It’s like bike sharing, but with stand-up paddleboards. PADL has opened its seventh station in the Florida Keys at the Fiesta Key RV Resort and Marina. 

“In fact, it was our highest performing location over the holidays,” said COO Felipe Jauregui.

It’s similar to bike-sharing programs. Users download the app, create an account and the stand unlocks the paddleboard. Rentals cost $15 per hour, but there’s also a monthly membership for $25. The boards have a GPS feature installed and when users return the board to the stand, the app will let users know how long they paddled and how far, plus show them a map of their travels.

“There’s no need to haul around a huge paddleboard in your car or truck,” said Jauregui. He said the idea was born when he and his friends, all avid paddleboarders, moved into apartments. “There was nowhere to store it. Our primary focus is to get people out on the water, enjoying the ocean and lakes and rivers.”

The sport of stand-up paddleboarding is easy to learn. Many are growing the sport by using the boards for yoga sessions or even to go fishing. 

PADL has plans to grow its own business by branching out into kayaks and other water toys in many locations. For more information about PADL, visit padl.co, or look them up on Instagram. The company is also expanding by seeding a second round of investment via crowdfunding. For more information, visit www.seedinvest.com/padl.

Sara Matthis thinks community journalism is important, but not serious; likes weird and wonderful children (she has two); and occasionally tortures herself with sprint-distance triathlons, but only if she has a good chance of beating her sister.