This is a how-to-instruct course for the person looking to offer basic how-to SUP beginner lessons or an entry-level SUP experience in a reasonably safe, non-challenging environment (ie lakes, harbours, inlets, sheltered coastal waters etc, as opposed to surf beaches or fast flowing rivers). The course covers everything you need to know in order to operate on a commercial basis and/or with school groups, youth groups, ‘Education Outside The Classroom’ programmes etc. Check out the reviews of this and the other Level 1 courses here.

This is a completely online-based course. Instead of a practical assessment, you will have to submit video assignments and complete a test. So the entire process can be completed from your own location, wherever you are in the world. To complete the assignments you will need access to paddleboard equipment, and the assistance of at least two other people; one to film you and the other (ideally two or three) to be your ‘students’ in your assignment videos. (At least one of these will need a paddleboard and paddle as well). You will also need to pass the SUP RESCUE course and have a valid 1st aid certificate in order to complete this course.

Note – if you intending to teach paddleboarding in New Zealand then you should complete the NZ-based course in one of its forms, which cover the specific legal requirements for teaching SUP in NZ. For more information on the various ways of completing the L1 NZ course click here.

You may be wondering whether an online-only course can be a valid way to complete an instructor course. Rest assured, it is no easy shortcut! Check out our FAQ pages for much more information on this.

The online learning lessons in this course cover the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to operate safe and productive sessions, along with a step-by-step guide on exactly how to deliver that perfect beginner lesson. The equipment you will need is also discussed.

The course will take about 12 hours to complete, plus a few extra hours of practice and the time taken to complete your assignments. You should also allow 2-3 hours for completing the SUP RESCUE course.

You are welcome to repeat the online lessons as many times as you like, and you will continue to have access to the material after completion, so it remains a valuable information archive. 

To complete the course you must also demonstrate the required level of paddling ability, which will also be done by video. Advice on bringing your paddling technique up to the required level is included as part of the course, along with feedback and assistance in completing the assignments to a satisfactory level. See the FAQ pages for more information on the assessment process.

VALIDATION 

The course is based on best practice and is in line with other paddleboard instruction qualifications worldwide. As it is not a formal qualification regulated by any world governing body, there is not a specific validity period, but we recommend taking a refresher course every few years, which can be done online here.

The $300 fee for this course covers the online learning material (including continued access throughout your license period) plus the skills assessment and subsequent advice. Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

The latest in our series of free education courses covering all aspects of SUP safety. This course covers SUP rescue technique – how to use your board to take other boards or craft under tow, and to rescue people in trouble in the water, get them out of the water and get them to shore.

Every paddleboarder should know these techniques – the stand up paddleboard is actually an extraordinarily powerful rescue tool if you know the right tricks and techniques. And every year, literally thousands of people get into difficulties in the waters around our islands (and millions more around the rest of the world). So it is entirely feasible that one day, you’ll be out there on your paddleboard and encounter someone in trouble in the water. Hence this course. It will give you the knowledge that may well end up saving somebody’s life!

The 2 hour course is broken down into bite-sized chunks or lessons so you can work through it at your leisure – or just pick out the bits you’re interested in. As you’ll see from the list of topics below, there’s a whole lot of information here! All the courses in our SUP SAFE series go into lots of detail, with practical examples, video and pix to make it relevant to stand up paddleboarding and the actual information you need to know.

So – what are you waiting for? It’s completely free – all it requires is you deciding to make the commitment to yourself (and your family and friends!) to increase your knowledge, in order to make yourself a safer and better paddler.

Let’s get started!

We acknowledge that the videos and graphics in the lesson are not always of the highest quality – this course has been produced entirely by volunteers, so the focus has always been on quality and usefulness of information in the little spare time we have. Our aim is of course to land a major sponsor who will fly us all to Hawaii with a professional film crew and team of models for a couple of months so we can reshoot all the vids under the direction of Denis Villeneuve. Until then though, we hope you’ll put up with the next best thing…

This course is for the would-be instructor in Singapore looking to offer basic how-to SUP beginner lessons or an entry-level SUP experience in a safe, non-challenging environment. The course covers everything you need to know in order to operate on a commercial basis and/or with school groups, youth groups, etc.

