How Are Your Rescue Skills?

by Michael Carney - Regional Rep Co-Director, NorthCentral Region

When was the last time you practiced—actually practiced—your rescue and self-rescue skills?

Deep water recoveries are a key part of essential self-rescue skills for stand up paddleboarders, but there are a lot of things that can complicate what we take for granted when it comes to getting back on our boards. Exhaustion, water conditions, board shape, clothing and equipment are just a few variables that can make this critical skill harder when you need it most.

Modern race boards with heavily dug-out decks and tall rails can be harder, and even painful, to get back on compared to flat-deck SUPs. Rough water conditions or flowing water conditions can make narrow race boards unstable and more difficult to remount.

Paddling in the cold this winter? Thick wetsuits, dry suits, and inherently buoyant PFDs can all complicate climbing back on your SUP.

If you finish a race feeling refreshed (or at least not exhausted) then you’ve not raced your hardest, so we leave it all out on the water when it comes to competition and even during some training sessions. What happens when you are in the home stretch of a distance race, running out of energy reserves, and a rogue boat wake or unexpected wave sends you to count the fish? Getting back on your board when you’re gassed at the end of a 10k race is much harder than it sounds.

Practicing your self-rescue skills in various conditions and with different variables is a critical safety skill. Just like in our race training, if we only practice in perfect conditions then we will be unable to effectively compete when the weather turns against us. If you only practice our safety skills in perfect conditions, then when an emergency arises you may find yourself in a far more dangerous situation.

Getting back on your board is only part of the battle. When was the last time you practiced prone paddling your board in case your paddle breaks? Have you tried paddling finless or fixed a fin while on the water? While these circumstances may not happen often, the ability to effectively handle them can be the difference between paddling back yourself, or calling for help.

Are you prepared to help your fellow paddlers? While we hope to not ever see it, a bad fall in a tight fight around a buoy can leave you or your fellow racers incapacitated in the water. Can you effectively help an injured paddler back on their board or onto yours in case of an emergency?

Your rescue skills—your ability to correct a potentially dangerous situation for yourself or others—are one of the four Pillars of SUP Safety. But like any other technique they require regular maintenance. So as the weather and water warm up this spring, make sure to take some time and refresh and challenge your rescue skills. If you aren’t sure how to handle these situations, it’s the perfect time to find a certified instructor in your area to teach you!

If you’d like to learn more about SUP safety, I highly recommend reading SUP Safety—a three-part book series by New Zealand’s National SUP Safety Officer Bill Dawes that deep-dives into all things about paddling safely.

by Michael Carney, Co-Director - USA SUP Regional Rep Program

You can’t have fun if you are worried about your safety. That’s something I instill in my paddling students when talking about Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and other safety equipment for paddling. Life jackets (PFDs, Buoyancy Aids, etc) help provide one piece of that safety system and are legally required equipment when paddling in the United States. But, there are devices marketed as alternatives that don’t provide the same level of safety or meet legal requirements. 

As we progress from beginner to intermediate to advanced paddlers we become more confident on our boards and in the water. We naturally seek out ways to be more connected to the experience and more comfortable on the water. One of the first changes paddlers often make is to stop wearing their PFDs and place them on the board, or swap them for smaller inflatable devices. These inflatables still need to meet the legal and minimum safety requirements, and you should always wear your PFD, no matter your skill level. PFDs are like seat belts - by the time you know you need one, it’s too late to put it on.

What are PFDs?

To obtain certification as a PFD, a flotation device must meet certain minimum requirements for flotation and usage. PFDs are physically inspected for these requirements before receiving certification, and must properly display their certification status and other information on the device itself. In the US, this is the “Type” system for PFDs certified before 2025 ( see Boat US Foundation) and new UL standards for those certified in 2025 forward (see Association of Aquatic Professionals). The USCG does recognize and allow devices with certifications from the EU, UK and Canada to meet US requirements.

What are Restubes?

One device I’ve seen used more frequently by competitive racers is the Restube. I can understand why it’s becoming more popular - this thing is tiny! The main device is only 6” x 3”, under 7 ounces, and sits easily in the small of your back. It has a CO2 canister that inflates when you pull the rip cord, and provides 75N of buoyancy when inflated. It sounds pretty good on paper.

