STUART, Florida - Sadly Supconnect received word that a stand up paddleboarder was found dead on Monday.  

A man by the name of Mario Hudson rented a paddleboard with a friend from a store in the area but unfortunately the two were separated so the friend called 911.  According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Mario Hudson was later found face down in the Indian River Lagoon south of Joe’s Point early Monday afternoon. 

What we do know is that there was some decent wind that day, said to be around 25-30 miles per hour, and that Mario was not wearing a personal flotation device.  Also, The FWC does not suspect foul play and an autopsy was planned to determine exactly what happened.

To see a news clip on the story click here: Missing Paddelboarder Found, But Not Alive

For the well being of all paddleboarders, what are the best safety practices for stand up paddle?  Should non-surfing  paddleboarders always be required to wear a pfd and not just have one attached to the board?  What are the best solutions?

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