'British design standards' could be set for paddleboards in the future
Retailers, safety groups and board makers today came together at a special industry summit
Last updated 15th Nov 2023
World-leading design standards could be set for British paddleboards and safety equipment - as delegates today also agreed to look at how boards are sold during a first-of-its kind safety conference.
Manufacturers, the coastguard, harbourmasters, safety groups from across England, Scotland and Wales and major British supermarkets today all came together to look at what could changes could be agreed ahead of next Summer.
The RNLI today warned delegates, at the industry summit in Coventry, they’ve seen a 400 per cent rise in rescues of paddleboarders in the past few years and action is needed.
The latest figures show SUP remains the UK’s fastest growing sport and four per cent of all households in the UK now have a board. The boom in sales over the past five years has corresponded with a 400 per cent rise in RNLI rescues.
Delegates were today told that work is underway to look at setting British Government sanctioned design standards for safety equipment in future - with a group just dedicated to paddleboards likely to be formed to oversee the work.
During the conference it was widely agreed that more education was needed to stop people getting into trouble in the first place - and the industry still needed to supply a clearer and more joint message to those buying boards for the first time. Action plans are now being drawn up in areas such as point-of-sale changes and leash safety research.
What else did the summit cover?
The details were released of a commissioned project by Darren Sherwood which undertook more than 300 tests to study the effect of offshore winds on inflatable paddleboards. It found a 'force 4' wind could result in a board drifting for a mile.
Sherwood's research looked at how best to get back to shore if being blown out to sea - highlighting concerns over the strength required to paddle back while lying on your front, known as the 'prone' position.
The research also 'looked at positions which could reduce the impact (of offshore winds) but could not negate it' and highlighted a so-called 'SUP Brake'.
During the conference the Coastguard said it was interested in learning more about the 'SUP Brake' position, which is effectively sitting at the back of the board with a paddle in the water that can help slow the speed of drifting out to sea.. Coastguard bosses are now looking at updating call handlers on the technique to potentially reduce drifting speeds while people are being rescued.
The study also confirmed a widely-believed view that 'the bigger the person the bigger the drift'. Mr Sherwood said: "If you were an adult with a board you would drift significantly further than a child on a board in an offshore wind."
A separate presentation by Dr Loel Collins showed the results of testing the different types of safety leash available in fast-flowing white water - as he demonstrated examples of 'failures to release' in a real-world environment.
He said 58 per cent of quick-release belts performed 'perfectly', adding 'you have 42 per cent that did not, which for a piece of safety equipment is not perfect'.
Researchers did 130 tests which found 'the lower the water flow the more likely a jam was to happen'. A further 50 tests - applying recommendations from the initial tests still found an eight-ten per cent rate of failure or problem.
A key finding was that 'correctly adjusted and activated the leash performance improved perhaps to a point of acceptability'.
The research also highlighted multiple problems with ankle leashes - which boards are traditionally supplied with - in certain conditions where there's a risk of entrapment.
Dr Collins suggested that PFDs did help 'mitigate' the impact of a wearer being dragged underwater - as in some tests they would 'bob up and below the surface' - but added it was not a 'solution'.
The question today put to delegates was whether leashes - which have also saved lives - offered a 'risk versus benefit balance', with those listening agreeing that further design research was now needed. The first ever research into the different types of paddleboard leashes can be found here
Why did today's summit take place?
The summit aimed to build on a campaign by the best friend of Cheltenham's Simon Flynn, who died after his safety leash got trapped in Cornwall's Camel Estuary in August 2020.
Sam Foyle's campaign has already resulted in a sports governing body being created and now the Government is looking into supporting design standards too.
Ahead of today's summit, Cheltenham MP and Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk recorded a message for the around 80 delegates attending the summit:
He said: "You have made progress since we all came together at the Parliamentary reception (in March 2022). British Canoeing has been appointed as the joint governing body for the industry and is undertaking research into the issues and safety - and the Department for Business and Trade is now looking into paddleboard safety standards."
Last Summer a follow up summit took place at the RNLI's headquarters in Poole after the event in Parliament and major retailers changed how they sell the boards
What other changes have been made?
In February, the family of North Wales woman Emma Louise-Powell who drowned welcomed a decision by the UK's biggest retailer to change the way it sells paddleboards- but warned more needs to be done. The 24 year old died within hours of buying a new board from Tesco at Conwy Morfa in North Wales in July 2022 - having sat and read through all the information provided before heading out and running straight into difficulty
Last year a report into the deaths of four paddleboarders in South Wales criticised the safety planning that day by the tour organisers.
Where can I find advice for buying or using a paddleboard?
Click here for a wide range of advice and articles about paddleboarding from the new joint governing body, which is a partnership between British Canoeing and Surf England