This is the online learning section of the course, covering the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to operate safe and productive sessions. The lessons in this online course will take about 10 hours to complete, plus a few extra hours of practice and homework. Candidates will also be expected to practice aspects of the material in their own time and prepare some other ‘homework tasks’ prior to the practical assessment. 

Candidates are welcome to redo the online lessons as many times as they like, and will continue to have access to the material after completion, so it remains a valuable information archive. 

To complete the qualification as a Level 1 SUP instructor, the candidate must also complete an assessment session (where their instructional skills are assessed), and a paddling skills assessment, where they must demonstrate the required level of paddling ability. (If there are only minor technique refinements required, this advice is included as part of the assessment.) Information on the assessment and required paddling ability is provided as part of the online learning course here. There is an additional fee of SG$180 for the assessment, which normally takes around 6 hours and can be booked when the candidate feels ready to take it. The assessment sessions will be run by our Singapore assessor team at Outdoor and Adventure Learning Pte, ltd.

Candidates who do not show the required competency level at their assessment will be debriefed on what they need to work on, and can re-attend a future practical session when they feel ready to have another go. 

See the FAQ pages for more information on the assessment process.

VALIDATION 

The qualification will begin as of the day after completing and passing the practical assessment, and is valid for 2 years. Renewal will cost around NZD$100 per further two years, and this can also be done online here.

The NZD$120 fee for this course covers the online learning material (including continued access throughout your license period). Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This is the all-online course for the would-be instructor in New Zealand(*) looking to offer basic how-to SUP beginner lessons or an entry-level SUP experience in a safe, non-challenging environment. The course covers everything you need to know in order to operate on a commercial basis and/or with school groups, youth groups, EOTC programmes etc. Check out the reviews of this and the other Level 1 courses here.

This is the completely online version of the Level 1 course, as opposed to the online plus practical assessment method of completing the course. Instead of the practical assessment, with this course you will have to submit assignments and complete a test, but the entire process can be completed from your own location – you do not have to attend any training or assessment sessions. However, you will need access to paddleboard equipment, and the assistance of at least two other people, one to film you and the other (ideally two or three) to be your ‘students’ in your assignment videos. At least one of these will need a paddleboard and paddle also.

As all watersports and activity instructors should be first-aid qualified as part of the Safety Management system they will be operating under, so to complete the process for this L1 SUP Instructor coiurse, candidates will also be required to upload a copy of a current First Aid qualification, of at least NZQA 6401, 6402 level, as well as completing the SUP RESCUE course.

You may be wondering whether an online-only course can be a valid way to complete an instructor course. Rest assured, it is no easy shortcut! Check out our FAQ pages for much more information on this.

To see the various other ways of taking the Level 1 course check the course page here.

(*) Note – if you are not intending to teach paddleboarding in New Zealand then the legal requirements in your area will be different. Click here for the all-online course for instructors outside of New Zealand.

The online learning lessons in this course cover the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to operate safe and productive sessions, along with a step-by-step guide on exactly how to deliver that perfect beginner lesson. The equipment you will need is also discussed.

The course will take about 12 hours to complete, plus a few extra hours of practice, and the time taken to complete your assignments. You should also allow 2-3 hours for completing the SUP RESCUE course.

Candidates are welcome to repeat the online lessons as many times as they like, and will continue to have access to the material after completion, so it remains a valuable information archive. 

To complete the training for the Level 1 SUP instructor, the candidate must also show the required level of paddling ability. Advice on bringing your paddling technique up to the required level is included as part of the course, along with feedback and assistance in completing the assignments to a satisfactory level. See the FAQ pages for more information on the online assessment process.

Alternatively, if the candidate prefers, the final assessment can be done in person – assessment sessions regularly take place all around the country, so there is not normally a need to travel too far for an assessment. We do recommend taking the practical assessment if at all possible – you will get much more out of being able to spend time on the water with the assessor. However, we recognise that for many people it’s an expense and time commitment they cannot afford, hence this course.

VALIDATION 

The course is based on best practice and is in line with other paddleboard instruction qualifications worldwide. It is not a formal qualification as per NZQA credits etc, so it does not have a validity period as such, but we would strongly recommend renewing the course after 2-3 years, to keep your skill levels current. There is a renewal course available which can be done online here.

