Paddleboarding - Ten Facts

Our campers can relax and explore Lake George with our collection of SUP boards, high-performance racing and touring boards. We also have two massive Megladons that can fit an entire cabin, making for entertaining evenings on the water.

1. The act of propelling yourself on a floating board can actually be dated thousands of years, with examples found across the world, such as Hawaii, Peru, Israel and Italy. In the 16th Century, Hawaiian surfers had boards up to five-metres long that required paddles to operate.

2. Modern-day SUP originated in Hawaii in the 1940s, when instructors such as Duke Kahanamoku would stand up on their boards so they would get better views of the waves and the surfers around them.

3. In the 1990s, SUP was taught in Hawaii surf schools when there was little swell to surf on.

4. Though SUP was initially considered a surfing discipline, in the mid-2000s it began to diversify into several disciplines, which made it more and more accessible to people. Some of the popular disciplines include SUP racing, touring, rivers, yoga and fishing.

5. In 2007, the idea of flat-water SUP began, with paddling boards being designed specifically for flat-water SUP, and touring. Touring boards had a different shape and could carry extra gear.

6. In 2009, stand up paddling became the fastest growing paddle sport in America.

7. Landlocked dwellers all across USA, Europe, and Australia have started using stand-up boards to replace lake and river options like canoes or kayaks.

8. In 2008 US Coast Guards classified SUP boards as vessels, similar to canoes and kayaks.

9. Most paddlers will move across the water at around 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour.

10. Inflatable boards have become the big seller of the last few years. The fact they are inflatable means the board can be easily stored and transported to the nearest stretch of water without the need for roof racks or a big garage.