ASI establishes the global benchmark for intermediate surf instruction and activities.
ASI Intermediate Surfing Instructor Standards recommend safe operational limits, mandatory gear, instructor qualifications, and risk management guidelines required for coaching surfers in open ocean waves up to 3 feet.
Below are key operational standards for conducting safe, high-quality intermediate surf lessons and coaching sessions.
Approved Location Conditions
Intermediate surfing activities involve deeper water and open wave conditions. Approved locations must meet the following criteria:
- Wave Type & Height: Beach breaks with clean, peeling (spilling) waves up to 3 feet (1 metre).
- Seabed & Hazards: Free from submerged or exposed rocks, as well as marine hazards or water pollution.
- Currents & Shorebreak: Rips present (suitable for wave negotiation), but free from dumping shore break.
- Wind Conditions: Wind speeds strictly under 20 km/h (approx. 12.5 mph).
Equipment
- Surfboards: Soft-top surfboards with flexible fins for progressing surfers, or fiberglass surfboards once student control is demonstrated.
- Leashes: Suitable leashes securely attached to all boards at all times.
- Accessories: Surfboard wax (for fiberglass boards) suited to local water temperatures.
Instructor Qualification Requirements
Instructors conducting intermediate surf sessions must hold specialized accreditation based on the lesson format:
- Instructor Certification: ASI Level 2 Surfing Instructor. Group Lesson Coaching must be led by an accredited ASI Level 3 Surfing Coach (due to varying skill level of group).
- Water Safety: Current Surf Rescue qualification.
- First Aid: Current Senior First Aid certification.
- Background Check: Official Working with Children Check (as applicable to the country).
Student Entry Requirements
- Minimum Age: No minimum age requirement (subject to individual risk management assessments).
- Swimming Ability: Must be able to swim 200 metres continuously and able to swim from the surf break back to shore.
Student Management & Supervision Ratios
Maximum Instructor Ratios:
- Private Lesson Ratio: 1 accredited instructor to 1 student (1:1).
- Group Lesson Coaching: Must be led by an accredited ASI Level 3 Surfing Coach. Group size 1:8 ratio with 2 instructors.
Standard Group Density: Maximum 16 students in one water zone at a time. Larger groups must separate along the beach with a minimum buffer distance of 50 metres (165 ft) between groups.
High-Traffic Water Conditions: Maximum 8 students per water zone, with a minimum distance of 50 metres (165 ft) maintained from other surf groups.
Water Safety & Risk Management
- Leash Protocol: Students must wear an attached surfboard leash at all times while in the ocean.
- In-Water Supervision: Instructors must remain in the water close to students throughout the session, including riding waves alongside students for real-time demonstration and safety.
- Crowd Mitigation: Instructors must avoid high-density surf zones to minimize risks to students and other water users.
- Board Progression: Students must utilise soft-top beginner boards until they demonstrate consistent board control and confidence before transitioning to fiberglass surfboards.
- Hazard Assessment: The operational area must be free from other water hazards prior to and during the session.
Operational Safety & Risk Management
The ASI Surfing Instructor Standards provide international benchmark guidelines for safe surf instruction. Instructors must conduct a comprehensive, real-time risk assessment before and during every session—evaluating student physical ability, ocean conditions, and potential environmental hazards. Standards, group sizes, or ratios must be adjusted, scaled down, or activity cancelled accordingly to prioritise safety.
