HOW DO BOATS BRAKE? DO THEY JUST PEDAL BACKWARDS?

You’re correct, though only for boats with pedals and propellers. Different types of boats have different ways of propelling themselves through the water. For boats with propellers, like motorboats and pedalos, the spinning propeller pushes water back, and this pushes the boat forwards. You can slow them by stopping the propeller spinning. If you spin the propeller backwards, the boat will push water forwards, and this will start to push the boat backwards and it will slow down a bit faster. But sailboats are different. If you want to completely stop your sailboat, don’t forget an anchor or you’ll drift away with the wind and currents.