Teach Windsurfing

Windsurfing Counselor

Course Overview

The Windsurfing Counselor (WC) course is designed to prepare windsurfers, and sailors, to act as Windsurfing Counselors working under a Level 1 Certified Instructor at a windsurfing or sailing center.

At US Sailing, we know that not everyone who is asked to supervise and teach on a windsurfer is a certified Level I Windsurfing instructor. That’s why US Sailing developed Windsurfing Counselor training.The recreational windsurfing activities typically are conducted on sheltered and protected waters for sailing centers. The WC course emphasis is on safety, risk management, and hands-on practice of the eleven windsurfing basics to familiarize candidates with proper terminology and windsurfing techniques. Windsurfing Counselor training will also provide a model for how an instructor might structure actual windsurfing activities.

COURSE GOALS

The goals for the Windsurfing counselor are as follows:

  • Familiarize candidates with principles of risk management, including carrying out a safety inspection.
  • Prepare candidates to organize and conduct safe and orderly windsurfing activities.
  • Prepare candidates to conduct a swim check.
  • Familiarize candidates with hazardous weather conditions.
  • Familiarize candidates with windsurfing nomenclature and proper windsurfing terminology.
  • Prepare candidates to properly rig a windsurfer.
  • Prepare to learn and show the eleven windsurfing basics.
  • Rehearse candidates in the eleven fundamental windsurfing sailing skills.
  • Prepare to conduct a self rescue drill.
  • Familiarize candidates with windsurfing land drills.
  • Familiarize candidates with basic “rules of the road” for small sailboats and windsurfers.
  • Familiarize candidates with the use of hand signals in on-water communication.
  • Familiarize candidates with US Sailing Training programs, products and resources.

Limitations of the Windsurfing Counselor course
(vs. Level 1 Windsurfing Instructor Certification)

The Windsurfing Counselor course is not a certification course. It is therefore expected that Windsurfing Counselors will work under the supervision of Level I Certified Instructors. Please note that that Windsurfing Counselors are not powerboat qualified and successful Windsurfing Counselor candidates (WC) are not covered by US Sailing certified instructor personal liability insurance afforded fully certified instructors. 

COURSE LENGTH AND AGE REQUIREMENTS

This is a two-day, 20 hour courses. Attendance all days and all hours of the course is mandatory. All Candidates must have reached their 14th birthday within the calendar year that the course is being held in. After completing a Windsurfing Counselor course (and gaining some real-world experience teaching windsurfing), Windsurfing Counselors are eligible to pursue the Level I Windsurfing Instructor Certification.

COURSES PREREQUISITES

  1. Basic windsurfing experience.

    Related windsurfing or sailing experience and a desire to safely add the eleven basic windsurfing skills, to include basic rigging, de-rigging, general board handling and maneuvering, and leaving and returning to a dock or beach.

  2. Current US Sailing Adult Individual Membership.

    Youth memberships are not applicable. Those with a family membership with only one (1) instructor in the family IS eligible.

  3. Ability to swim 50 yards both with and without a Personal Flotation Device (PFD).

    The accepted swim strokes are: front crawl, breaststroke, side stroke, elementary backstroke, back crawl and butterfly, as defined by the American Red Cross. Floating and treading water are not considered to be swimming strokes, and sculling or finning as a way of moving through the water while floating or treading is not considered to be a swimming stroke.

  4. Completed course registration form accompanied by appropriate course fees (and any late charges).
  5. Complete the US Sailing Medical Form.

    This will be provided to you by the Instructor Trainer at the start of the course.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF COURSE & CERTIFICATION

Windsurfing Counselor cards may be granted to those who pass the following:

  • Swim/PFD Test – Practical Evaluation
  • Know basic safety for windsurfing
  • Show basic risk assessment and management for windsurfing
  • Windsurfing Skills Test – Practical Evaluation of the eleven basics
  • Familiarization of the on-land drag board simulator demonstration
  • Basic progressions for learning windsurfing such as land simulator and board-only drills

TRAINING MATERIALS

While the Windsurfing Counselor course is not incredibly material heavy, there are appoximately 150 pages of material to review and pre-course study will benefit the Candidate. To receive course materials for pre-course study, US Sailing must receive the completed application and course fee payment at least 2 weeks prior to the course.The training materials for the Windsurfing Counselor course include the following:

  • Start Windsurfing Right! (student manual)
  • Other handouts and course information as applicable.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS AND PREPARATION

Instructor candidates are expected to bring a lifejacket, windsurfing booties, wetsuits, rash guard, change of clothing and sunscreen, all appropriate to the weather and water conditions. Instructor candidates may bring a recreational beginner board and rigs to the course. Each candidate must have a board and rig for the course. There is no sharing of equipment due to time needed on water.

COURSE FEES

Registration is on a first pay basis. US Sailing will not reserve spots without full payment.

  • $200 if received more than one (1) week prior to course start date
  • $250 if received within one (1) week of course start date

CANCELLATION POLICY

  • Course fees are nonrefundable but are transferable to another course/date if the Training office is given enough notice.
  • More than four weeks before the course start date: Fee is transferable to another course.
  • Within the four week of course start date: ½ half of course fee is transferable to another course
  • Less than 24 hours notice of course start date (or no-show): 100% of the course fee is forfeited.

REGISTER

Register securely online or by using our printable registration form.