A personal standing balance assist assembly is adapted for use in a recreational watercraft. The balance assist assembly includes a balance assist pole having a distal end for being grasped by an occupant in a standing position on the recreational watercraft. A scupper plug is located at a proximal end of the balance assist pole and is configured to engage the watercraft adjacent a top mouth of the scupper hole. A hull plug is configured to engage the watercraft adjacent a bottom mouth of the scupper hole. An elongated assembly connector extends vertically through the scupper hole and is adapted for urging the scupper plug and hull plug into close contact with the watercraft proximate respective top and bottom mouths of the scupper hole, thereby securing the balance assist assembly to the watercraft.