Scroll through any feed this summer and you’ll see it: the glossy board ad, the sunset reel, the paddler gliding across glassy water with nothing on but a swimsuit and a smile. No life jacket, no leash, no whistle. It looks effortless, and that’s exactly the problem. Those images quietly teach new paddlers that safety gear is optional, or worse, uncool.

The numbers tell a different story. The Coast Guard recorded 29 deaths on stand up paddleboards in 2024, the highest number it has ever published for SUP, and 24 of the 26 paddlers who drowned were not wearing a life jacket. That happened in a year when overall boating deaths fell to their lowest point in more than 50 years. How Many People Die Paddleboarding? 25 Verified Statistics (2026) +2

As a community, we get to decide what “cool” looks like on the water. Every time one of us posts a photo with a PFD buckled on and a leash attached, we show that the people who know this sport best gear up. So what does the Coast Guard actually require, and when does a leash help or hurt you?

Your board is a vessel. In October 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard ruled that stand up paddleboards are classified as vessels. That means the same basic rules that apply to kayaks and canoes apply to you. storeyourboard

Inside the surf zone: When you’re paddling in a surf zone or a designated swimming or bathing area, you’re exempt from the Coast Guard’s carriage requirements, so a PFD, whistle, and light aren’t legally required. storeyourboard

Outside the surf zone, the Coast Guard requires:

• A Coast Guard-approved life jacket (PFD) for each person, a sound signaling device such as a whistle, and a visual distress signal and navigation light such as a flashlight worldpaddleassociation
• A life jacket on any child under 13: on a vessel underway, children under 13 must wear an appropriate Coast Guard-approved PFD (some states set a different age) boatus

Know your PFD. Type I, II, and III life jackets can be carried on your board, but they must be Coast Guard approved, in good and serviceable condition, readily accessible, and the right size for the wearer. That means strapped under your bungees where you can reach it, not left in the car. Inflatable waist belt packs are different. Belt pack inflatables are Type V life jackets with Type III performance, and they must be worn to meet federal requirements. A belt pack sitting on your deck doesn’t count. Also check your state’s rules, because many states add their own. For example, New York requires all paddlers to wear PFDs between November 1 and May 1 because of the cold-water risk. ncwildlife.gov +3

Leashes: wear one when it’s appropriate. On flat water, open water, and in the surf, a leash keeps you connected to your board, which is the biggest flotation device you have. On rivers and other moving water, a standard ankle leash can snag on rocks, branches, or debris and pull you under. In moving water, skip the leash or use a quick-release waist leash designed for rivers.

Why this matters. According to Coast Guard data, 17 people died on paddleboards in 2022 (16 of them drowned), 11 died in 2023 (10 drowned), and 29 died in 2024 (26 drowned). That’s 57 paddlers in three years, and the count is likely low, because deaths involving boards that weren’t being used as a vessel are excluded from the main report. 

So the next time you post from the water, clip on the PFD, wear the leash that fits the conditions, and let your photo do the teaching. That’s the kind of cool that brings everyone home.