The $300 fee for this course covers the online learning material (including continued access throughout your license period) plus the skills assessment and subsequent advice. Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the instructor looking to teach SUP beyond beginner level on a commercial basis. This is the completely online version of the Level 2 course – you will have to submit assignments and complete a test, but the entire process can be completed from your own location, you do not have to attend any training or assessment sessions. To see the various other ways of taking the Level 2 course check the course page here.

You may be wondering whether an online-only course can be a valid way to complete an instructor course. Rest assured, it is no easy shortcut! Check out our FAQ pages for much more information on this. Check out the reviews of this and the other Level 2 courses here.

Level 2 SUP instruction is about taking the progressor to the next levels of paddleboarding: improving their turning skills and increasing their repertoire of turning techniques, introducing new stances, taking them into more challenging conditions, and of course, improving their general paddling skills. 

This online lessons in this course cover the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to take your clients on their journey of progress. There are 11 lessons in this online course, which will take about 4 hours to complete, plus however long it takes you to complete your assignments and pass the final test.

To complete the Level 2 SUP instructor course, you must already be fully qualified as a Level 1 instructor.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the instructor who has already completed a SUP instructor qualification outside of New Zealand, and is looking to convert their qualification to the NZ way of doing things. Many SUP qualifications internationally have a Level 1 and Level 2, but the difference and delineation between the two levels is not standardised. In New Zealand the difference is as follows:

The Level 1 course is about teaching beginners, and also covers all the foundation elements such as the legislative environment, necessary paperwork, proper safety practices, essential equipment knowledge, etc. It is a requirement for any instructor looking to instruct at anything beyond Level 1 that the Level 1 course is completed and passed. If you have not yet done your Level 1 conversion course then start with that.

Level 2 instruction is about taking the progressor to the next levels of paddleboarding: improving their turning skills and increasing their repertoire of turning techniques, introducing new stances, taking them into more challenging conditions, and of course, improving their general paddling skills.  To see the various other ways of taking the Level 2 course check the course page here.

If you have been teaching at this level outside of New Zealand, and want to convert your qualification to the NZ way of doing things, then this course is for you.

There are two parts to the conversion process; the online learning course and then the practical assessment.

This is the online learning section of the course, covering the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to take your clients on their journey of progress beyond Level 1. Much of the material may not be new to you, but as there is no standardisation in instructor qualifications, this conversion course covers every aspect of the New Zealand Level 2 course, so as to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Some of the lessons are marked as essential, because – even if you’re confident with the processes already – it’s important to standardise on practice and terminology so thatt you can fit right in with any existing NZ SUP school. The optional lessons are there if you want to refresh you knowledge on that topic, or because it’s something you maybe didn’t cover in your previous training.

The online course will take about 4 hours to complete if you take every lesson, or about half that time if you just do the essential ones.

Once the course is completed, you will need to complete a practical assessment session. There will be an additional fee of $75-$100 (depending on location) for this assessment, which can be booked when the candidate feels ready to take it. See the FAQ pages for more information on the assessment process.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the instructor who has already completed their Level 2 instructor training in New Zealand (by doing a SurfingNZ/ISA/NZSUP instructor course in the last 5 years that went beyond purely beginner-based lessons), and is wanting to refresh their knowledge. If you have a SUP Instructor qualification from outside of NZ and are looking to convert to the NZ system then please check out the conversion course.

Level 2 SUP instruction is about teaching progressors – those who have done a beginner lesson (or self taught) and are looking to gain skills above and beyond complete beginner level. It can be thought of as “lessons 2, 3 4, etc.” Topics include improved turning skills, stances and improving paddling technique. To see the various other ways of taking the Level 2 course check the course page here.

To complete the Level 2 renewal you should have also completed (or renewed) your Level 1 course as this covers essentials such as up to date first aid certification, safety knowledge, etc.

The Level 2 renewal process can be completed entirely online via this course. If you choose to work through every lesson it will take around 4 hours. If you choose to work through the minimum required it will take about half that.

The process consists of the following steps:

• Work through the online lessons contained in this course, covering material that has either changed since your last course, or qualifies as essential revision.
  
• Complete and pass the online test at the end of the course, so as to be sure that you are current in your required knowledge for instructing SUP at beyond beginner level.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the instructor who has already completed a SUP instructor qualification outside of New Zealand, and is looking to convert their qualification to the NZ way of doing things. (If you are looking to renew your existing NZ L1 Instructor training then please click here).

