History of Paddle Surfing: origin and evolution of this water sport

Stand Up Paddle (SUP) has evolved into a popular sport practiced by millions of people around the world, using only paddle boards and paddles. However, this activity is much older, with an origin dating back more than 3,000 years. In this post we review the history of paddle surfing, its origins and how it has evolved to become one of the most practiced sports.

Ancestral origins of paddle surfing

There are several theories about the origin of paddle surfing. Many of these theories place it in the mid-twentieth century on the beaches of Hawaii. However, this part of the story refers to how paddle surfing evolved into a water sport, with its ancestral origins being older and more diverse.

Evidence has been found that paddle surfing was already being used as a means of transportation 3,000 years ago, when various peoples and cultures employed the first paddle board concepts in history. These peoples used primitive boats that could be sailed standing upright with the use of a paddle.

The history of paddle surfing has no single origin. Its use, not as a water sport, is attributed to different ancient cultures that used boats to travel on the water or to serve as work tools, especially among fishermen.

Evidence suggests that the ancient Polynesians used boards to travel between islands. There is also evidence that fishermen in Peru and Ecuador used small boats with oars to have a greater field of vision in the water and better locate fish.

On the other hand, traces of ancient forms of SUP have been found in regions such as China, the Middle East, the ancient Roman Empire and even the Vikings. Although it was not practiced as a recreational activity, the human species quickly found a way to navigate the waters standing on a board or simple boat supported by a paddle.

Evolution of paddle surfing in Hawaii

In the 20th century, paddle surfing underwent its greatest evolution. It went from a simple means of getting around in the water to a very popular sport practiced all over the world. The big change began during the 1940s on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.

The surfing culture that has been experienced for decades in the Hawaiian Islands attracts thousands of tourists and enthusiasts willing to learn or enjoy the waves of the North Pacific. Due to this high demand, there were many instructors offering their tutoring services to those interested.

Among them are Duke Kahanamoku and Bobby Ah Choy, also known as the Waikiki Beach Boys, two key figures to understand the history of paddle surfing. Precisely Bobby's father, John Ah Choy, is considered one of the pioneers of paddle surfing. Due to his age, he used to surf standing up on a board using a paddle.

The Waikiki Beach Boys were responsible for implementing a new way of surfing. While offering their services as instructors, Duke and Bobby used surfboards with paddle boards to move through the water. In this way, they got a better perspective of their students and could see the waves coming onto the beach.

Gradually, the method employed by the instructors began to attract attention, earning the name Beach Boys Surfing. What had just been born was the first meaning of paddle surfing as a recreational water activity. Later, this modality would end up becoming a sport that even has championships that are held regularly.

If you want to learn how to paddle surf, here you will find a practical and detailed guide.

Modern paddle surfing: global popularization

It wasn't until the 1990s that paddle surfing became standardized as a water sport. That responsibility is attributed to surfer Laird Hamilton, a great advocate of Stand Up Paddle Surfing. Since then, the popularity of paddle surfing has continued to grow.

The number of people practicing this sport is the largest in the history of paddle surfing has increased exponentially in recent years. According to Statistain the United States alone, approximately 4.4 million users practiced this water sport in 2024.

In Spain, paddle surfing is already one of the most practiced water sports. The access to miles and miles of beaches, rivers, lakes, marshes and reservoirs makes Spain an ideal place to practice this sport. In addition, with HUIIKE inflatable paddle surf boards you will not only enjoy paddleboarding, you can also turn them into a kayak for a different experience.

Paddle surfing in competitions and tourism

The history of paddle surfing and its culture have generated a whole world around this sport. The fact of being an activity accessible to all ages, easy to learn and with clear benefits for fitness, make SUP a modality that concentrates thousands of tourists every year in coastal areas.

Defining where to paddle surf is a previous step to choose the place where the enthusiasts of this water sport will spend their vacations. For this reason, it is increasingly common to find fans enjoying their paddle surfing board on the coast and in inland areas and is that the Stand Up Paddle can be practiced in countless water environments, such as rivers or lakes. This means that it is not necessary to live near the coast or move to it to enjoy this sport.

Parallel to its recreational practice, paddle surfing has given rise to a whole structure of competitions that are held every year in different parts of the planet. If you are an enthusiast of the SUP Race and the high speeds of navigation, there is always a race near you that you can live as a spectator or as a participant.

How has the team changed over the years?

Throughout the history of paddle surfing, the evolution it has undergone has opened the door to new technologies. This has given access to materials that improve the construction of boards and accessories. Gone are the heavy wooden boards, giving way to more complex materials that favor a significant improvement in performance and performance.

Modern paddle surfboards make use of better materials. In the case of rigid boards, they are made of different materials, such as fiberglass, polyethylene or epoxy. Meanwhile, inflatable paddle surfboards are made of "Dropstitch" composite. This technique combines a core of polyester yarns with two layers of high-strength PVC.

On the other hand, the accessories have also undergone a big change in recent years. We now use the leash as a safety element, while the design and construction of the oars has improved to optimize their performance. In the case of oars, they are made of aluminum or carbon fiber, a light and resistant material used, above all, in competition.

At the same time, modern paddle surfing allows you to practice other types of activities in the water. A good example of this is our inflatable paddle surf boards that can be converted into a kayak in a few simple steps. The paddle board is prepared to install a seat and a foot support, allowing you to paddle sitting down for a different experience.

Curiosities on the history of paddle surfing

Paddle surfing has evolved into a water sport practiced by millions of people every year. This has given rise to anecdotes and curiosities related to its history. For example:

• The most ancient cultures already rowed standing up, but they did so on rudimentary boats used to move through the water or to locate schools of fish.
• Many of these boats were a far cry from today's paddle boarders. In many cases, they were large, heavy canoes or other types of boats, like the gondoliers of Venice.
• There were hybrids between boat and board, constructions that were specific for that function and that, without knowing it, were defining the basis of what we now understand as a paddle surf board.
• The origin of the name paddle surf comes from "Ku Hoe He'e Nalu", which in Hawaiian means "tostand up, paddle and surf a wave", a meaning that perfectly defines each of the stages of paddle surfing, as this sport is also known.

Adventure and new aspects

The paddle board also has that adventurous side, of discovery and of seeking the limits of human capacity. It is part of the history of paddle surfing. This motivated Brendon Prince, who became the first person to circumnavigate Great Britain, thus covering the greatest distance traveled to date aboard a paddle board. He did so in 2021, completing a total of 3,907 kilometers in 141 days of sailing.

In addition to sailing, paddle surfing offers other modalities that have gained popularity in recent years. These include both SUP Yoga and SUP Fishing, two aspects that combine the practice of two different activities on a board. In yoga, paddle surfing improves stability with a new approach to work, while in fishing it provides stealth and access to open sea areas far from the coast.

If you haven't tried it yet, we invite you to discover the exciting world of paddle boarding with HUIIKE. And if you still don't know how to choose a paddle surf board, here you will find some tips that will be very useful.  

Life is a journey to be experienced!