Certification Course Overview

Fundamentally, participants are expected to have the paddling skills, technical knowledge, rescue ability, teaching ability, group management, and interpersonal skills commensurate with this level of certification prior to presenting themselves for evaluation as Instructor Candidates at an Instructor Certification Course (IDW, ICE, or ICW).

Course Prerequisites

• Acknowledgement of personal compliance with the ACA Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC)
• Be a current ACA member
• Completion of the appropriate level skills course, assessment course, or equivalent skill is recommended

Course Duration

Combined Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) and Instructor Certification Exam (ICE) - Minimum 4 days (32 hours). Up to 8 hours may be virtual at the discretion of the Instructor Trainer.

Course Location / Accessible Venues

• Waterway with access to safe landing within 0.5 nautical miles/0.9 kilometers from shore (required)
• 5 - 10 knot winds (required)
• Note: conditions should not exceed 1 foot/0.3 meters waves or 2 knot currents

Course Size

5 Instructor Candidates : 1 Instructor Trainer; with an additional qualified assistant, the ratio can be 10 : 2. The maximum number of instructor candidates permitted is 10.

For additional details, see SEIC Policy Manual Chapter 6.

Instructor Trainer

This certification course may be offered by Level 2: Essentials of SUP (or higher) ACA Instructor Trainers or Instructor Trainer Educators.

Succeeding Courses

• Level 3: Surf Stand Up Paddleboarding
• Level 3: Coastal Stand Up Paddleboarding
• Level 3: River Stand Up Paddleboarding
• Level 4: Whitewater Stand Up Paddleboarding
• Level 5: Advanced Whitewater SUP