how to stow 2 10ft paddleboards

[Weebs74]

Looking for ideas on where to stow 2 stand up paddleboards on an AR-230. I've thought of a bunch of things, but none of them seem great. I don't want to kill the interior space on the boat as I frequently carry 8 people. Any ideas?

 

[Devildog]

Did you already purchase them?

 

[ToddW850]

We have two paddleboards as well. One 10 foot and one 12 foot. Both go right down the middle of the boat. I'm not crazy about it, because it does take up all that space. Wish I could attach them somehow to the wakeboard tower.

 

[MNdrifter]

If you haven't purchased them yet, go with an inflatable SUP. I've been impressed with ours. It rolls up and fits under a seat. It's amazing how rigid they are.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Rigid isn't even a question with a inflatable paddle board. Those things are AWESOME!! I got on @Bill D and loved how sturdy they were.

 

[Weebs74]

no, already have the boards. have done a trial of strapping then on the outside of the wakeboard tower...a little worried about aerodynamics...

 

[RiverRat]

I use two ratchet straps to hold my 11' sup on top of the tower/Bimini on my 192. It works ok, no damage to the board or Bimini after cruising to the hang out spot for the day and then back to the launch. I also strapped a kid size kayak up there as well. #shelbyville

 

[RiverRat]

I do however realize that your Bimini is separate from your tower so that may not work.

 

[Ronnie]

I've seen some racks that mount to handles / grab rails but then you would have to live with the boards being stowed outside of the boat.

I ended up with an inflatable and glad about it as I don't have many places to store it on or off the boat.

Good luck finding a solution that works for you.

 

[Bill D]

If your committed to bringing the boards, they make sup holders, but these look permanent.

 

[Ronnie]

Wow! I want a SUP like that but inflatable.

 

[KXCam22]

I use a roof rack on the tower top to carry surf boards. Somthing similar should work for sups. Cam.

 

[zipper]

We have (2) inflatable SUPs from Isle, a 10.5' and an 11'. when rolled up they both fit in the ski locker/SUP locker. I have the 11' one rigged up for fishing with a cooler and rod holders. No Scotty mounts, just d-rings. I will be adding another rod holder for the net. No pics yet, just getting them out of winter storage.

 

[ToddW850]

I use a roof rack on the tower top to carry surf boards. Somthing similar should work for sups. Cam.

Cam, you and I have the same style tower. Do you have any pics of this set up?

I've also wondered if there was some was to get a rack and somehow mount them on the outside of the towers, along the port and starboard sides. I'm sure it would block some of your view. Haven't tried it yet.

 

[Wayloncle]

Cam, you and I have the same style tower. Do you have any pics of this set up?

I've also wondered if there was some was to get a rack and somehow mount them on the outside of the towers, along the port and starboard sides. I'm sure it would block some of your view. Haven't tried it yet.

When I was looking into getting a SUP and a friend talked about bringing hers on my boat I was thinking I would strap it to the out side of the tower as well. She never brought hers and I never ended up buying one so I never tried it. In my mind I would think it'd be pretty stable, the forward swept towers probably wouldn't work so well since the posts are so close together though.

 

[ToddW850]

That's exactly along the same lines I was thinking @Wayloncle . I've seen some SUP racks at West Marine, but they were more for sailboats and bigger cabin cruisers. Still might work for our type towers though.

 

[RightStuff]

Not sure if this would work, but just had this idea... Would the SUP fit into a kneeboard rack (height-wise)? They are about 4-5" in 'height', right?

If it would fit, or you find one with the fingers wide enough, you could buy 2 kneeboard tower racks. One to hold the front of the board, and one for the back and mount the racks to the tower on that crossbar (horizontal section) that is just outside the top of the windshield frame. Something like these racks: https://www.bulletlines.com/kneeboard-boat-tower-rack-p/271.htm

 

[ToddW850]

Not sure if this would work, but just had this idea... Would the SUP fit into a kneeboard rack (height-wise)? They are about 4-5" in 'height', right?

If it would fit, or you find one with the fingers wide enough, you could buy 2 kneeboard tower racks. One to hold the front of the board, and one for the back and mount the racks to the tower on that crossbar (horizontal section) that is just outside the top of the windshield frame. Something like these racks: https://www.bulletlines.com/kneeboard-boat-tower-rack-p/271.htm

You're definitely on to something @RightStuff with buying two. I could put one toward the rear of the tower and the other toward the front. But I don't think the arms on the rack come out far enough to be stable enough to hold a paddleboard. Worried the bouncing and weight of the board would cause indentions in the paddleboard. UNLESS the rack could angle upward high enough to make it more like up and down. Not sure. One of my racks is a surfboard rack. I will check later to see if this is a possibility for two.