Risks of Drowning Associated with Paddle-sports

Paddle-sports are negatively associated with drowning, caused by a singular or multiple set of events which can be deemed:

‘Intrinsic’ - Responsibility of the individual to which end diminished risk management has determined the outcome.

‘Extrinsic’ – Responsibility of something or someone beyond the individuals immediate control.

The wearing of a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) is universally considered a hazard and a hinderance beyond reasonable consideration of its virtues, to all surf orientated board-sports, as a result of reduced agility both on or in the water which in itself can put the individual at risk.

Falling, retrieving and recovery, are inherent, natural components of SUP sport as per windsurfing and surfing, not ‘critical’ events as associated with kayaking or canoeing. While this view may seem incongruous with other water sports, SUP boards present no inherent risk of entrapment, swamping or suffer from the potentially disabling consequences of capsize, being inherently safer from these points of view than a kayak or canoe and ‘unsinkable’.

Stand Up Paddle Water Safety and Rescue

1. Freedom from constraint are essential to the paddler to permit:

(i)Performance of swimming strokes for board/paddle recovery.

(ii)Ease of re-boarding ‘Duck-diving’ oncoming waves

(iii)Avoiding oncoming manned or unmanned surf craft

(iv)Ease of handling board into position for re-boarding

(v)Ease of paddling prone on stomach for self rescue.

(vi)Ease of paddling

2. In the case of the tuition of novice participants under the age of 18 in flat sheltered waters, the following guidelines are recommended.

(i)Compulsory wearing of a suitable leg leash. Water confidence test.

(ii)Compulsory wearing of a *PFD if the ability or confidence of the participant following a ‘swim test’ (or other factor) is identified as being below a reasonable level of competence.

(iii)Given the option of wearing a PFD if the ability or confidence of the participant following a ‘swim test’ (or other factor) satisfies a reasonable level of competence.

* 50N rated foam vests,Jackets. EN/ISO 12402-5(2006) +1 (2010)