Maintaining an Inflatable Paddleboard After Use

Why an inflatable paddleboard needs a little looking after

An inflatable paddleboard is a wonderfully forgiving bit of kit. It bounces off the roof rack, shrugs off a scrape on a slipway and packs into a holdall. But the materials it is built from — the drop-stitch core, the laminated skin, the glued seams and the valve — are all quietly worn down by the same things that make British paddling so enjoyable: salt, sand, silt, sunshine and the boot of a warm car. Most boards do not fail in a dramatic way. They go sticky, fade unevenly, develop a bubble under the deck pad, or start weeping air at a seam after three or four seasons of being packed away damp. Ten minutes of care at the end of a paddle is the whole difference.

Rinse with fresh water, sooner rather than later

Salt is the biggest offender on coastal paddles. As seawater dries, it leaves crystals that draw moisture into the fabric, dry out the plasticisers in the coating and creep into seams and around the valve. River and canal paddlers are not off the hook either: silt, algae and plant fragments settle into the deck pad and fin box, and they can travel with you to the next waterway if the board is not properly cleaned and dried. If you have paddled somewhere new, give it a particularly thorough rinse before your next trip.

Lay the board flat on grass or a driveway, well away from the car, and rinse it with a hosepipe on a gentle setting or a couple of buckets of fresh water. Work over both sides, the rails, the nose and tail, the deck pad, the fin box and the valve. A soft sponge or a nail brush is ideal for grip tape and for stubborn mud along the seams. A drop or two of mild soap in a bucket helps with estuary mud, but avoid washing-up liquid in strong concentrations, solvents, degreasers and bleach. Never use a pressure washer: the jet forces water past the valve seal and into the seam tape, which is exactly where you do not want it.

Dry it completely before it goes near a bag

Deflate the board fully, wipe it down with an old towel and then let it air dry out of direct sunlight. Turn it over halfway through so the underside dries too, and open the valve so trapped moisture can escape. Pay attention to the places that stay wet longest: the fin boxes, the handle, the webbing at the nose, the edges of the deck pad and the groove around the valve.

A board packed away damp will grow mould, develop a mildewy smell and discolour its deck pad. Dampness also softens the glue at the seams over time. If you are in a hurry at the beach, towel-dry it and leave it out of the bag until you get home, then finish the job properly. Just do not leave it cooking in the sun for hours: ultraviolet light and heat are the two things that age an inflatable fastest.

Check the seams, valve and fins while it is clean

With the board flat and dry, this is the moment to spot small problems before they become expensive ones.

• Seams: run your hands along the rails and look for lifting tape, milky patches or a faint tacky feel. Any of these means the glue is starting to give.
• Valve: check the seal and the spring, pick out grit, and tighten the valve body with the tool if it has worked loose. A valve that hisses when you inflate is usually a dirty or perished seal, not a dead board.
• Fins and boxes: rinse sand out of the slots, remove the fins, and make sure the screws turn freely. A smear of silicone grease on the threads now saves a seized screw next spring.
• Everything else: D-rings, the leash, the carry handle, the pump hose seals and any lifting edges of the deck pad.

Store it cool, dark and lightly inflated

Roll the board loosely rather than folding it into sharp creases, and avoid leaving it fully inflated in a hot car or a south-facing shed. Long-term storage is best somewhere cool, dark and dry: under a bed, in a cupboard, on a garage shelf away from the window. If you have the wall space, a rack with a little air left in the board keeps its shape and prevents creasing, but never store it fully pumped in a place that gets hot. Keep it off a concrete floor, do not pile heavy things on top, and be mindful of mice in garages and outbuildings — a canvas bag is no defence against a determined rodent, so a hard case or a sealed plastic box is worth the investment.

A five-minute routine worth keeping

• Rinse with fresh water, including the deck pad, fin box and valve.
• Towel dry, then air dry out of direct sun.
• Inspect seams, valve, fins, D-rings and the deck pad.
• Deflate and roll loosely, with no sharp folds.
• Store cool, dark and dry, slightly inflated if space allows.
• Unroll and check it once mid-winter if it has been sitting for months.

Do this consistently and a well-made board will give you many seasons of early-morning flat water, estuary drifts and breezy afternoons off the coast. It also means that when the forecast finally comes good, there is no faffing in the hallway — just grab the bag and go.