Paddleboard shop riding wave of success

No matter your age, size or shape, anyone can get out on a stand up paddleboard and have a great day on the lake. It’s one of the reasons why the sport has exploded in popularity over the past few years.

Paddlefish Sports owner Sonny Schierl jumped on the opportunity to open the first paddleboard-specific shop in the valley this summer. From day-one he’s been riding a steady wave of success. There’s been a nearly unquenchable demand for paddleboard rentals at his A-frame shop on Spokane Avenue and he can’t keep enough retail boards in stock.

“I think I’ve got a niche carved out,” Schierl said last week during a board demo event at City Beach.

Dozens of paddleboards dotted the lake that afternoon as a line of people stacked up waiting their turn to try out the sport. Schierl was in the water most of the evening, quick to show newbies how to get up on the board with proper paddle form.

“It’s all about finding the sweet spot,” Schierl told a first-time paddler as she wobbled in the shallow water near shore, eventually falling back into the water.

Obviously a bit nervous, Schierl steadied the board for her, and on her second try she was standing on the sweet spot. Five minutes later, she was comfortably paddling past the furthest buoy at City Beach.

“For women it clicks really quickly,” Schierl said. “You have to be loose in the hips and loose in the knees.”

Schierl was formerly in the construction business until he was involved in a serious car wreck on Big Mountain Road in 2008. As Schierl tells the story, his passenger was going out the window until he reached out to yank him back in. In the process he caused extensive damage to his hands and forearms.

After three years of surgery, doctors told him to take it easy on his body and to stay away from the construction business. He also needed to rebuild strength.

“So I started to paddle,” he said.

First in a kayak, then later he discovered paddleboarding.

“I got hooked,” Schierl said. “It’s a different perspective from kayaking. I love being up high, looking down into the water.”

He saw the popularity of paddleboarding on the rise last summer and knew the time was now to open a shop. Paddlefish started small with five boards in stock.

“The first afternoon we opened was Victoria Day — that was a learning experience,” he said. “Now, I’m trying to stay a month ahead with orders coming in every week. I never thought I’d be selling this many boards, or renting this many boards.”

Paddlefish offers one-on-one instruction and classes for small groups.

The interaction with satisfied clients has been one of Schierl’s favorite parts of running the business.

“I love the people’s smiles,” he said. “There have been customers that have told us we’ve made a difference in their vacation.”

Paddlefish has recently teamed up with yoga instructor Cyndy Stanley to offer Yoga On Board classes. Students meet twice a week to perform a traditional yoga class on paddleboards out on Whitefish Lake.

“Off the mat and onto the board,” Stanley said.

She said holding yoga poses on the water is easier than it sounds.

“It’s amazing how your body adapts,” she said. “You have to activate your core to stabilize yourself.”

The classes meet on Monday and Fridays, depending on weather.

“There’s a lot of buzz about it,” Stanley said.

Reservations are required for the class.

Paddlefish sports is located at 701 Spokane Ave. Call 260-7733 for more information about rentals, sales or instruction. To learn more about Yoga On Board, call Cyndy at 260-6688.