Touring 1 Stand Up Paddleboard Skills
Introduction to coastal environments, including short crossings. This level provides the theory and skills for paddling and navigating in a coastal environment. The emphasis is on knowledge, navigation, and safety skills.
This course introduces participants to paddling and navigating in a coastal environment. The emphasis is on knowledge, navigation, and safety skills. The course expands on concepts introduced in the Flatwater 2 course and applies them to a more dynamic coastal environment.
Successful participants will receive the Touring 1 Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Skills award.
Prerequisites
Skills Certification
Flatwater 2 SUP course, or equivalent skills and knowledge.
Paddling Experience
Paddlers need time and practice to sufficiently develop the skills learned in the prerequisite course before registering in this course.
Minimum Course Length
At least 6–8 hours, or more at instructor’s discretion.
Class Ratio
1 instructor:6 participants
1 instructor+1 assistant:8 participants
1 instructor+2 assistants:10 participants
Minimum Staff and Certification
A minimum of one Touring 1 SUP Instructor is required to teach this course.
Flatwater 2 Instructor with Touring 1 SUP Skills certification can assist.
Course Location
Moderately exposed coastline with frequent, easy-landing opportunities.
Environmental Conditions
Ideally, this course takes place in a Class 1 environment, but can take place in a Class-2 environment. See Water Classification for Lakes and Oceans.
Participant Assessment
Evaluation is ongoing throughout each course. Participants can be evaluated through oral test, practical evaluation, written test, and general observation. Participants will be graded pass, weak, or fail in each category. Pass is required on all categories, but one weak skill may be accepted at the discretion of the instructor.
Learning Outcomes
Safety Skills
Safety Equipment
The participant will demonstrate knowledge and application of appropriate safety equipment for paddling in Touring 1 conditions including navigation aids, floatation, immersion gear, towline and/or throwbag and communication devices.
Group Paddling Dynamics
The participant will demonstrate how to safely manage a group of equally skilled paddlers in a coastal environment including stop points, regrouping, transition points, and SEEDS briefing (safety, exercises, equipment, discipline, signals).
Communication
The participant will demonstrate understanding of communication systems and devices that can be used when journeying. These should include, but are not limited to, cell phones, VHF radios, whistles, hand signals and paddle signals.
Basic Rescues & Towing
The participant will
- demonstrate an effective self-rescue in Touring 1 conditions,
- demonstrate an effective rescue of another paddler who cannot reboard their board because of injury or other circumstances, and
- demonstrate the ability to tow the in-distress paddler using contact tows, and tows of increasing difficulty.
Teaching Note
In all cases, boards are loaded for a daytrip.
Paddling Skills
Stroke Efficiency for Longer Distances
The participant will demonstrate techniques for a more efficient stroke over long distances.
Launching
The participant will demonstrate safely launching and landing from a moderately exposed shoreline.
Paddling in Wavy Conditions
The participant will demonstrate the ability to paddle safely with headwinds, tailwinds, and crosswinds at a variety of angles.
Paddling in Wind
The participant will demonstrate the ability to paddle safely and efficiently in tailwinds, headwinds and crosswinds and be able to anticipate the wind’s effect on their board based on their course.
Paddling a Loaded Board
The participant will demonstrate paddling a loaded board while following a prescribed path and maintaining stability.
Knowledge
Decision Making Models and Route Planning
The participant will demonstrate knowledge of various decision-making models and how they can make informed decisions about when and where to paddle.
Teaching Note
These models should be easy to remember and include important aspects such as water, weather, terrain, and human.
Basic Weather Forecasting
The participant will:
- demonstrate knowledge of basic weather concepts such as wind direction and speed and how they are related to navigation and daily mileage as well as possible effects on sea state throughout the day and along the route, state the influence of weather on a paddler during a day-long excursion,
- be familiar with the different sources of weather information appropriate to where they will be paddling, and
- be aware of the importance of getting a weather forecast in relation to risk management.
Navigation
The participant will:
- demonstrate navigational basics including reading charts/maps and recognizing the symbols, measuring distance, plotting a journey, and identifying checkpoints, and
- use handrails, backstops, ranges, aiming off, time, speed, distance, and direction while navigating.
Exposed Coast vs. Sheltered Shoreline
The participant will identify factors that differentiate travel on an exposed shoreline vs. a sheltered shoreline and strategies to accommodate the differences.
Touring Specific Equipment
The participant will be aware of equipment options appropriate to SUP touring including board shapes, features, materials, outfitting, and onboard gear as well as paddle construction and length appropriate to Touring 1 conditions.
Tides and Currents
The participant will demonstrate the ability to read and interpret both tide and current tables and use the information to develop an appropriate route.
Heritage
The participant will demonstrate knowledge of surf and touring heritage as they relate to SUP paddling.