Important! Free stuff for you to help make our sport safer, and safety course presenter opportunities….
In order to try and deliver a clear and consistent safety message, NZ SUP developed the SUP SAFE CODE in 2019. A simple five point plan (aligned closely with the Maritime NZ Safer Boating Code) that covers all the essentials of SUP safety. The SUP SAFE code is shown below, and there’s also a video from the SUP SAFE course you can watch for more background and information.
If everyone followed the SUP safe code, the number of rescues and callouts around New Zealand would be dramatically reduced. And the code is very simple to follow. You’re probably already doing all of it yourself already.
So this is a hugely important safety message to get across. Virtually every safety-related incident that occurs is due to lack of education. You can (and should!) play your part in combating this. You don’t have time in a beginner lesson to cover all the important safety issues – but you do have the time to give out a leaflet. Every one of your clients should be made aware of the SUP safe code – which is really easy to do, simply by giving out an information leaflet. The leaflets are completely free – just use the form below to let us know how many you need and we’ll send them you.
SUP SAFE Presenters Wanted!

As a qualified NZ SUP instructor, you can also play another huge part in improving SUP safety knowledge and making our sport safer. The SUP SAFE course is around 2.5 hours of classroom material, covering all aspects of SUP safety and knowledge, including practical/team exercises in interpreting forecasts, planning paddleboarding sessions, etc. The course can be presented in one go, or over several sessions.
Would you like to become a SUP SAFE course presenter? How you use the material is entirely up to you:
- Some instructors get a grant from their district council to run free safety courses.
- Some instructors run the course for a small fee from the participants
- Some instructors run the course as a free session for their regular paddlers / local paddling community
- Some instructors run sections of the course as wet-weather alternatives to on-water activities
- Some instructors include sections of the course as part of paid activities.
As long as you’re getting the safety messages out there, we really don’t mind how you do it. If you can use it as a tool to build your business further, then that’s fine by us. Whatever works.
To become a sup safe presenter simply means one of our team getting together with you at some point for a few hours, to walk you through the course material and ensure you understand it all and how best to use it. This is completely free – there is no charge for any aspect of this process.
Please indicate on the form below if you would be interested in becoming a SUP SAFE presenter.

Here’s the SUP SAFE leaflet, it’s A4 and folds to A5, so is small, neat and easily distributed. The funding for the printing and distribution of these leaflets is paid for by Maritime NZ Safer Boating Forum, for which we are extremely grateful.
To view or download the full leaflet in PDF format, click here.
Please note that the leaflet is about to be updated for the 2021/2022 season, and any leaflets requested will be of the new improved version.
For more on how the SUP SAFE CODE is presented to the public, check out the video below, which is from the SUP SAFE courses.