To stay healthy and comfortable on the water, you must stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun. Find shade when you take breaks, and create shade whenever possible. Wear breathable paddling clothing with built-in sun protection and apply sunscreen as recommended. Opt for morning and late-afternoon paddling sessions to avoid the hottest times of day, and check the weather forecast before launching your vessel.

Retrospec’s Weekender is simple and affordable, easy to haul, inflate, and deflate, and boasts all the necessary stability to empower the novice and recreational rider. I’d stop short, however, of dismissing it as a price-point model. For starters, it comes in a choice of six color combinations, seven if you include the limited-edition Grateful Dead colorway. That’s appreciated in a high-sales segment if you prefer to stand out from the pack. It also comes with a quality adjustable paddle, the right accessories—including a waterproof phone case and dual-action pump—and a better-than-entry-level backpack to haul all of the above back and forth to the water.

Before you get in the water, make sure you have the most important piece of safety gear - a Personal Flotation Device (PFD). Life jackets work only when you wear them, and the law requires you to have one for every person in every boat. Test your knowledge with the Life Jacket Quiz to be sure you know your basics!

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