Maintaining Line of Sight: The "L" in CLAP Leadership

When leading a group in on the sea, one of the most fundamental principles is maintaining line of sight. As part of the CLAP acronym—Communication, Line of Sight, Avoidance, and Positioning—this aspect is critical to ensuring group safety, efficiency, and effective leadership.

Why Line of Sight Matters

Line of sight is straightforward: as a leader, you must always be able to see your group. Without this visibility, you risk missing important cues, such as a team member struggling, capsizing, or encountering hazards. Without clear LOS, leadership effectiveness diminishes, and the safety of the group is compromised.

Challenges in Maintaining Line of Sight

Despite our best efforts, there are many natural obstacles that can interfere with maintaining line of sight:

• Rocks and headlands blocking the view.

• Surf zones with waves obscuring paddlers.

• Blind corners in narrow or dynamic environments.

• Changing conditions that force temporary separation.

While brief moments of lost visibility are sometimes unavoidable, they should be minimised, and leaders must remain confident that the group is safe during these moments.

Strategies for Effective Line of Sight Management

The key to maintaining line of sight is positioning. Leaders must anticipate obstacles and place themselves where they can monitor their group effectively. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

• Strategic Positioning: Placing yourself at a vantage point, such as the middle of a gap or an open bay, allows you to monitor both the group ahead and those trailing behind.

• Mirroring: Using a group member as a visual relay when navigating around blind spots or sharp turns.

• Active Awareness: Continuously scanning the surroundings, looking back when leading from the front, and ensuring you maintain a constant visual on the group.

• Group Responsibility: Encouraging group members to keep the leader in sight, fostering mutual awareness and reducing the burden solely on the leader.

• Pre-Trip Briefing: Addressing line of sight at the morning beach briefing, reinforcing its importance and setting expectations with the group.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

One mistake some leaders make is leaving their group to scout ahead alone. While assessing conditions is important, doing so at the cost of losing sight of the group can be dangerous. Instead, find safe ways to recce the environment as a team, maintaining visibility wherever possible.

A Core Leadership Principle

Maintaining line of sight is a fundamental element that directly impacts safety and group dynamics. To develop your leadership skills further and explore how to apply these principles in practice, visit our Leadership Course, where we cover these techniques in greater depth.

Remember, leadership is not just about guiding—it’s about seeing. Keep your head up, position yourself wisely, and ensure that both you and your group maintain line of sight at all times.