PSUPA Water Safety Course
These courses are designed to help professional and recreational stand up paddlers enhance their paddling skills beyond the basics.
No certification is issued for these courses and PSUPA membership is not required.
PSUPA Water Safety Course
Our Water Safety Course teaches risk management, how to identify hazards, and water rescue procedures to prepare students for any contingency. You will learn on-water communication and group management, and how to read water and weather conditions. This class is adapted to the region where it is taught, so you may also, for example, learn about tides, currents, and any Coast Guard requirements applicable to your locale. This curriculum is also a part of Flat Water Level 1 Certification.
Minimum Age of Participants: 18 years old.
Teacher-to-Student Ratio: 1:6 or 2:10.
Goals
Pre-Requisites
- Know basic SUP paddling techniques and directional control. This is not a course for beginners.
- Be in good physical shape, and able to swim 200 yards and to lift and carry all equipment.
- Sign liability form, provided by Instructor Trainer.
Curriculum
- Safety gear
- Local Coast Guard requirements
- On-water communication and group management
- Boating rules and navigation (specific to region)
- Understanding weather & water conditions and making sound decisions based on existing conditions
- Anticipating potential dangers and environmental hazards
- Understanding tides & currents (specific to region)
- On-water safety preparation
- On-water rescue techniques