It’s nearly impossible to know when exactly modern stand up paddle boarding began. Ancient cultures all over the world have used boards, canoes, and other forms of water transportation and a long stick to fish, travel, fight wars and ride the waves of the ocean. Warriors in Africa used to stand up in hallowed out canoes and use their spear weapons as a paddle to move silently into enemy territory.
In 1778 is when Captain James Cook discovered the Hawaiian people surfing. It was done either in canoes or carved boards from the Koa tree. The village chief obviously had the biggest, longest board while the people under him had the smaller ones. They often used a paddle to get themselves out into the waves. The Hawaiians would also stand on their boards in order to get a better view of the other surfers in the water and the swells to come. Their paddles were used from time to time to steer the boards as well.
For a long time, surfing with a paddle was ignored and unknown. It remained in Hawaii until someone brought a paddle board back from Hawaii to California in 2004. After that, it caught on almost instantly and has become the “thing to do”. In 2008, it became so popular that the US Coast Guard actually classified stand up paddle boards as vessels, the same as kayaks and canoes!
If you’d like more information on SUP boards, feel free to jump on up to the “about us” tab, click on “contact”, give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to answer all of your questions!
