General Aims

The Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award aims to enable candidates to:

  • Be comfortable paddling in moderate surf*.
  • Able to deal competently with rescue situations that might occur in these conditions.
  • Develop group awareness.

*Moderate surf can be defined as: Beach break or reef (3-4 feet or waist/shoulder high) wave face or whitewater. Reef breaks should be very forgiving and free from prominent rocks or ledges. There should be a safe channel out and conditions should be free of larger set waves.

Attendance Requirements

Before applying to attend an assessment, a candidate must:

  • Have obtained the Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills award.
  • Be a member of Canoeing Ireland either as an individual member or as a member of an affiliated club.
  • Have unrestricted access to a waveski or surf specific kayak, personal equipment and any additional equipment.
  • Have a working knowledge of First Aid, to include the symptoms and treatment of exposure and an awareness of the technique of CPR. It is recommended but not mandatory that the candidate attend a First Aid course such as REC3.
  • Be at least 16 years of age.

Requirements for the Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award

Skills and Techniques

  1. Paddling out with feet in foot loops. (Waveski)
  2. Turning static and on the move with feet in foot loops. (Waveski)
  3. Catching and surfing unbroken waves.
  4. Surf left and right on an unbroken wave until it closes out.
  5. Maintain directional control.
  6. Deliberate choice to surf from left to right and vice versa.
  7. Closing scissors’ connection of upper and lower body.
  8. Bottom turns.
  9. Top turns.
  10. Cutbacks.

Safety & Rescue

  1. Can roll.

  2. Can surf in lying on ski or boat holding paddle.
  3. Can control Ski or boat, and paddle in breakzone and whitewater – holding ski upside down, nose to waves and by foot loops until safe to remount. Holding boat by the toggles and remaining ocean side of capsized boat.
  4. Can remount ski from deep water or re-enter swamped boat and paddle to safety.
  5. Piggyback rescue a swimmer from breakzone- Demonstrate with swimmer on the tail and on the front of ski or boat.
  6. Swim back to shore or to the channel from the breakline with ski or boat and paddle and remount/re-enter.
  7. Can X rescue, Stern supported T rescue.
  8. Can identify significant hazards and take appropriate steps to reduce risk.

Theory

  1. Weather Forecasting, obtaining and understanding forecasts.
  2. Understand and identify the hazards associated with the environment.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of etiquette.
  4. An ability to recognize several of the significant flora and fauna in the seashore environment.
  5. An ability to choose suitable venues based on information gained from tides and surf, wind forecasts.