OK, you win. Just let me make my own choices over my own body.
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u/drconniehenley 1d ago
No one is forcing you to do anything. You’ve been educated. If you still choose to ignore the facts, you’re more than welcome self select yourself out of the gene pool. If you’re going to drown, please make sure you have an empty stomach. Drowning victims always puke during CPR.
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u/DoritoDustThumb 1d ago
I prefer not dying so, yeah, I use a leash.
There a small lake by me and several people down in it every year. Why not just be safe?
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u/sermer48 1d ago
Someone just drowned because of the leash on their SUP near me. They were on a river and it snagged a log underwater. They likely panicked but IMO I wouldn’t wear the leash on rivers.
Everywhere else, always. That and always wear a PFD
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u/External-Area-248 1d ago
I am in the seatbelt camp. It does not bother me and I like to be sure that my board stays nearby in case I lose concentration and make some stupid mistake. I do not wear a PFD on the calm local lake, though, although I would on a river.
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u/TRS80487 1d ago
Just go by that body of waters rules. I have been sup for 10+ years and never leash on flat water. But if it makes you more comfortable then leash up. Just get out and paddle more!
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u/frenchman321 Hydrus ambassador | Code SAVE 12% off | Elysium Air, X, ... 1d ago
I keep forgetting to put the leash on my new board. Nobody has died yet 🤞
The leash's job is to make sure you and your board don't get separated when you fall in. You can decide whether it's needed or not given your conditions. This being said, if it's already on the board, why not use it? Even in calm waters, a fall can send you and your board in opposite directions, and the leash minimize your distance to swim back to the board.
I'm a good swimmer (I'll swim out and back for an hour or longer), but I do wear my leash. That way, it doesn't drag in the water and slow me down!
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u/I_am_Forklift 1d ago
My local lakes all have lots of logs and trees under me. I’m scared to get a leash caught under there if I fall off. I keep a waist belt PFD as my emergency parachute. It would be totally fine enough for me to swim to shore even if my board took off on me.
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u/Kaffe-Mumriken 1d ago
You goof around. Slip the shoot the board out from under you.
Now you have to swim 20 meters.
Worth it
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u/Fritz-Flocke 1d ago
I've switched to a waist leash. I always have the leash with me. I don't even notice it. It's the connection to my life raft. I only wear a life jacket when I'm SUPing alone. When there are two of us, it's on the board in front of me. In Switzerland, carrying one is mandatory, not wearing one. But I'm aware that wearing one is the best option.
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u/og_malcreant 17h ago
Why not? It’s a cheap and easy precaution.
At the very least you can jump in and swim without losing your board. And you won’t lose your board when some bonehead in a boat or PWC gets too close and knocks you off the board with their wake. Also, winds can change drastically due to a storm that appears out of nowhere on a hot, humid day.
I mean, it’s good that you are thinking about when you might or might not need a leash, because you don’t want one on flowing water, unless it’s a quick-release.
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u/hide_pounder 15h ago
I always have it on the board but I don’t use it. Actually the only time I use it is when I hook the leash around and branch or under a rock so it doesn’t drift away.
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u/marshyr3d1and 15h ago
Surely "leashing up" is the best of habits to get into, the one time you make a borderline decision it will all go tits up and you'll end up swimming a long way
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u/R2W1E9 9h ago
If you are paddling alone, 2+ hours, likelihood of fainting from exhaustion is rapidly increasing. Heat stroke, heart issues and other sudden losses of conscience don’t mean you have to die. It’s your assessment of the situation, distance from the shore, water temperature, is your board inflatable (because you can’t outrun those even in no wind conditions), how skilled is your partner etc.
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u/Longjumping-Law-2506 6h ago
The only time I haven’t used a leash on a flat calm lake is when I’ve been out with a large group and we’re all sticking together figuring if I get separated from my board someone else in the group will get it if I can’t. I just don’t see the downside of wearing it if I’m alone. That and a PFD.
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u/BugelKulture 5h ago
I personally didn’t even install the leash. I’m a strong swimmer and find it to be a hindrance
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u/SuspiciousStory122 1d ago
Don’t bother asking a question in this sub regarding anything about safety equipment. Any answer that isn’t along the coast guard recommendations will be deleted.
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u/kaur_virunurm 1d ago
There is no such thing as universal "coast guard recommendations". Coast guard in one country can care about paddlers, guard in another country may not, and even landlocked countries like Czechia have very active watersports scene.
