A SUP board actually has quite a few specific names for the different parts of the board. A lot of the names were derived from surfboards, but as paddle boards have become more advanced, so has their terminology & their parts. This list gives the possible names that you might come across.
Nose
Front of a SUP. Similar to the bow of a boat
Tail
Back of a SUP. Similar to the stern of a boat
Deck (Top)
Side of the SUP where the paddler stands
Bottom
Side of the SUP that is in the water
Rails / Railings
Literal sides of the SUP that transition from the deck to the bottom of the board
Deck Pad
Soft standing area of board that is usually made of Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Vent Plug
Small valve which equalizes the pressure from the inside of the board to its environment. Usually, this is made of a one-way Gortex patch surrounded by a hexagonal plastic covering, but older models would simply use a screw with a o-ring on it
Leash Cup
Plastic cup glassed into a board which allows a leash to be tied to the board
Tie-Down/ Large Leash Cup
Large plastic cups glassed into a board which allowed for straps to tie down larger items to a board
Fin Box
Injection molded box where the fin is secured into the board
Fin Hardware
Fin plate & screw that secures the center fin in a SUP
Fin
Allows the board to track better in the water or the surf. Occasionally, this might be called a skag
Side Bites
Commonly called “those two smaller fins on the sides of the big fin”, side bites are usually found on surfing sups and help maneuver a board in the surf
Recess
This is the part of the board in which the thickness of the board is decreased in the standing area to help add stability by having the paddler closer to the water
Handle
Handles are used to carry the boards. While commonly found in the center of the board, they can also be found on the nose, tail, or sides of some SUPs
Tie-Down Bungees
Usually, these are leash loops on the deck of a board. These loops are threaded with a bungee cord in order to offer a place for storage while paddling
Leash Loop
A small, strong piece of cordage used to attach a leash to the leash loop of a board
Core
Essentially, the center material of a board. For most SUPs this is EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) foam, however some early SUPs & roto-molded SUPs do not have a core. Essentially, a core is what the fiberglass/carbon/ABS sheets/kevlar adhere to
Layup
A layup of a SUP referred to the combination of either fiberglass/carbon/ABS sheets/kevlar/bamboo/other wood veneers that makes up the outer shell of a board. Since the majority of SUPs are made up of fiberglass, you will often hear a layup for both the top and the bottom of the board as follows “6 oz./ 6 oz./ 6 oz. on top and 6 oz./ 6 oz. on bottom” which refers to having 3 sheets of 6oz. fiberglass on the top as well as 2 layers of 6oz. fiberglass on the underside of the board. You can mix different materials to affect the rigidity & weight of the board
Rocker
A rocker is the arch or curve the board has looking at it from the rails. A board has both tail & nose rockers, which affect how it responds to waves and chop on the water.
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