Stay SUP Safe

Please help us to keep you safe

You must 18 years old unless you are paddling with your parent/legal guardian in an activity which permits under 18s:

Our Ready to Ride sessions are suitable for children aged 11yrs+ but anyone aged 17 years or under MUST be accompanied on and off the water at all times by their parent or legal guardian. (Sorry but aunts, uncles, older siblings etc. don’t count, unless they are the legal guardian.) We can accommodate ages 8yrs+ in prearranged family group sessions, (for 6 people) but the same rules apply.

You must be able to swim 25m clothed and have a reasonable level of fitness and strength.  (For instance, you need to be strong and agile enough to pull yourself back onto your board when you fall into the water and are out of your depth.)

You must tell us about any relevant medical considerations when you book. For your safety and that of everyone in the session, please do tell us when you make your booking about any medical, physical, injury or learning issues that you think may be relevant to you or your group participating in an active water sport. This includes telling us about any medicines that you need to carry on you. If in doubt, speak out! We may need to adapt the session to keep you safe. And if you weigh more than 16 stones/100kg please let us know in advance so that we can provide you with the correct equipment, thanks. If you are unsure or need advice, please just give us a call on 07597 094233.

Please read the BSUPA SUP Safe poster below - thank you.

What to bring and wear

Will we advise you on what to bring and wear in the specific activity booking details (via the ‘Book now’ button).

For example, for Ready to Ride (beginner) courses, if you have your own wetsuit and/or wet shoes please bring them with you. If you don’t have wet shoes please bring a pair of old trainers. We can provide adult wetsuits for Ready to Ride sessions, but you will need to add it on as an optional extra at the time of booking.

Please wear/bring swimwear, a towel and a secure strap for your glasses if you wear them as you could easily lose them!  You will need an old sun cap and sun cream if it's hot, or a warm hat and additional (waterproof) layers if it's not! Please do not bring jewellery, expensive sunglasses, electronic items and other valuables as we cannot secure them. Please bring drinking water. We provide the Personal Buoyancy Aids. If you are concerned about size issues, please call us on 07597 094233 before your SUP activity to discuss. Thank you.

If you are paddling in the evening or a rural environment you may want to bring your bug spray.

Please note that toilet and changing facilities are often quite basic. And we ask that you please do not strip off in public view!

Please read the BSUPA SUP Safe poster below - thank you.

On the day

Please arrive on time (if you are late you may not be able to join the session or find that we have already launched, or set off on our explore). Please comply with local parking rules and requirements and be mindful of any neighbours and other site users.  

As part of the online booking process and prior to paddling at the site, every paddler must complete a 'Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire' (PARQ) and our 'Risk Awareness and Confirmation Agreement' (which is normal practice for water sports activities.)

Safety information will be provided by your Instructor but if you are not sure about anything at any time, please just ask. Please always follow the instructions of your Instructor.

Please take precautions against Weil’s disease such as covering cuts and grazes securely with waterproof plasters, trying to keep your mouth shut when you fall in, washing your hands before eating, showering as soon as possible and reporting any flu-like symptoms to your GP without delay.

You will be provided with a Personal Buoyancy Aid (PBA) to wear when using our boards. Please bring a well fitting and appropriately sized PBA of your own if you are using your own SUP board. If you are bringing your own SUP board please ensure you have third party insurance, thanks.

Please wear shoes/boots and extra take care when carrying boards and walking around paddling sites, as surfaces can be very uneven and slippery.

You must never dive or jump off your SUP board.  Please stay well away from locks and weirs - they are dangerous - never take a SUP board into a lock or over/near a weir.

For safety, always please knee paddle on and off beaches, pontoons or jetties and when in shallow water and keep at least 2 board lengths from any hazard or fixed objects.

Please read the BSUPA SUP Safe and Frangipani SUP Site Safety posters below - thank you.