Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions
In just a handful of days we’re kicking off our season with the first local race of the year followed by our annual pilgrimage to Wrightsville Beach for the Carolina Cup. Talk about starting out with a bang! We’re also quickly filling up our lesson book and are so stoked for another year on the water together and to bring you more SUP tips, tricks and lessons this season.
Whether you only recently stumbled on our platform or you’ve been a supporter from the beginning, we’re often asked a lot of the same questions about what it is we do and how and where we do it. So, we’ve compiled your most frequently asked ones and are here with answers!
Q: What makes you qualified to teach SUP?
We’re both certified SUP instructors through the American Canoe Association (ACA). This means that collectively, we’ve trained for more than 6 days to learn how to teach you to paddle more efficiently and effectively. The ACA is the oldest governing body of paddle sports and it trains instructors on teaching with a critical eye, which means that we have an arsenal of tools we can use depending on how you like to learn. Our certification goes beyond just displaying that we know how to paddle; we know how to teach you to paddle.
Q: Do you have a physical location?
We’re not a SUP company. We’re just two certified SUP instructors who love paddling and getting other people hooked on it too. So, no, we don’t have a physical location or fleet of equipment that is stored somewhere. There are regular places where you’ll find us paddling and teaching, but we also customize all of our private lessons, including the location where they’re held.
Q: Do you offer board rentals?
Since we’re not a company with our own fleet of equipment we do not offer board rentals, but there are a lot of places in DC that do. Instead, lessons are our bread & butter.
Q: What kind of lessons or classes do you offer?
Most people come to us for either beginner SUP classes or specialized SUP race training. Though, we also teach lessons in open and moving water (what people refer to as whitewater), which is actually where we both started our SUP careers.
Q: What can I expect to learn from you?
Did you know that there are over 30 strokes and maneuvers you can perform on your SUP? We start where you are with the fundamentals, like how to paddle straight, where to stand on your board, basic safety, etc. and go all the way to more advanced techniques with video analysis. Whether you’re new to paddling or have been on a board dozens of times, there’s always something to learn or tweak to make you a safer and more efficient paddler.
Q: Where do you teach your lessons?
Like we mentioned earlier, there are regular places where you’ll find us, but we teach at a variety of locations and types of water - from both flat and whitewater sections of the river to ponds and lakes.
Q: Do I need/why do I need my own equipment to take a class with you?
In most cases, we do require that you have your own board, paddle, PFD, and leash to take a class with us. This is largely because we don’t have a fleet of equipment, but we’ve also found that if you practice on your own board using your own paddle, it gives you more opportunity to get comfortable and progress with your personal gear.
Q: Do you host group events, like professional outings?
We do. These are usually arranged one of two ways. In some cases, it’s a group of paddlers who already have their gear. In other cases, we partner with a local outfitter to rent their equipment for a group class.
Q: Do you have a class schedule where I can sign up for a lesson?
We’re different from outfitters in this regard too and do not have a set schedule for lessons. We work with each individual and group to find a mutually convenient lesson time and location. The one standing event we do have on our calendar is our Tuesday night SUP Social Hour, which is part lesson and part meet-up where you can meet other local paddlers and feel part of the DC SUP community. More info on lessons and the social hour is here.
Q: How do I sign up for a lesson or class if you don’t have set schedule?
The best thing to do is contact us via our webform. Click here to reach out!
Q: Do you work for any local outfitters where equipment is included in the lesson?
In the last several years we’ve pulled back from teaching for local companies so that we could focus on our own brand and work in a way that better aligns with our paddling principles and customers’ needs. That being said, there are still some times when we collaborate with a company, like B’More SUP up in Baltimore, for example, and do guest classes. We’re always open to those collaborations and announce them on our social media channels.
Have a burning question we didn’t answer? Pop them below and we’ll answer here!
