Blog

Notes from the water

Guides, safety, and the small craft of logging a paddle well. Useful whether or not you use PaddleScout.

A lone paddleboarder on calm water at dawn, warm light low across the surface, the shoreline quiet and still.

3 June 2026 · 2 min read

Women, safety and fitness apps: why your launch spot shouldn't be public

A public route is a published routine. Women have warned about fitness-app stalking for years, and paddleboarding now has more women in it than any other paddlesport. Why privacy should be the default.

A soft teal glow on a dark field scattered with faint points of light, an abstract nod to speed and distance data.

31 May 2026 · 3 min read

Pace, speed, distance: what the numbers mean on a paddleboard vs a run

A typical paddleboard cruise is about 3 to 4 mph, slower than a gentle jog. Why comparing your paddle pace to a run is meaningless, and how wind, current and GPS 'moving time' shape the numbers.

Still water at dusk under a soft, muted sky, calm and quiet, a single gentle band of light on the surface.

28 May 2026 · 2 min read

No firehose, no strangers: why a calm feed beats an infinite scroll

Strava added DMs in 2023 and the kudos machine never stops. A paddling feed does not have to be that. Why a feed of only your friends' paddles beats an endless scroll of strangers.

A bright, calm lake shore on a summer day, gentle water and open sky, an inviting place to launch a board.

25 May 2026 · 2 min read

Inflatable vs hard board: what the data says about what paddlers actually buy

Inflatable boards are the majority of what people buy, and for most paddlers they are the sensible first choice. The honest trade-offs between inflatable and hard, and why it pays to log whichever you pick.

A soft teal glow on a dark field scattered with faint points of light, an abstract nod to distance stacking up over time.

22 May 2026 · 2 min read

How many miles are on your board? Tracking gear lifespan the smart way

Runners replace their shoes at 250 miles. Your paddleboard has a mileage too, and its fins, seams and leash all wear. Why logging distance and hours per board is a habit worth keeping.

Calm, open water in soft warm light, the kind of easy evening you paddle with friends.

19 May 2026 · 3 min read

Paddling is a team sport: why 'verified companions' beat a tag anyone can fake

Fitness apps put you next to strangers by proximity, and in 2022 fake GPS 'segments' used that to expose 100 people at secret military bases. Why tagging a paddle companion should need their consent.

Many faint GPS routes overlaid on a dark map, a whole season of paddles gathered into one glowing tangle.

16 May 2026 · 2 min read

A year of paddling in one map: visualising your SUP season

Most paddling happens in a summer rush, then a whole season blurs into 'a good year on the water'. How to collect a year of paddles, distances and launches you can actually look back on.

Murky, grey-green water under a dull sky, the surface flat and uninviting.

13 May 2026 · 2 min read

Don't paddle in the sewage: adding water-quality awareness to trip planning

There were nearly a million sewage discharges into UK waters in 2024, and five people a day report falling ill after going in. How to fold water quality into your paddle plan.

A clean, dark image with a soft teal glow at its centre, calm and simple.

10 May 2026 · 2 min read

Everything you get for free (and why conditions forecasting is worth going Pro)

Almost everything in PaddleScout is free: mapping, pins, photos, sharing, friends and gear tracking. One thing sits behind Pro, the conditions planner, for a reason worth explaining.