Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Visit our contact page to submit yours.
When a water craft is labeled “inflatable”, it refers to its structure and how it retains buoyancy. What gives these water crafts these qualities are air-tight chambers. These chambers, when filled with air, inflate to a specified PSI in order to support a specific weight capacity. Depending on the design, there might be one or more chambers. An example of a single-chamber water craft is the standard inflatable stand up paddle board (SUP). An example of two-chambered water craft is the inflatable pontoon boat often seen on rivers. An example of a multi-chambered water craft is the inflatable raft. These small boats generally have three or more inflatable chambers. Generally speaking, fewer chamber means faster inflating. It also could mean less safety on the water—if that single chamber is punctured, your water craft’s buoyancy is greatly compromised to the point of sinking, potentially. More chambers means that there are backup chambers for positive buoyancy if one were to loose air. However, more chambers means it takes longer to pump up the water craft. For as long as I can remember these boats were widely called “rubber” boats. Today’s inflatables are generally made from one of three types of air-tight materials: Neoprene/CSM (hypalon), PVC, Polyurethane. Each has its pros and cons.
Read our blog post: STANDARD INFLATABLE SUP BOARDS VS. INFLATABLE KAYAK SUP HYBRID PONTOON BOARDS
Check out our “Safety on the Water” page for a bunch of useful safety tips.
We recommend that you always bring a PFD or lifejacket when you hit the water. Our boards come equipped with bungees for securing items like these. Whether you actively wear your lifejacket while paddling is up to you. Most states only require you to have them onboard. And, it’s common that kids under 13 are required to wear them while paddling. Check your state laws here for mandatory water recreation safety equipment (ie. Parks and Wildlife Dept, etc).
Short answer: Yes. Depending on the your Bird Island Outfitters® model, it may come with one or all of the following:
- removable center fin
- 2-in-1 aluminum paddle
- hand pump with gauge
- board bag (carry backpack)
- hip-hugging, adjustable soft seat
- repair kit with patches and air valve wrench
Absolutely! If you have this question, you’re not alone. With a Bird Island Outfitters paddle board, standing up is definitely possible… and often super easy! Generally speaking, our boards are designed to accommodate not only the first-timers, but also the plus-sizes and “vertically gifted”. We started this business to help those who have a bit of a challenge with balancing on paddle boards for various reasons. Some people are very tall. Some are above-average in weight. Some are athletically-challenged. And some simply have a fear of the water! If you fall into one or more of these categories, you’re not alone. We feel that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy all the qualities of paddling.
After lots of time and research, we have found that the addition of inflatable pontoon technology to our boards helps tremendously. Our SUP+KAYAK hybrid paddle board (Bird Island Outfitters® HERON) integrates this unique pontoon system. Between these stabilizing pontoons is an inflatable drop stitch deck that, once inflated, becomes rock hard and will support up to 350lbs. The combination of these three inflatable chambers makes the HERON extremely safe, ultra-stable, highly buoyant and confidence boosting!
Our water crafts are hand-made from PVC material. Short for polyvinyl chloride, PVC is a synthetic plastic polymer and comes in two basic forms: rigid and flexible. PVC is used to make all kinds of things that we see in our day-to-day lives: house siding, sewage pipes, clothing, furniture, toys, etc. We use PVC for a few reasons: 1) it makes a more lightweight and portable inflatable boat, 2) it’s tough, durable and can take serious abuse, 3) even with limited knowledge of inflatable repair work, it’s a fabric that can easily be patched, and 4) it’s an affordable and user-friendly fabric allowing us to extend cost saving benefits to our customers.
Our water crafts go through a rigorous testing process before we make them available to our customers. We over-inflate them. We leave them sitting out in the hot sun while inflated. We drag them over rocks. We take them down rapids with sharp rocks. We let cats use them as scratching posts. The list goes on. We recommend you doing none of these things. With that in mind, you can review a list of recommended care options on our Caring for Your Board page.
Our boards are not indestructible! They’re inflatable and susceptible to damage by environmental hazards. If you’re regularly using your board, it will get damaged here and there. Of course, it’s always good practice to be mindful of obstructions on the water (ie. sharp rocks, coral, razor sharp oysters, thorny vegetation, etc.) But, we understand that accidents happen. And the odds go up when you’re on the water on a regular basis like we are.
Luckily, we include a repair kit with any board purchase. If it’s minor damage, you shouldn’t need to bring it to a pro. If it’s a small puncture of abrasion that breached the integrity of a chamber, you should be able to repair it yourself. Please check our How To Videos page for specific info.
