Outsider's Thought on SUP instruction (Safety)

[FeralInBaja]

Just a thought I had, I jumped on my board kinda fast yesterday, waves small to tiny, but the occasional chest-high set had popped up in front of me. It was a little beachbreak barrel and better to paddle over it than take the whomp from the whitewash, so I kicked it into high gear and regular prone surfboard paddled over the peak and thought: man this huge (88? 92Liter?) board paddles fast as hell! I'm used to paddling 27 liters 5' 5" Lost Rocket in surf up to just overhead. How this relates to SUP instruction: In the instructional videos and online I always hear how dangerous it is to paddle SUP in high winds, or offshore winds, do instructors give a short lesson on regular prone paddling as a safety option, and maybe encourage continued practice? Personally, I would insist that any student be practiced in putting that paddle under the chest, (know exactly where to place it on the board for comfort) and have at least a little skill/strength to prone paddle. I see many people on the internet learning to SUP that seem to have little or no water experience. Obviously some swimming skills would be needed, too. But I can imagine someone without prior water experience who learned to paddle standing, remaining in standing position way longer than is logical when they're in a tough situation. My plug, some emphasis/instruction on prone paddling for safety if not already part of regular instructional process. But I'm just a beginner in SUP, albeit with 40+ years in the ocean and more than 20 good rescues under my belt. Conversely I'm kind of a grandma when it comes to water safety. Curious what other people think of my observations.
Feral

[PonoBill]

Certainly important when you're in waves and wind that you can't handle standing up. For some people that would be pretty serious wind and wave. You're on a board that doesn't really permit a lot of latitude. The number of newbies I know of who would attempt that is zero. Well, actually one. Most experienced SUP surfers can handle getting out standing in DOH. Doesn't mean they make it over monster breaking waves and whitewater, it means on a longer board, with more experience you can see little channels and get to them quickly to pick your way out.

Your perspective is unique, and that makes it interesting and valuable. But prone paddling my 10'4" X 33" ain't happening very often. I look like an Orca laying on a pier.

[stoneaxe]

Not nice to insult Orcas.

[addapost]

Answer is yes for me. Most (95%) of the students I teach are beginners who have never been on a board. The could simply rent and go as most folks do, but some people see the value in at least one intro class before pursuing the sport. In intro flat water classes I teach a progression for dealing with the wind that goes from "Know what the wind is forecast to do and plan for that- don't be ignorant of predicted conditions", to "choke down and lean forward/squat a bit" (ala' Conner Baxter), to kneeling/ sitting canoe/ kayak style stroke, finally to prone paddling. Like Bill suggests, the prone paddling a SUP board sucks for any distance but it can work if nothing else will. It will also work for a broken or lost paddle situation. I have students practice each technique for a few minutes to get the idea. Often I'll have them throw their paddles (safely) in front or behind or off to the side and prone paddle to recover.