This concept comes from the alpine style of mountaineering, where the aim is to leave behind everything but the minimum gear required to reach the objective under the assumed conditions.

Why is this relevant to paddling? Well, in a sea kayak designed for multi-day expeditions you can carry everything you could possibly want for a day on the water but on a surfski or SUP there is limited storage available and the whole idea is to be light and fast! But going light on gear brings with it inevitable risk, so we need to ask ourselves; what is the minimum amount of gear you should have and still be able to take care of yourself (or others) should conditions change or something unexpected happen?

The style “Light and Fast” must be coupled with the admonition “Fit and Experienced.”

It can certainly be argued that the more experienced you are, the less safety gear you need to take – a stronger, faster paddler is more likely to be able to paddle their way out of trouble. But even the fittest and most experienced paddler can get caught out, so taking nothing is not an option. Ask yourself “What if?” Go through the potential scenarios in your mind. Can you honestly and reasonably justify not just to yourself, but to your family, why you are not taking what might be considered a standard piece of safety gear? If you can, great – take that off the list. But by going through that process, perhaps you might add something too!

Take a look at our Paddling Resources page under ‘Useful Downloads’ for some suggestions of what to carry and where to carry it. These are just suggestions and it is up to you to figure out what works for your board, your surfski, your sea kayak, your PFD / life jacket, and your comfort level of risk mitigation.

Let’s be clear, I’m not suggesting you carry the kitchen sink. Far from it. I’m just asking you to look in the mirror and seriously consider what you can and cannot do without.

  • Must you carry a spare paddle strapped to your board, surfski or your sea kayak every time you go out on the water? Maybe not, but you had better have practiced remounting your ski and paddling with half a paddle (or no paddle) in case your paddle breaks (or is lost), or paddling your SUP or your knees or prone for an extended period.
  • When was the last time you practiced your remount in the type of conditions that you are likely to fall off in?
  • When was the last time you checked your leash for wear and tear or your inflatable life jacket for leaks or replaced the inflator cylinder?
  • Have you ever practiced putting your inflatable life jacket on in the type of conditions that you are likely to need it?
  • If you’re going to carry a marine radio, do you know how to use it? Do you know what to say?
  • If you’re just going to carry your cell phone, do you have the County/Coastguard Emergency Dispatch numbers on fast dial? By dialing 911 it may take a while for the call taker to understand what you predicament is and get you to the right emergency service. Will the person on the other end be able to hear you; will you be able to hear them?
  • Do you have enough thermal protection/windproof layers to avoid becoming hypothermic should something unexpected happen?
  • Do you have extra fuel and water if your downwind paddle becomes an upwind slog?
Light and fast is liberating, but keep the words of veteran mountaineer Bob Speik in mind:
“Go as Light as reasonable, as Fast as possible for you and your companion(s) together, being sure that all are physically and mentally Trained and Experienced in the tasks required.”