To install your center box fin, insert the fin into the box track (pin-side first) through the slot (the opening toward the forward side of the box). Once inserted, slide the inserted corner of the fin forward, then depress the rest of the fin flush to the deck inside the track. Once the entire fin is flush, you can then screw the fin bolt into the screw hole until snug by using a flathead screwdriver (or your fingers). Take caution not over-tighten the bolt. Repeated over-tightening could degrade the bolt and potentially dislodge the metal clip that attaches the fin bold to the fin. If the clip breaks free or you loose it, the bolt will no longer be attached to the fin. Good news is the bolt will still work without the clip. Just take caution not to loose the fin bolt.
It’s absolutely normal for the permanent fins to bend during shipping and storage. Keep in mind, these fins are made of soft memory plastic and will straighten within an hour. If you apply a little heat and pressure it will return to shape even quicker. Note: slightly bent fins will not affect the performance of the paddle board.
Check the threaded connection of the pump hose where the hose connects to the pump handle. Make sure the connection is screwed on properly and is not cross-threaded. Inspect for any holes in the pump hose. If you find defects that fall under the product warranty, please follow the steps outlined on our product warranty page.
The valves have two positions. The first is two-way (for deflation only). The second is one-way (for inflation only). To switch between positions just push the center of the valve stem down once and gently twist. To switch again, push the center of the valve stem once more and gently twist the opposite way. (This should be easy to do. Take caution with valve components as they may break under excessive force.)
Yes, this is normal. What you’re hearing is the PVC moving and stretching into place as the chamber expands with air.
If air is being released from the valve but the valve is in the “closed” position, use the valve wrench (found in your repair kit) to tighten. Do so with caution. Don’t use excessive force while tightening. Tighten it a little, then check to see if air is still escaping. Do this again until air is no longer escaping.
Push the valve stem in and gently twist until it locks into the open (down) position. Let the air release on its own. To fully deflate the chambers, attach the hand pump to a chamber’s valve. Make sure the hose of the pump is connected to the pump’s “deflate” side of the handle. Pump the air out until you can’t pump any more.
First, remove the center fin. Second, deflate the board by switching the position of the valves to the open position (two-way position) by pushing the stems in and gently twisting them to the left. Roll the board from nose to tail to force all the air out. Be sure to replace the valve cover before storing. A properly folded board will allow all your essential accessories (paddle, center fin, pump, etc) to fit inside the bag. Check out our “How To Videos” page for detailed instruction on this.
Don’t worry. Leakage is normal. We use connective strips of PVC to attach the supplemental pontoons to the main, drop-stitch deck. Water can sometimes find its way under these strips and between the chambers. This will not affect the performance of your paddle board at all.
Excessive stretching will degrade the elasticity of the bungee cordage. Try not to over-stress your bungee cords. It’s recommended that you remove all items from the bungees while the board is not in use. Inevitably, your bungees will lose their elasticity and could fray or tear over time. Replacement bungee cordage is inexpensive and widely sold at many retailers.
Monitor the D-Rings of your water craft. They are meant to be stressed, but only in a specific direction. If they are regularly pulled at an odd angle they could potentially tear over time. Make sure you release any stress on the D-rings while you store your board between uses.
Unlock the latch at the top of the paddle to remove the paddle blade. (Secure the removed blade before the next step). Insert the removable T-grip into the top/open end of the paddle shaft to your desired height. Make sure the grip position matches the blade angle. (When holding the paddle vertically with blade touching the ground and T-grip in the air, the thicker side of the T-grip should face forward and the blade should be bent forward.) Lock the latch. Go to “How To Videos” for more info on this topic.
When holding the paddle in a vertical position (blade toward the ground and T-grip in the air), the thicker side of the T-grip should face forward and the blade should be bent forward. Face your body forward with feet positioned just back from the center of the board so the nose doesn’t dip into the water. A paddle stroke on the left side is accomplished by holding the T-grip with your right hand and the shaft secured with your left hand. Reach forward and dip 3/4 of the blade into the water and pull back to a position just past your body. For a stroke on the right side, hold the T-grip with your left hand and secure the shaft with your right. Make alternating paddle strokes to maintain desired tracking in the water.
Yes. Most airlines will allow you to check your paddle board. The weight of your board bag with folded board and all essential accessories inside is under 40 lbs. The size meets standard checked luggage size. (It’s recommended that you check with the airline prior to your flight to make sure they accept paddle boards.)
Yes. However, transporting your inflated board outside your vehicle is not recommended. If you decide to do this, release a little air from each chamber. Make sure the air pressure in each chamber is at least 10 PSI prior to transport for enough rigidity to withstand wind resistance and enough deflation to compensate for potential pressure increase (elevation changes, temperature fluctuations) during travel. Remove the center fin. Place the paddle board lengthwise and parallel to the vehicle and upside down with the deck pad facing down. Properly secure the board with at least three heavy-duty compression straps to an approved roof rack.
The short answer is yes. There are outboard motor manufacturers who’s products fit into our center fin box. *If you do happen to add a motor, keep in mind that most states require you to register your board in order to legally operate it on the water. Check your state regulations for details.
Click here to review our Product Warranties page.
