General Aims

The Flatwater Stand-Up-Paddle Boarding Instructor qualification aims to enable participants to:

  1. Instruct Flat water SUP skills and lead SUP journeys on flat water (Grade 1 or Sheltered tidal areas) in winds of up to Force 2 (6-11 km/h) with groups of up to 6 students. With an intermediate instructor qualification in another paddlesport award the ratio is 1:8
  2. Train and Assess for the Intro and Flat-water SUP Skills awards
  3. Introduce basic SUP Safety and Rescue
  4. Mentor FW SUP Instructor trainees
  5. The FW Instructor is specifically not qualified to journey across open water.
  6. SUP instructors need to dynamically risk assess their groups distance from shore – basing their risk assessment on the ability of the weakest paddler in the group and the prevailing conditions.

Attendance Requirements

Before applying to attend a Flatwater Stand-Up-Paddle Instructor Training Course, a candidate must:

  • Have obtained a Flat-Water SUP skills award and actively participated in several personal SUP sessions in a variety of Environments (Coastal, Lake, River)
  • Candidates wishing to participate in a FW SUP instructor training course must attend a registered pre-assessment with a recognised SUP pre-instructor assessment provider.
  • Be at least 16 years of age at the time of application.
  • Be a Canoeing Ireland member.
  • Submitted your Garda vetting form.

Course Outline

The Level Flat Water Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) Boarding Instructor Qualification requires that a candidate attend a registered two-day SUP Instructor training course (or a programme of similar duration), and a one-day assessment.

Course contains the following modules:

  • The introductory session
  • Creating an effective learning environment
  • Considerations when SUPing
  • Assessing the intro to SUP and Flatwater SUP skills awards
  • Proactive/ reactive safety and rescue
  • Progressive sessions

Course Documents

Please consult the following documents prior to applying for an assessment to ensure you have complete the relevant training and certification, and for details on the format of the assessment –