DONNELLY FLATS — My wife bought a standup paddleboard, and my first thought was why would anyone want a boat with no sides? You can't fish from it; any decent fish would pull you in the lake. Most paddleboarding in Alaska requires a dry suit. Lake water in almost every month but July and August — plus almost all river water — is darn cold. Whose idea is this?
Paddleboarding goes way back. Depending on your source, paddleboarding either had its origins in China or South America. The Chinese used a form of paddleboard in rivers. Used as fishing platforms some 2,000 years ago, the boards were anywhere from 10 to 30 feet long and 3 feet wide, made from bamboo lashed together and propelled with a bamboo paddle.
Peruvians in the coastal village of Chan Chan also made standup boards of bamboo. Chileans called them "caballitos de totora," which translates as "little horses made of reeds." Paddles were made from split bamboo and the "little horses" were used for fishing and to ride in the surf.
Modern paddleboarding evolved in the 1940s and '50s in the Hawaiian Islands. Duke Kahanamoku, Zap Zapotocky and John "Pops" Ah Choy were all instrumental in the development of modern boards. These guys were surfers who used paddles to get their heavy wood surfboards beyond the breakers to ride the big waves on Oahu.
Paddleboarding has really taken off in the past decade. One survey suggests that more than 20 million people tried paddleboarding in 2014 alone. There are even paddleboards on Paxson Lake along the Richardson Highway in Alaska's Interior. I would suggest a dry suit on that body of water.
This week, I tried a standup paddleboard on Quartz Lake just north of Delta Junction. I am a boat guy who is partial to kayaks and canoes, so I assumed my balance would be good enough. I went fully dressed — complete with XTRATUFs, (and a personal flotation device). It took a few minutes in a foot of water get my balance right, and off I went.
I found paddleboarding to be quite easy and a great way to see down into weed beds. A family of mallards followed me. I was on a wide, 10-foot board that propelled very easily. This type of board is quite stable. I was able to stand on one leg without falling over, though it took some practice. In spite of my early reservations, I'd recommend this new sport as a great way to get out on the water.
The first modern paddleboards were made of wood. Today, most boards are composite. There are foam boards and inflatables too. And, of course, someone had to put a motor on one. Beginner boards are fairly wide, and racing paddleboards are long and sleek.
The premier race is the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. The 20-year anniversary race was July 31, when racers paddled a 32-mile run across the Ka'iwi channel from the north shore of Molokai to the south side of Oahu. Twelve-foot waves are common, but the fastest paddleboarders finish in the five-hour range. Australian racers dominate.
I have no race aspirations, nor do I want to try catching a fish from one of these boats without sides. A 10-inch Quartz Lake rainbow might be a possibility, but a 5-pound trout from Paxson Lake would have me floating in my PFD. However, there's no doubt this recent standup paddleboard craze is an excellent way to get outdoors and enjoy the Alaskan summer.
John Schandelmeier is a lifelong Interior Alaskan who's a Bristol Bay commercial fisherman and two-time winner of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.