But there’s a problem. Restubes (and similar devices) are not considered a PFD and do not carry any certifications. Restube states on their website FAQ that Restube devices are “not personal protective equipment,” and “should never replace a life jacket.”

Restubes don’t meet the minimum qualifications for certification as PFDs. They don’t meet the flotation requirements for inflatable PFDs under the Type system. They lack a green-color visual status indicator showing the device is properly armed. Restubes are not able to be worn, rather they are held, when inflated.

Why does this matter?
Over 80% of boating fatalities in the US each year list “No/Not Wearing PFD” as the primary cause of death. Most of those happen on days with calm weather conditions. (USCG Statistics) In the US, SUPs are considered “vessels” and required to carry a certified PFD for each passenger. PFDs are required to be worn by anyone under the age of 13. All inflatable PFDs must be worn to qualify for paddlers of any age. In some places, like my home state of New Mexico, PFDs must be worn by ALL paddlers, not just children, rather than simply placed on the vessel.

There can be consequences for using a Restube instead of a PFD. If you are paddling with a Restube instead of  a certified PFD and get stopped for inspection, you can be ticketed and forced off the water.

Race organizers should be requiring participants to follow the local law regarding PFDs. In the US that means certification and proper wear for your device. Allowing paddlers to use Restubes or similar devices instead of a certified PFD will put Race Directors at risk of liability and losing operation permits.

And the big one - your safety and concern for those around you. Purposely choosing to use improper or no safety equipment risks the sport of SUP Racing, your health and life, first responders, and the well being of your friends and family should an accident occur.

Alternatives

There are many alternative devices you can wear that are certified safety equipment. The Onyx M16 belt pack is only half an ounce heavier than a Restube, and keeps a thin profile around the waist. There are many other brands and models of inflatable PFDs that are comfortable to wear and still meet appropriate safety regulations. Check out brands like BOTE, West Marine, NRS, Overton’s, Ascend, Paddle North,  and Mustang Minimalist, to name a few.

While the idea of an ultra-small flotation device is appealing, it's important to remember that there are requirements for safety equipment and there can be severe consequences for not using it. So, before using these non-certified, non-safety equipment devices while paddling, ask yourself, "Is the slightly smaller size work the potential costs?"

What are your thoughts on this topic? Join us on the Member Forum.
Not a member yet but want to chime in? Join Here!

- Should ResTubes be allowed in SUP races to meet safety requirements?

- What other safety considerations should be taken by race directors and racers?

- Have you ever been at a race that had a safety concern manifest?

by Grant Cooper

(founding Board Member)

Photo by Author - Utah Lake Storm 06/02/2023

Living in the high desert area of Utah, Spring, albeit a late spring this year, and the transition into Summer is a time of afternoon thunderstorms and unpredictable winds.

This of course brings additional challenges to planning and enjoying time on the water paddleboarding.

A worst case scenario in windy conditions is becoming separated from your paddleboard. The paddleboard is your biggest flotation device in adverse conditions. 

Leashes, and your understanding and use of them, can prevent separation from your paddleboard and potentially tragic outcomes from your paddle sessions.

In addition to taking the time to evaluate weather conditions, checking forecasts, checking flags that may be out on your journey to the water, observing the water and clouds, and then assessing your ability to paddle in those conditions, your leash should be the first piece of equipment you reach for once you have decided to paddle out.

But are all leashes created equal ? I would like to share here, an article  from our friends at NZ SUP, more specifically Bill Dawes, the NZ SUP Safety Officer. 

https://www.sup.org.nz/safety/leashes/

Unfortunately it is becoming an all too common occurrence for paddlers to be caught out in conditions which can change in an instance.

So if you are paddling and see someone with a leash dragging in the water behind the board, politely recommend they attach it to themselves and explain why.

And if you are a paddler that does not wear one, I shall leave you with this thought a race director shared with his competitors a number of years ago.

"As a race director I cannot force you to wear a leash, there is no law that says you must, but I would ask that you remember, each time you go out on your board you are an ambassador for your sport. You get to choose how you represent that sport"