Posts by Katy

This has been a hard decision and discussion over at Nashville Paddle Co., but we have decided not to offer lessons or rentals for new paddlers 4th of July week. We know that is a week that lots of people will have off and will want to be on the water. But we also know…

Stand-up paddling can be hard work. Part of the point is that it is a good workout. And running an SUP business, well, that’s even harder work, making sure everyone is safe, staying clear of other folks who want to share the lake, and taking care of equipment and gear and scheduling. All of that…

I’m in the process of fixing a paddleboard for the second time (same board, crack in a different spot). This isn’t one of the boards in our rental fleet, or even a brand that we carry or paddle. A friend owns this board, and obviously, has had trouble with it, so I’m trying to help…

We honored Mother Earth this Mother’s Day. Armed with bags donated from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, we took a group of paddlers, including some from the Cumberland River Compact, out on the water. After some quick instruction, we paddled at the Smith Springs Recreation Area on J. Percy Priest Lake and pulled out debris…

Three years ago this weekend I was glued to the TV. I had one eye on the Cumberland, which was rising, causing the Gaylord Opryland hotel to be evacuated. It later flooded. I watched the televised reports, wondering if I should evacuate my house. I packed a bag of essentials. Ultimately, I didn’t leave, but…

One of the most fun things about SUP is meeting the amazing people who are involved with it. In January, when we got PaddleFit certified, we met Baltimore’s Jessie Benson. Next Sunday, April 28, she’ll be a special guest in Music City. With our own Liz Vehyl, Benson will be teaching one of her sought-after…

For the first few years when we paddled around Nashville, people looked at the boards on our cars and asked us where we were going surfing. Kayakers and canoers had their events and the few SUPers we knew had theirs. But things are different now. People shout “paddleboards!” or “YOLO!” when we drive by. We…

The outdoor temperatures this weekend were finally warm enough that we could hit the water for a few paddles—four miles on Saturday and another four on Sunday. It felt great to get out there, even if the water on Percy Priest Lake was just 47 degrees. One of the fishermen we passed said the fish…

If you are born before January 1, 1989 or if you are sticking to your SUP when on the water, you aren’t required by law to take the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Boating Safety Exam. The certification is designed for folks operating motorboats and PWCs (aka Jet Skis) on the state’s waterways. But some…