Is it possible to use a paddle board on the ocean? The quick answer is Yes! Stand-up paddle boarding was developed on the ocean and it evolved from longboard surfing and outrigger canoeing. However, not every paddle board is suitable for the ocean, and paddlers should understand what makes a paddle board ocean-ready.
Use a Hard Paddle Board
When it comes to paddle boarding on the ocean, the best choice is to use a hard paddle board. Hard boards are naturally stiffer than inflatables, providing a better platform to handle the water chop of the ocean. The stiffness offers balance and helps the board flow through rougher waters with ease.
Be Safe on the Ocean
People who have spent their lives in lake water are often surprised by the power of the ocean upon their first experience. Unlike lakes, the ocean can have water over your head just a few feet from shore, and ocean tides and currents are much stronger. It doesn’t take long for paddlers to quickly move away from shore on the ocean, and before you know it, the beach could be out of sight.
For safety’s sake, you should use a hard paddle board on the ocean. There is a chance that an inflatable paddle board might suddenly lose air pressure and rapidly sink, increasing the risk of drowning. In 2022, safety warnings were issued about inflatable paddle boards due to the chance of sudden and rapid deflation.
Paddlers finding themselves on a suddenly deflated inflatable paddle board far from shore are at serious risk of drowning. Even if connected to the inflatable by a leash, there will be nothing buoyant for the paddler to stand upon or hold onto. This safety risk does not exist with hard paddle boards, which do not sink in the ocean.
The Inferior Inflatable Flat Bottom
Many paddle boarders on lakes own an inflatable paddle board and are happy with them. Inflatable paddle boards are great for people who want to paddle close to the lakeshore on calm waters. This is the way that most people become introduced to the sport, paddling close to shore.
All inflatable paddle boards have flat bottoms. Flat bottoms are fast and offer a good level of stability on calm water. However, once the water becomes a little choppy, the flat bottom becomes a liability. Stability is dramatically reduced, and the paddler will feel less balanced.
Ocean water is rarely glassy outside of the early morning. Once the sun rises higher in the sky and the wind picks up, the morning ocean calm turns to chop.
As stated earlier, hard paddle boards are better in choppy water. Most hard boards do not have a flat bottom. Their bottoms are concaved. Like a catamaran, concaves allow a paddle board to be more stable on choppy water. Water flows past the board more easily, enabling easier paddling and improving the feeling of balance.
Yes, it’s possible to use a paddleboard on the ocean, and it’s highly encouraged. Just remember that the ocean is not the same as a lake or river. It is much stronger and needs to be respected. Always wear a leash when paddling on the ocean. You and your board may become quickly separated after a fall otherwise. For optimal safety and a better paddling experience, use a hard board in the ocean. You’ll experience better balance, and there will be zero risk of drowning from sudden deflation. If you’re going to use an inflatable on the ocean, wear a PFD, only paddle in calm conditions, and stay within a swimmable distance to the shore.
