Covewater Paddle Surf Opens as Northern California’s First Dedicated Stand-Up Paddleboard Shop

April 8, 2010 - PRLog -- April 8th, Santa Cruz: Covewater Paddle Surf will open its doors this weekend in Santa Cruz, providing a dedicated local hub for stand-up paddleboarding.  While the popularity of the sport has spawned many dedicated stores in Southern California, Covewater is the first shop north of Santa Barbara to focus exclusively on stand-up paddleboarding.    

“We are excited to bring the stand-up paddleboard inventory and expertise that has been missing in our community” said Covewater co-owner and general manager Scott Ruble. “We live in one of the best surf towns in the world, and now locals have easy access to another way to take advantage of our great waves and gorgeous scenery.”  

Covewater Paddle Surf will offer an unmatched local inventory of over 40 different stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) by manufacturers Surftech, Naish, Paddle Surf Hawaii and Channel Islands, as well as paddles by Quick Blade, Surftech and Pure Paddles.  The shop also features the largest fleet of rental SUPs in Santa Cruz, all the sport’s accessories such as board bags and apparel, as well as introductory lessons.

“Stand-up paddleboarding is catching on now the way snowboarding did in the 1990's," said Duke Brouwer, Head of Marketing for locally headquartered surfboard manufacturer Surftech.  "The wide accessibility of the sport means that many retailers are having trouble just keeping SUPs in stock, so we're pleased to see a dedicated shop here in Santa Cruz like Covewater.”  

The grand opening party will take place this Saturday, April 10th at the shop at 726 Water Street in Santa Cruz.  The bash kicks off at noon with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Mike Rotkin, food from Aloha Island Grill, and live music.  Guests can also win prizes including a Quick Blade Kanaha Paddle in a raffle benefiting the Santa Cruz chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.  

About Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) originated with the Hawaiian “beach boys” of 1950's Waikiki who had the idea to use long paddles while standing on their boards in order to have a better perspective of the tourists to whom they gave surf lessons.   In the last several years, SUP has evolved into what many are labeling as the world’s fastest growing water sport.  The large boards offer excellent stability in flat water, making the sport surprisingly easy to learn.  In addition to offering an alternative to surfing for days with less than ideal waves, SUP is an excellent core workout.  

About Covewater Paddle Surf
Located in beautiful Santa Cruz, California, Covewater Paddle Surf is the only dedicated stand-up paddleboard shop on the West Coast north of Santa Barbara. Covewater is locally owned and operated by Scott and Leslie Ruble.  Scott spent a decade in the surf industry working for Al Merrick of Channel Islands Surfboards.  A surfer for over 20 years, Scott discovered the joy of stand-up paddleboarding three years ago and now enjoys participating in local races. Leslie is a runner, rock-climber and former ski and snowboard instructor who embraced SUP as an exciting new way to spend time outdoors.

Covewater is conveniently located at 726 Water Street in mid-town Santa Cruz, just off Highway 17 or Highway 1 and only minutes away from Main Beach, the Santa Cruz Harbor, and the downtown area.  We are open to serve the greater Monterey Bay community weekdays from 10:00am-5:30pm and weekends from 10:00am-6:30pm.  Visit our website at http://www.covewaterSUP.com for more information on our fleet of 40+ boards, paddles, rentals, and lessons.  

Media Contact:
Leslie Ruble
leslie@covewatersup.com
831-600-7230

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About Covewater Paddle Surf
Located in beautiful Santa Cruz, California, Covewater Paddle Surf is the only dedicated stand-up paddleboard shop on the West Coast north of Santa Barbara. Covewater is locally owned and operated by Scott and Leslie Ruble. Scott spent a decade in the surf industry working for Al Merrick of Channel Islands Surfboards. A surfer for over 20 years, Scott discovered the joy of stand-up paddleboarding three years ago and now enjoys participating in local races.

Covewater is conveniently located at 726 Water Street in mid-town Santa Cruz, just off Highway 17 or Highway 1 and only minutes away from Main Beach, the Santa Cruz Harbor, and the downtown area. We are open to serve the greater Monterey Bay community weekdays from 10:00am-5:30pm and weekends from 10:00am-6:30pm. Visit our website at www.covewaterSUP.com for more information on our fleet of 40+ boards, paddles, rentals, and lessons.