PADDLERsmart! USA Knowledge Base

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Module 01 - Paddling Basics:

STAND UP PADDLING TERMINOLOGY

 

Life jacket:

When Stand Up Paddling, you are required to carry a life jacket or PFD with you at all times. We highly recommend that you WEAR your life jacket or PFD while paddling on a SUP board. Besides, where else are you going to put it, right?

Paddle:

A paddle is a handheld device with a shaft and a blade. The paddle is used to propel the SUP board through the water and should be about 10-20 cm taller than the height of the paddler so that they can stand up tall and straight while paddling.

Leash:

A SUP leash is a strap that attaches the SUP board to the paddler and keeps the board from shooting off if the paddler falls off the board.

Rocker:

The rocker on a SUP board is the degree of upward curve from the nose to tail of the board. A small rocker (like on Flat Water SUP boards) will allow the board to glide more smoothly over longer distances. A significant rocker (like with Surf SUP boards) allows the boards to ‘carve’ and make sharp turns more easily on waves.

Nose:

The nose is the front end of a SUP board.

Tail:

The tail is the back end of a SUP board.

Deck:

The deck is the top part of a SUP board (where you stand when paddling). On some beginner boards, there will be a contoured area that indicates exactly where you should put your feet.

Deck pad:

This is the ‘grippy’ surface on the deck that provides traction for your feet.

Handle:

Sometimes called the ‘soap dish’, the handle is the area on the deck where you can grab the board when you need to carry it on shore or re-board it from deep water.

Fin/Fin box:

The fin or fin box is located on the bottom of the board. It’s used to keep the board in a straight line while the board moves forward through the water.

Rails:

These are the sides or edges of a SUP board.

Vent Plug:

Boards made of foam will contain gases, which will expand and contract with changes in the air temperature or after they’ve been in storage for a long time. Vent plugs are used to help balance the build-up of these gases.