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TOPIC: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe?

SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 6 months ago #33368

  • DanGavere
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SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe?

I teach a lot of people how to be instructors and IMO its important for an instructor to know how to rescue people using a board and leash, how to swim, how to paddle, and how to effectively teach the sport quickly to provide a fun and safe experience. What are your opinions on learning the sport? Is certification important? What are the main criteria to getting a first timer out on the water to insure they have fun are safe and will continue on with the sport?
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Re: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 6 months ago #33371

  • Ucycle
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Yes and no, for SUP school whre people are learning that the sport i feel it important to have a good base which include proper techniques and safety, similar to kiteboarding class. But for rental shop, there is only so much time to train the renter. I think its important for the shop to let the renter know the local condition(maybe a map), proper clothing to wear and proper use of the safety device(leash and pfd). If condition is not idea, the shop owner shouldn't rent those equipment out.

I was renting a SUP at Bend OR couple weeks back and the renter didnt give much safety info about the river dam that you have to walk around if not you will died. Even though there are sign telling people to go around the dam, my friend(a Bend local) told me aleast one person die there each year.
"Surfing is not fashion, it is passion... F*CK YOU surf industry!!!!" -SL
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Re: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 6 months ago #33373

  • FarNorCal
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I may be biased by my involvement in the Professional Stand Up Paddle Association PSUPA and as a certified WSUPA instructor but my answer is yes. If I had the means and time I would be certified with WPA, ASI and the ACA as well since I consider myself a lifelong student and feel there is so much still for me to learn. Coming from a ski/snowboard instructor background and having a degree in Recreation/Business I think it is very important. Also as someone who has a small business my feeling is having the proper instruction is essential not only for the participants but also to limit the liability of the companies. Since the sport and industry is so young there is still much to be learned by all. But in time I believe there will be a standard set by the industry just like there was with the formation of the Professional Ski Instructors of America PSIA back in the day.

But there is a distinction between shops/rentals and schools. If you are going to be teaching lessons as a school/academy then I see it as a way to add credibility and a foundation to what you are teaching. As a shop/rentals I still think it is important but on a different level. I would not expect the local ski or board shop to have a certified instructor renting me gear as that is totally unrealistic. But they do need to take the time to inform their customers of the regulations and hazards of paddling in their location just as Ucycle mentioned.

But if the shop is also doing formal lessons that the customers are paying for I see it as smart on their part to have a certified instructor doing it. I know that when I went to look for lessons when learning to paddle the first thing I did is search for a certified instructor.

Again I know that I am biased on the subject but that is my 2 cents.
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Re: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 6 months ago #33384

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I think that the ability to teach/ share knowledge is more vital than having a certificate in most SUP instances. Credibility can be important for being able to charge more. But learning SUP isn't in the same league as SCUBA Diving or Hang Gliding. In those areas I would want a instructor that has put in the time to be certified and to know the specialty knowledge. I don't really think there is a equally critical level of technical knowledge that is being passed along in SUP.
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Re: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 5 months ago #33422

  • Rafftaff
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If you consider yourself as a school, you should have at least a instructor training., which includes the chance to get certified. It's not only the hard-skills you improve in one of these courses. Candidates get a lot of new tools how to teach and how to run a course in a safe and successful way. The benefit is maybe not the certificate, it's the whole process of certification. Is all about getting new tools, sharing knowledge and experience.

Most of my students consider themselves as good skilled paddlers when they show up. And even if they have already great skills, they leave the course with sharper tools an most likely with some new. That's my experience as Instructor trainer.

In my opinion, it's a sign of quality to have skilled persons in a rental station. The invest ist low and the benefit for employees, customers and SUP in general is great!
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Re: SUP Schools and rental Operations-Do you feel they need Certified Employees to be safe? 10 years 5 months ago #33423

  • Ichabod Spoonbill
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PaddleFit certification is pretty reasonable, and they put you through the process of how to teach a beginner. They also give you a lot of ways to combine paddling with other workouts. I think it was a great experience.
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