Inflatable SUP Basics

Learn about the basics of inflatable paddle boards. Which are best for you, features, pros and cons, how to inflate, repair and more!

Inflatable SUPs have become incredibly popular due being easy to store in a car or apartment, are easy to carry and allow for safer falling on the board.

They've also been useful for touring, getting to back country location and for airplane travel.

In this course, you'll learn about the different types of inflatables both in board shapes and lengths or thicknesses for different types of paddling and different sizes of people.

You'll learn how to pump up a board with a hand pump and electric pump as well as how to repair an inflatable.

Lastly, you'll learn how to fall safely and get back on the board with ease. Some struggle to get on the thicker 6" inflatables, so I've included my Rescue video where you can learn the Stirrup Rescue for getting back on using a foot hold from the board's tail.


Your Instructor


Rob Casey
Rob Casey

Non-athletic, dyslexic and lacking good instruction, like many, I struggled to stand up for the first time on a paddle board while vacation in Hawaii. Not willing to give up, I continued to work on it at home in Seattle. Applying skills learned from a decade in sea, whitewater and surf kayaking, I discovered effective methods for teaching SUP.

I'm the author of guidebooks "Stand Up Paddling Flat Water to Surf and Rivers" and "Kayaking Puget Sound and the San Juans." I also the co-founder of the Professional Stand Up Paddle Association (PSUPA) which provides worldwide SUP instructor training and certification.

I've also contributed articles and photos to Stand Up Journal, SUP Magazine, the Inertia and others.

I own Seattle based Salmon Bay Paddle which offers individual and small group SUP instruction in Seattle and the surrounding region. I also teach kayaking and surf skiing.

SUP has changed my life and I love to share my passion with others helping them save time by avoiding my mistakes along the way!

-- Rob Casey


Course Curriculum


  Inflatable Paddle Board Basics - Types, Anatomy, What to Buy, Inflation Tips
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Getting Back On After a Fall & SUP Rescues
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

Thank-you for choosing this course! Feel free to contact me for more help or a 1-1 in-person or online lesson. Rob Casey

Get started now!