iSUP, leash, pivot turn, wash-riding: the SUP-ABC breaks down every term you'll meet in your first SUP guides, in plain English.
## Introduction "What does iSUP actually mean, and why does my paddle have that weird bend?" If you're just getting started with Stand Up Paddling, the early guides throw a lot of jargon at you fast. Don't worry — almost all of it is dead simple once you've seen it explained once. This SUP-ABC is your translation guide: read through it before diving into the other guides, and you'll understand every word that comes up on the water from here on.
iSUP stands for "Inflatable SUP" (German: aufblasbares SUP) — an inflatable board. You roll it up in a backpack, pump it up on-site, and end up with a full board that still fits in a small apartment. For most beginners it's the best choice, since it's easy to transport and forgiving if you fall on it.
Hardboard (German: Hardboard) is the opposite: a rigid board like a classic surfboard, usually made of epoxy or fiberglass. Faster and stiffer in the water, but you'll need roof racks and more storage space at home.
Volume (German: Volumen, measured in liters) tells you how much weight your board can carry before it sinks too deep — basically like a car's payload capacity. Rule of thumb for beginners: your body weight in kilograms times two gives your minimum volume.
Deck pad (German: Deckpad) is the grippy foam layer on top of the board that you stand on. It keeps your wet feet from sliding around like they would on a slick tile floor.
Nose and tail (German: Nose, Tail/Heck) are simply the front tip and the back end of the board — just like bow and stern on a boat.
Rail (German: Rail) is the side edge of your board, the part your paddle glides along during the forward stroke.
Sweet spot (German: Sweet Spot) is the balance point in the middle of the board, usually right at the carry handle. You're most stable standing here, like at the center of a seesaw.
Fin (German: Finne) sits under the tail and keeps your board tracking straight — much like a keel or rudder on a sailboat.
PSI is the unit for the air pressure inside your iSUP. The higher the PSI, the harder and stiffer the board sits in the water.
Leash (German: Leash) is the safety cord connecting your ankle (or hip) to the board. It's your single most important safety item, because a board drifts away in the wind faster than you can swim after it.
PFD (Personal Flotation Device, German: Schwimmweste) is simply the English term for your life vest.
Shaft (German: Schaft) is the long pole of your paddle, the blade (German: Blatt) is the flat part that goes into the water, and the grip or T-grip (German: Knauf) is the handle at the very top, where one hand always sits.
Canted blade (German: Canted Blade) describes the bend between shaft and blade. It looks odd at first, but it's what keeps the blade vertical in the water during the power phase, instead of tipping backward like a soup spoon.
Every paddle stroke runs through four phases: catch (blade enters the water), power (the actual pulling phase), release (lifting the blade out) and recovery (bringing the paddle back forward through the air). Sounds like a lot, but it's really just the natural rhythm every stroke already has.
Sweep stroke (German: Bogenschlag) is a wide, arcing stroke you use to turn the board — think of a rowboat that only rows on one side and pivots as a result.
C-stroke and J-stroke (German: C-Schlag, J-Schlag) are variations of the forward stroke where you trace the paddle path in the shape of a C or J. This keeps you tracking straight without switching sides on every single stroke.
Pivot turn (German: Pivot Turn) is a fast on-the-spot turn: you step back toward the tail, the nose lifts out of the water, and you spin almost like standing on a turntable.
Cross-step (German: Cross-Step) means walking forward or backward along the board instead of shuffling sideways — the more advanced way to change position quickly.
Reach (German: Reach) is the long forward extension of your arms at the start of the stroke, before the blade even touches the water.
Downwind means paddling with the wind at your back — often combined with catching small waves (bumps) to get pushed forward almost for free.
Wash-riding (German: Windschatten) describes riding directly behind another paddler to save energy — the exact same principle as drafting in cycling.
Planing hull and displacement hull (German: Planing Hull, Displacement Hull) describe your board's hull shape: flat and wide for maximum stability (planing), or pointed like a canoe for more speed on long tours (displacement).
Cadence (German: Kadenz) is simply your stroke rate — how many paddle strokes you take per minute.
## Pro Tip Remember the four stroke phases like a first-aid rule. Catch, Power, Release, Recovery almost spells CPR — and that's exactly what it is: with every cycle you "revive" your forward momentum. Next time you're paddling, pause for a second and run through those four letters in your head — you'll immediately notice which phase is currently too rushed or too short.
### What is an iSUP in SUP? An iSUP is an inflatable Stand Up Paddle board ("Inflatable SUP", German: aufblasbares SUP). You transport it rolled up in a backpack and pump it up on-site to a fixed internal pressure. iSUPs are easier to store and transport than rigid hardboards, and they forgive beginner mistakes like small falls far more easily.
### What does PSI mean on a SUP board? PSI is the unit for the air pressure inside your inflatable board. Most beginner iSUPs are pumped to 12–15 PSI, while premium models go up to 20 PSI. If the pressure is too low, the board flexes under your weight, becomes unstable, and noticeably slower in the water.
### What is the leash in Stand Up Paddling? The leash is a safety cord that firmly connects you to your board, usually attached at the ankle. If you fall in, it stops your board from drifting away in wind or current. It's considered the single most important piece of safety gear, since a board drifts away far faster than you can swim.
### What is a pivot turn? A pivot turn is a turning technique where you shift your weight far back toward the tail, lifting the nose out of the water. In this position, the board can spin almost on the spot. It's mainly used for tight turns in racing or in waves.
### What does wash-riding (drafting) mean in SUP? Wash-riding, also called drafting (German: Windschatten), describes deliberately riding in the small bow wave directly behind another paddler. Water resistance there is noticeably lower, letting you hold the same speed with less effort. The technique is used tactically in SUP racing, especially on longer distance races.
Equipment: Choosing the Right SUP Board