The conversion process is in two parts – the online process (which is all contained in this course here) and then a practical assessment, which will cost a further $100.

The process plays out like this:

• Complete the series of online lessons contained in this course, covering essential material that you may or may not already be familiar with. (Some, such as the NZ legislative environment, rules for PFDs etc, are very likely to be new and vital information for you).
  
• Complete an online test at the end of the course to show that you are current in your required knowledge for instructing SUP.

• Upload a copy of your current valid First Aid qualification (of at least of NZQA 6401, 6402 unit standard level)

• Upload a copy of your current (or expired) SUP Instructor Qualification, along with a very brief summary of your paddleboard instructional experience over the last few years. 
  
• Work through the SUP RESCUE course – we suggest practicing your techniques before the assessment, but there is no need to submit the videos of your rescues, as this will happen at the assessment.
  
• Let us know that you’re ready for the practical assessment, which will take 5-6 hours and we’ll do our best to make it happen somewhere relatively close to home for you.

The time taken to complete this online part of the process will depend on how many of the lessons you choose to work through. Many are optional, should you wish to refresh your memory and learning in those areas. If you consider yourself to be current in all the general watersports knowledge material, then you could complete the essential parts of the course in a few hours.

You will have unlimited access to the instructor material and information here on this website for 24 months after completing the course (whether you take the practical assessment or not).

For more information on the practical assessment check out the FAQ pages.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the instructor who has already completed their L1 instructor training in New Zealand (by doing a SurfingNZ/ISA/NZSUP instructor course in the last 5 years), and is wanting to refresh their learning. If you have a SUP Instructor qualification from outside of NZ and are looking to convert to the NZ system then please check out the conversion course.

The renewal process can be completed entirely online, there is no requirement to demonstrate your instructional skills in person. You can do it in your own time from the comfort of your own home, and it will be less hassle and more efficient than having to attend a one day course in person. Especially as by doing it this way, you can choose which areas you want to revise and focus on.

The process consists of the following steps:

• Complete a series of online lessons contained in this course, covering material that has either changed since your last course, or qualifies as essential revision.
  
• Complete an online test at the end of the course to show that you are current in your required knowledge for instructing SUP.

• Upload a video of yourself giving a simulated safety briefing (the requirements for this are fully covered, along with templates etc, within the Safety Briefing lesson in this course)

• Upload a brief written description of how you would deal with an emergency (again following a template laid out within the relevant lesson)

• Upload a copy of your current valid First Aid qualification (of at least of NZQA 6401, 6402 unit standard level)

• Upload a very brief summary of your paddleboard instructional experience over the last few years. 

The entire process should take no more than a few hours, and will give you access to the instructor material and information on this website for a further 24 months.

Other optional lessons are also available as part of the course should you also wish to refresh your knowledge in those areas.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

The second in our series of free education courses covering all aspects of SUP safety. In this course we focus on weather and water conditions. Understanding them is a vital aspect of SUP safety, as is knowing how to find out what is forecast.

Stand up paddleboarding may seem like a very safe sport , yet every year hundreds of paddleboarders end up getting into trouble, getting rescued – and tragically, sometimes the story does not end well. It almost always comes down to education – those paddlers getting into trouble were missing some critical knowledge. Hence this course. It will give you the knowledge that may well end up saving your life!

The course is completely free, and you can spend as long as you like working through the lessons. As you’ll see from the list of lessons below, all the information is broken down into bite-sized chunks so you can work through it at your leisure – or just pick out the bits you’re interested in. So – what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

This course has been brought to you with assistance from the Maritime NZ Safer Boating Forum, and Water Safety New Zealand.

The first in our series of free education courses covering all aspects of SUP safety. This course covers all aspects of your SUP safety equipment; what you should be using and why, broken down into bite-sized chunks, drilling deep into the complexities and issues to give you the full story and assist you in making the best decisions on what gear will be best for you.

Stand up paddleboarding may seem like a very safe sport , yet every year hundreds of paddleboarders end up getting into trouble, getting rescued – and tragically, sometimes the story does not end well. It almost always comes down to education – those paddlers getting into trouble were missing some critical knowledge. Hence this course. It will give you the knowledge that may well end up saving your life!

