Big wave surfer Mark Visser has been sharing big wave surfing tips online for years. His original "Vistips" on his youtube channel are hands-on, constructive tips that can be implemented right away. 

Mark knows how to create high-quality content. From surfing Jaws at night to showing his underwater skills in a straightforward youtube video, he creates highly inspiring content.

In early 2017, Mark launched "The Ocean Warrior": an online course that brings together expertise from the best of the best in:

• Freediving: Ant Williams, William Trubridge

• Big wave surfing: Shane Dorian, Tyler Wright, Garrett McNamara,

• Ocean safety (Brian Keaulana)

Although it is only online, this course is stuffed with high-quality content that will help any surfer be smarter in larger waves.

Ocean Warrior Course Update 2019/2020 

The ocean warrior course has expanded with a new course:

“The Elite Mindset Program” 

This course is all about the power of the mind and what you can do to maximize your abilities in surfing, business, or life in general. 

Just like the Ocean Warrior course, this online training is very practical and can be implemented right away. 

Where The Ocean Warrior course is all about, rescue,breath-hold techniques, and underwater training, the Elite Mindset Program dives much deeper into the power of the mind. It’s not some vague self-help crap… these techniques are rooted in science and actually work.

The Elite Mindset Program is included in the Ocean Warrior course 2.0. (because all future updates are free for 2.0 users) The Elite Mindset Program is also available as a stand online course for $49 and is even available in Portuguese.

• Where: Online

• When: 24/7 x 365

• Who: The Ocean Warrior Course

• Big wave surfers? Yes.

  • Mark Visser

  • Garrett McNamara

  • Shane Dorian

• Water practice: No

• Breath-hold training: Yes

• PWC technical info: No

• Booklets: yes (Print PDF)

• Training schedules: Yes

• Online Community: Sort of.

  Cost: 

• Complete course: $249

• Payment plan: $69

• Buy chapters individually: Yes

The Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club was created by underground big wave chargers in Ireland who needed to turn legislation around so that they could provide their own safety with PWC.  These guys surf harsh, brutal condition in raw, north Atlantic blistering storms. The big waves here are cold and hallucinating shallow. The big wave surf community here is self-reliant. 

Their Big Wave Survival Course is by demand only. Three days of practical training: A lot of water time combined with a deep understanding of the PWC top of with medical advice from firefighter and EMT Peter Conroy.

Although this course is newer than K38 and not as tropical as the B.W.R.A.G. in Hawaii, the lads here really know their shit, and they will make sure you do too by the time you leave.

• Where: Ireland

• When: By Booking Only

• Who: The Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club

• Big wave surfers? Yes.

  • Peter Conroy

• Water practice: Yes

• Breath-hold training: No

• PWC technical info: Yes

• Booklets: No

• Training schedules: No

• Online Community: No

Cost: 

• Complete course: per quote

• Payment plan: per quote

Buy chapters individually: No

Chris Bertish is one of a kind. Besides winning Mavericks in the most brutal contest conditions ever (2010, when set waves washed spectators off the beach) Chris has spent a lifetime chasing big waves as is doing things previously considered impossible. In 2017 he paddled across the Atlantic Ocean on an S.U.P. Die-hard beyond believe.

Chris used to offer a 3-hour training course based on 3 big wave spots outside of Cape Town South Africa. Covering training, preparation, currents, swell directions, emergency protocol, first aid etc.

If you ever have a chance to take this course do it! It will be a class taught by one of the most unique and seasoned watermen that ever paddled the oceans.

• Where: South Africa

• When: By Booking Only

  • Who: Chris Bertish

  • Big wave surfers? Yes.

    • Chris Bertish

  • Water practice: No

  • Breath-hold training: No

  • PWC technical info: No

  • Booklets: Yes

  • Training schedules: Yes

  • Online Community: No

• Buy chapters individually: No

• Cost: Unknown. Used to be 300 South African Rands

• Where: Global

• When: By Booking Only

• Who: Shaun Adillo

• Big wave surfers? Unknown

• Water practice: Yes

• Breath-hold training: No

• PWC technical info: Yes

• Booklets: Yes

• Training schedules: No

• Online Community: No

• Cost:?

Looking at the top big wave surfers in the world and the rescue teams that support them, it is almost impossible to find anyone who did not go through K38 training at some point in their career. This organization has laid the foundation and continues to lead the way in training the world's elite operators. \

Shawn Alladio founded Personal Water Craft training in 1989, added military training in 1996 and created big wave surfing Personal Water Craft training in 1998.

This is also the only organization that has an established affiliate network that spans the globe:

• K38 USA

• K38 Italy

• K38 UK

• K38 Japan

• K38 Poland

• K38 Oceania ( Australia + New Zealand and Oceania)

• K38 Canary Islands

• K38 Scandinavia

• K38 Latin America

The above K38 video comes with an awesome disclaimer urging everyone to take a certified course. We hear you K38, so here's the disclaimer in full.

"Disclaimer: K38 USA does not endorse viewers to use K38 videos as training aids. K38 endorses viewers to register for a certified course, come prepared to train, test your capability, if you succeed, you earn the rewards of vetting through professional development. Take a certified course that represents the area of expertise. Then practice and develop your skill sets. An RWC course alone does not prepare a student for real-world pressures and realities, it is merely the first step in a long process. You must be prepared, proper PPE, physical and mental conditioning equipment. You must stay current in the standards and best practices. This video in no way represents training aids. There may be actions in this video that are corrected during training that are not covered by the viewer and misinterpreted. View at your own discretion but do not use and place yourself and others at risk for common training standards, this is not a training aid."