Windsurfing
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Description
This activity involves the use of purpose-made
boards with a sail attached to move across open water.
Forms
An Information and Consent
for Event/Activity form is required to
participate in this activity.
Who can
participate?
Open to those aged seven and over.
Some activity providers have their own age,
height and weight restrictions.
Participants must be able
to:
- swim 50 metres
- keep afloat for five minutes in the clothes
normally worn for the activity.
Participants may fulfil these rules wearing a
buoyancy aid or life jacket when either is required for the
activity.
If you have a participant with a medical
condition that will affect her ability to swim, ensure that you
inform the instructor and make provision to allow her to
participate safely.
Ratio of adults to
girls
The ratio for this activity is one to every
six girls with a minimum of two adults for all sections.
There must be sufficient adult helpers to
supervise and maintain the appropriate ratio at all times.
Regulations
- The Leader must ensure that all participants
under 18 have written permission to take part from an adult with
parental responsibility.
- The local Commissioner must be informed that
the activity is taking place.
- Carry out a risk
assessment for the activity.
- Ensure the required
buoyancy aids/life jackets are used.
- When offering this activity to participants under the age of
18, and in sea, tidal or inland water that is more than 50 metres
from land, it is a legal requirement that the activity
provider be properly licenced by the Adventurous Activities
Licencing Authority: AALA
- Additional awards to help you determine the quality of a centre
are Adventuremark or
LotC Quality Badge for Adventure.
The above endorsements are not
applicable in Northern Ireland, where you should ask your local
Outdoor Activities Adviser to recommend an approved provider.
The Leader must:
- ensure that safety rules and alarm signals
have been explained to the participants
- be satisfied that everyone understands the
need for instructions to be obeyed immediately
- follow the guidelines in the Water
Safety Code and ensure that the responsible adult helpers are
familiar with them
- ensure that the water is suitable for
windsurfing, seeking advice if necessary
- decide on the day, with the instructor(s),
whether conditions are safe for windsurfing.
Instructor
qualifications
Qualifications required for this activity
depend on the water classification.
| Girlguiding UK water
classification |
Minimum
qualification |
| Inland 1 |
RYA Windsurfing Junior Supervisor
or
RYA Windsurfing Instructor’s Award Level 1
(Inland) |
| Inland 2 |
RYA Windsurfing Instructor’s Award Level 1
(Inland) |
|
Sea 1
|
RYA Windsurfing Instructor’s Award |
| Sea 2 |
Level 2 (Open sea) |
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) – http://www.rya.org.uk/
Participant qualifications if
windsurfing without an instructor
If windsurfing without an instructor, the
participant qualification requirements are shown below:
| Girlguiding UKwater
classification |
Minimum
qualification |
Conditions |
| Inland 1 |
RYA Junior Windsurfing Level 1
or
RYA Windsurfing Level 1 |
Solo sailboard or
in groups of two or three |
| Inland 2 |
RYA Junior Windsurfing Level 2
or
RYA Windsurfing Level 2 |
in groups of two or three |
| Inland 2 (strong winds) |
RYA Junior Windsurfing Level31
or
RYA Windsurfing Level 3 |
in groups of two or three |
|
Sea 1
Sea 2 |
RYA Windsurfing Level 2 (Open sea) |
in groups of two or three |
Useful
information
- Water should be inspected for signs of
visible pollution, for example rubbish, blue-green algae or chemicals.
- If either the Leader or the instructor is not
satisfied that the conditions are safe, the activity must be
abandoned.
- The Leader should ensure each participant (or
her parent if the participant is under 18 years old) is aware of
the dangers and symptoms of Weil’s
disease and knows what action to take if infection is
suspected.
- On the day of the activity participants
should be advised to cover cuts and grazes with waterproof plasters
to help prevent infection.
- Ensure that all participants have the correct
clothing and footwear. Wetsuits or dry suits are advisable.
- Ensure that the provider has the correct size
buoyancy aids/life jackets for the
participants.
Ensure the equipment being used is:
- in good condition
- the correct size for the participant.
Useful website
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) –
http://www.rya.org.uk/
Page last updated:
5/17/2012