1 / 2 · Forward stroke
2 / 2 · Correcting to go straight
You paddled meaning to go forward, but the board keeps turning to the side. That's natural at first. Before paddling harder, look at where your eyes are and the path your paddle takes, and you'll gradually start to see what to change.
01. Eyes ahead, feet in the middle of the board
Put your feet on either side of the center handle and find your balance in the middle of the board. Point the blade's angle toward the front of the board. Don't lock your knees stiffly; keep them relaxed so you can respond to movement.
Rather than staring at your feet, pick a fixed point ahead to keep your eyes on. An easy-to-spot landmark such as a tree or building on the shore works well. You'll also build the habit of checking where you're heading.
02. Put it in up front, pull it back to your feet
Without overreaching, put the blade fully into the water toward the front of the board. Then stand the shaft upright and pull the paddle back to your feet. Rather than quickly swishing with just the tip of the blade in, feel each stroke clearly.
Once the paddle passes your feet, lift it out of the water and get ready for the next stroke. Rather than focusing on dragging it far behind you, repeat a short flow: in at the front, finish beside your feet.
03. If you keep veering off, look at the paddle's path
The side edges of the board are called the rails. The tip for correcting to go straight describes starting the stroke a little away from the rail, angling the blade so it comes in toward the rail, then standing it up and pulling.
Don't take this to mean putting it deep under the board or scraping the rail. At first, learn the basic stroke, then ask an instructor to watch your form from the side while you adjust small differences in angle. Wind, current, and the board and fin also affect your direction.
04. Switch sides when needed and practice in short runs
You don't have to aim to keep paddling on one side only. Watch where you're heading and switch to the other side when needed. There's no fixed number of strokes after which you must switch.
Practice on a short stretch of calm water with no obstacles, setting a start point and a target. Before worrying about distance, first get the feel of moving slowly in the direction you're aiming.
Sources and scope
The illustrations are Starboard's two original diagrams on the forward stroke and on correcting to go straight; the explanation is Starboard Korea's commentary. The correction move that comes in toward the rail is explained in a separate paragraph from the basic forward stroke. You still need on-site feedback on your form and to check the conditions of the place and your gear.
The illustration is Starboard's original artwork; the explanation is Starboard Korea's editorial guide, translated into English here. Sources checked: 2026-09-08.
