That’s exactly …
… what my wife says!
Wear
in the hull where the paddle repeatedly strikes can grind right through the gelcoat into the layup below. Water can enter compromising the layup itself. Purchased a surf ski one time taking the seller’s word that there were no holes in the boat, only to discover the tape covering the strike zone was covering several soft spots where he ground right through to the inside of the boat. Repair time there and lesson learned to caveat emptor.