ASI has created the international standards for Surfing Instructors for beginner level surfing. A summary is below.
Location Conditions
Beginners surfing lessons and activities should only be conducted at locations with:
Gentle breaking waves of white water less than 1 ½ feet (½ metre)
Sandy beach and ocean floor with even gradient (no rocks or reef)
Free from rocks
Free from rips
Minimal lateral current
Water depth of chest deep or less
No dumping shore break
Wind less than 20 kph
Equipment
Beginner soft boards with soft fins
Suitable long leashes must be fixed to the board
Instructor Qualifications
ASI Level 1 Surfing Instructor
Current Surf Rescue
Current Senior First Aid
Working with children check (as applicable to the country)
Students
Age
No minimum age. Additional risk management assessment conducted as required.
Entry Requirements
Able to swim 50 metres (165ft)
Tread water for 5 minutes
Student Management
Instructor to Student Ratio
No more than 8 students to 1 fully accredited instructor (1:8)
Group Size
No more than 16 students to be in the one place in the water, at any one time.
If there are more than 16 students, the students are to be spread out in groups, along the beach with a minimum distance of no less than 50 metres between each group of 16 students.
If there are many water users:
No more than 8 students to be in the one place in the water, at any one time.
Each group of 8 students is to be spread out along the beach with a minimum distance of no less than 50 metres between each group.
Surfing Safety & Student Management
Students wear leash at all times
The instructor is in the water, close to students at all times
Instructors are not to take students into areas where there are a high number of other surf users. Beginner soft surfboards are bigger so the potential injury to other surf users is higher.
