The US coast guard is now going to classify stand up paddle boards as a boat and require all the safety measures of a real boat
Stand-up paddleboards (SUP) are now no different than vessels in the eyes of the U.S. Coast Guard. This new classification means that SUP users --when outside surf or swim zones or bathing areas -- are required to carry a lifejacket, or Personal Floatation Device (PFD), a whistle and, if out after dark, a flashlight to give fair warning to other boaters that they're in the area.
The Coast Guard is very clear, however, that SUPs in the surf zone will not be subject to the regulations of the new classification.
So, why the sudden need to officially recognize SUP as a vessel?
