WHY TAKE THE SURF KAYAK SAFETY AND RESCUE COURSE?

First of all, this award is all about keeping safe in your craft in the surf, suitable craft include Kayaks, Surf Kayaks, Surf Skis sit on tops. So, whether you are paddling with friends or your club, or working towards a leadership assessment, this practical course is packed with safe practical solutions. It doesn’t matter about your age or whether you’re relatively new to paddling in the surf, this course supports your knowledge and raises your awareness of your personal safety.

If you need any more convincing, the course is completely based around training and raising awareness, with no assessment. Structured to support you, our experienced tutors will ensure you have plenty of time practicing, as well as understanding how you can develop skills and experience after the course.

The course takes around 6 hours and will cover 7 modules:

• Planning
• Beach Management
• Safety Frameworks
• Surf Based Rescues
• Self Rescues
• Deep Water Rescues
• Reflection and skills checklist

There will be opportunities to develop and progress your rescue skills and meet like-minded people during the course. Many of our course candidates develop long lasting friendships, connections and contacts.

You can read the sample programme here: Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue Sample Programme and Session Plans

You can check your skills using the Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue Skills Competency Checklist

This is a mainly practical training course with no assessment. Your course will support you in keeping yourself and others safe whilst on the water, providing you with the tools and concepts to consider solutions to common issues in a moderate surf environment.

The course will cover 7 key modules -

Planning

• Decision making
• Dynamic Risk Assessment
• Planning Considerations

Beach Management

• Craft overview and safety considerations
• Clothing and equipment
• Additional safety equipment
• Safe paddling etiquette
• Injury and accident prevention
• Signals

Safety Frameworks

• Moderate surf environment
• Safety principles
• Calling for help and attracting attention

Surf based rescues

• Assisting swimmers
• Throw line
• Walk in rescues
• Recovering equipment

Self-rescues

• Self-rescues
• Assisted self-rescues

Deep water rescues

• Rescuing and emptying craft
• Techniques for getting a swimmer out of the water
• Shepherding
• Entrapped paddler
• Unconscious / unresponsive rescues

Reflection and Skills Checklist

• Reflections from the course
• Reflections on own learning and areas for development
• Skills checklists

To get the most out of your course, we would recommend holding an appropriate personal performance award, for example the Surf Kayak Award or Progressive Surf Kayak Award or equivalent ability, due to the paddling environment and the boat control required to participate fully in the course.

Open to all ages.

Attendance certificates are issued to candidates by the SCA, following a recommendation from the course provider.