The answer may be best provided from the country responsible for its origin, Hawaii. Here it is called ‘Ku Hoe He’e Nalu’, which literally translates as “to stand, to paddle, to surf, a wave”. This describes the sport perfectly. The surfer stands on the board and uses the paddle to move through the water. From this vantage point, the paddle surfer has a better view of the incoming sets and is able to catch more waves than traditional surfers. The paddle is then used to assist steering and allows greater maneuverability.