The 2.5 hour course is broken down into bite-sized chunks or lessons so you can work through it at your leisure – or just pick out the bits you’re interested in. As you’ll see from the list of topics below, there’s a whole lot of information here! All the courses in our SUP SAFE series go into lots of detail, with practical examples, video and pix to make it relevant to stand up paddleboarding and the actual information you need to know, not just in order to be safe but also to get the most of your paddleboarding.

So – what are you waiting for? It’s completely free – all it requires is you deciding to make the commitment to yourself (and your family and friends!) to increase your knowledge, in order to make yourself a safer and better paddler.

Let’s get started!

This course has been brought to you with assistance from the Maritime NZ Safer Boating Forum, and Water Safety New Zealand.

This course is for anyone planning on starting a SUP school, coaching business, rental or tour company. It will guide you through the legislative environment, the documentation and paperwork you’ll require (including free templates!), advice on what sort of equipment to buy and lots more great info on how to make your business a success. This will be the best $69 you ever invest, potentially saving you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars of doing things the hard way and making the same mistakes that others have made.

This course is for the instructor looking to teach SUP beyond beginner level on a commercial basis.

Level 2 instruction is about taking the progressor to the next levels of paddleboarding: improving their turning skills and increasing their repertoire of turning techniques, introducing new stances, taking them into more challenging conditions, and of course, improving their general paddling skills.  To see the various other ways of taking the Level 2 course check the course page here. Check out the reviews of this and the other Level 2 courses here.

This is the online learning section of the course, covering the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to take your clients on their journey of progress. There are 12 lessons in this online course, which will take about 4 hours to complete, plus a few extra hours of practice and homework.

This course cannot be completed until the online Level 1 instructor course has been completed.

To complete the qualification as a Level 2 SUP instructor, the candidate will also need to complete a practical assessment session. There will be an additional fee of $75-$100 (depending on location) for the assessment, which can be booked when the candidate feels ready to take it. See the FAQ pages for more information on the assessment process.

Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.

This course is for the would-be instructor in New Zealand looking to offer basic how-to SUP beginner lessons or an entry-level SUP experience in a safe, non-challenging environment. The course covers everything you need to know in order to operate on a commercial basis and/or with school groups, youth groups, EOTC programmes etc. Check out the reviews of this and the other Level 1 courses here.

This is the online learning section of the course, covering the theory, safety understanding and background knowledge to operate safe and productive sessions. The lessons in this online course will take about 11 hours to complete, plus a few extra hours of practice and homework. Candidates will also be expected to practice aspects of the material in their own time and prepare some other ‘homework tasks’ prior to the practical session. 

Candidates are welcome to redo the online lessons as many times as they like, and will continue to have access to the material after completion, so it remains a valuable information archive. 

To complete the Level 1 SUP instructor training, the candidate must also complete an assessment session, and show the required level of paddling ability. Information on the assessment and required paddling ability is provided as part of the online learning course here, along with advice on any technique refinements required. There is an additional fee of $100-150 for the assessment (cost depends on location), which normally takes around 5-6 hours and can be booked when the candidate feels ready to take it. Assessment sessions take place all around the country, so there is not normally a need to travel too far to take the assessment. Alternatively, there is the all-online version of the course, where the assessment can be done remotely.

Candidates who do not show the required competency level at their assessment will  be debriefed on what they need to work on, and can re-attend a future practical session when they feel ready to have another go. 

See the FAQ pages for more information on the assessment process.

As all watersports and activity instructors should be first-aid qualified as part of the Safety Management system they will be operating under, so to complete the process for this L1 SUP Instructor coiurse, candidates will also be required to upload a copy of a current First Aid qualification, of at least NZQA 6401, 6402 level. 

VALIDATION 

The course is based on best practice and is in line with other paddleboard instruction qualifications worldwide. It is not a formal qualification as per NZQA credits etc, so it does not have a validity period as such, but we would strongly recommend renewing the course after 2-3 years, to keep your skill levels current. There is a renewal course available which can be done online here.

The $150 fee for this course covers the online learning material plus the skills assessment and subsequent advice. Payment can be made via credit card or paypal by clicking on the registration button above, or by bank transfer.