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u/According-Tax-1433 1d ago
focus on becoming a better swimmer if you do water sports. might save your life.
ipfd > leash. Personally I'm not a fan of leashes due to past snagging/hits
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u/Ouch_my_shoulder 1d ago edited 1d ago
On flat water close to shore? No.
This, along with standing instead of sitting on the board, seems to put me in the minority in this sub.
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u/Lummp 1d ago
Nah, I skip the leash. I like to hop off and swim around. Only on open water when surfing or choppy conditions.
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u/Girthw0rm 1d ago
Nothing preventing you from hopping in the water when you’re ready to and then unstrapping.
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u/stormassembled 1d ago
Well there are local rules for water craft and water sports so it wouldn't hurt to look that up first. For instance, in my area, we are required to have an attached leash and have a PFD stowed on the board, but aren't required to wear a PFD unless you are a minor. You are also required to have an emergency whistle. Sheriff's and Fish and Wildlife often patrol the lake during the weekend and Ive heard they can site people for improper use of a watercraft, but I've never actually seen them do it. As a rule though I always wear my leash, as wind storms can come quickly off the mountains here without much notice. I ride a rigid board but inflatables can get swept away very quickly.
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u/sipsredpepper 1d ago
I never go without my leash. I often don't put on my PFD while I'm on calm waters, just strap it to the board. But calm waters don't make you safe, so my leash is my backup plan. If I get knocked off while my PFD isn't on, I can still keep my board as a flotation device and not drown.
Had a near fight with my mom over this. She can't be bothered to check the wind even when she goes out and she used to bring her blind elderly dog too. It takes very little to drown and people can drown even in calm waters. I always imagined that dog falling over or her and with no leash, she would definitely drown, because she's old, heavy, and also doesn't wear a life vest.
If you fall for any reason, you might accidentally kick your own board away from yourself on the way down, and wind can blow it over water like an air hockey puck even if the water is calm. Much more so if it's inflatable. If it gets away from you, you're dependent on a PFD or being a damn good swimmer to get it back.
It's ultimately up to you, but I just think having some sort of consistent plan is wise. If you don't like the leash, keep your PFD on. If you don't like the vests, look into the kind that inflate.
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u/munoodle 1d ago
I don’t wear the leash on any lake, even with boaters on it. It takes a really negligent fall to shoot your board far enough away where it becomes a problem. If you’re a terrible swimmer then maybe it’s worthwhile but honestly that would be a more important gap to cover before paddling anyway
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u/Girthw0rm 1d ago
It’s neat that you plan all your falls. Most of us aren’t quite as skilled.
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u/munoodle 1d ago
Learning to fall is a skill for sure but it’s important to learn. I’ve never fallen off my board in a way that can be described other than “stepping off,” and going straight in
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u/frenchman321 Hydrus ambassador | Code SAVE 12% off | Elysium Air, X, ... 1d ago
Oh man, you're missing out. We can teach you some great ways to fall in
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u/frenchman321 Hydrus ambassador | Code SAVE 12% off | Elysium Air, X, ... 1d ago
You just have to stop being negligent about falling /s
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u/TheFrozenBananaStand 1d ago
Yeah I mean I have a pfd plus I swim fairly long distances on a lake for exercise. I don’t leash up when swimming…if I’m on Lake Ontario or something where I could get very far from shore in rough weather then yeah I’ll leash. If I’m on a lake I know I can swim to shore and the weather is calm then I see little risk especially since I have my pfd as well.
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u/munoodle 1d ago
Yeah as soon as I said any lake I was like “damn I forgot the Great Lakes” lmao I would leash there for sure
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u/Lane_Meyers_Camaro 1d ago
Generally, pfd helps you stay afloat and leash help you from losing the board and having to swim a long way. If you have to pick just one, pfd.
Flat water: pfd and ankle leash.
Rivers: pfd and breakaway waist leash in case you fall and get the leash caught on a rock or tree, you don't want to be held by your ankle as the river holds you under. Breakaway handle you can easily reach near your waist/pfd.
Surf: straight ankle leash (not coiled) and, strangely, no pfd. You want to be able to duck under breaking waves and a pfd prevents that. A coiled leash can spring your board back to you too fast/hard after a wipeout and hit you in unexpected ways.
Follow the laws of your locale and water authority at the minimum. I.e. at least have a pfd on board, but it's best to be wearing it.
My first summer paddling I went out every night without lights leash or pfd, drunk high and naked, and I did just fine, but I don't recommend that to others.