Do I need a STAR Personal Skill Award to kayak in Singapore waters?

[zerodollar]

Hi all, though not formally trained, I have experienced in handling a kayaking and have paddled round Pulau Ubin from Singapore at least once. That was about ten years ago. My question is: Do I need a STAR Personal Skill Award to kayak in Singapore waters now? Just wonder if laws have changed. Thanks!

[Nautilus]

Hey welcome to the forum.  You will need a one star cert to be able to rent any sit-in kayak from any rental station (PA Water Venture, SCF Paddle Lodge).  If you intend to own a sit-in and be able to apply to kayak out to the islands, then they will ask for you to be certified higher. You can refer to SCF website for more details on certification. 

Especially now, with new reservoirs opening up for access, like Pandan Reservoir, any kayaker wanting to paddle in a sit-in kayak will be subjected to checks by the appointed operator at the reservoirs (SCF, PA Water Venture).  However, no such rules need apply for sit-on-tops (open cockpit), which you can rent from the operator, without need to have a star certification.

Hope this helps.

[TheMachine]

Singapore Paddle Club is registered and monitored by the MPA (Marine Port Authority) and as such we don't require any kayak star to paddle around the Southern Islands (St Johns, Ammunition, Sisters, Kusu etc...) However, we have our own checks in place that require a minimum level of proficiency and safety guidelines that have to be followed.

We have 150+ paddlers in SPC who compete all over the world in marathon sufski, outrigger and paddle board competitions and we have 0 stars amongst us!

If you want to come down for a paddle in a surfski, I'm sure I could sort something out...ride some boat wakes, surf some waves etc... Training Sat AM and Sun PM.