Regardless of equipment, I personally don't believe that anyone should take more than his/her share of the waves on any given day. However, there have been plenty of threads here where people argue that it's OK for locals who "know the break well enough to stay at the peak" to take as many waves as they want every time they're out. So let's see if I understand all of this correctly: 1. If I'm a local and I ride acceptable equipment (a shortboard?) I cannot be considered a wave hog. 2. If I ride a longboard or SUP I am a wave hog if I take more than my fair share of the waves. OK, now I get it!
A wave hog is a wave hog. Period. Otherwise, I kinda see it like this... if you can keep up with the big dogs, you'll get your share of waves. If you can't you won't. So if you surf the same spot every swell, and have the place wired, you'll quickly find out where you stand in the order of things, because things have a way of seeking their own level, particularly at the better spots. Which is another factor to consider... where you choose to surf. Every spot has a different crew and different vibe. Choose your spot accordingly to have the most fun. You can't change the way things are. Like I said before, you have to find a way to function within the system as it is, whether the system is good or bad is irrelevant.
Agreed. IMO, among surfers whose skills are reasonably suited to the break, sharing waves is common courtesy. If someone is in way over their head, a menace, can't catch waves, or otherwise clearly doesn't belong, then it's not anyone's job to be a baby sitter. And I've seen plenty of people argue convincingly that at some places - say, at Pipe - staunch localism is a necessary part of the ecosystem, otherwise people would kill themselves surfing places they have no business trying. Obviously localism exists in a lot of degrees and varieties, and we all have to deal with that. I don't expect the locals at a good break in Hawaii to be as chill as the locals at my crappy beach break in Texas.
I definitely agree; a wave hog is a wave hog. It just seems like a majority of people on this forum are ready to call a longboarder or SUPer a wave hog, but are offended if anyone dares to mention that wave hogs on shortboards are a problem in the lineup, as well. It's all about perspective and human tendency is such that it's easier to blame the "other" without accepting any personal responsibility for "the way things are."
You bring up another good point... in many cases, maybe even most cases, the pecking order is established because good waves are a very limited resource. Particularly on the East and Gulf Coasts. And the guys who surf good don't like to see good waves wasted... missed waves, blown takeoffs, kooked out rides... really rub a lot of the better guys the wrong way. To the point where the attitude often becomes, "you don't deserve a set wave." Surfing and surfers are quite the social experiment!
I'm a local to both the Gulf Coast and East Coast of FL and have surfed both spots for 15-16yrs, NOBODY is entitled to a wave out there, just because you are "good" doesn't mean it's only yours to surf. Everbody has to start somewhere, but as a beginner you have to know the basics to stay out of the way or keep from being a hazard. If you ignore those things then yeah, you have to go.... but all skill levels should be welcome out there, as long as people are respectful, use common sense, and don't have a bad attitude it's normally not an issue. I personally have never gotten into a fight with anybody in all my years of surfing, I have however seen other dudes get into it and it's pretty dumb to see.
Yep. I'm all for beginners getting their waves - I'm not very far removed form one myself. I have no problem sharing the lineup with beginners as long as they understand the etiquette and aren't too much of a danger. But as a beginner, part of the drill is seeing better surfers take more waves, especially once they see you miss a few. And hopefully you learn by observing them and getting a tip here and there. I'll always let them paddle for a few waves. But, for example, after seeing the same guy continually flailing away way too far back on the board with the nose of the board six inches out of the water, I'm not gonna pass on waves I know he'll never catch. Better to give 'em a polite clue about what they are doing wrong.
Great point, this is what I would suggest to everybody if you see a newb out there struggling. Like you said, you aren't too far removed from being a newb yourself, as we all were at one point or another. Nobody steps into the water and is immediately a great surfer, it takes years of experience and taking your lumps. However, like someone said earlier, it's nobody's job to baby sit them. In the end, if you give them some helpful tips you are helping them stay out of yours and everybody elses way, which is what you really want in the end anyways.
Seems like common sense to me: beginners should surf at the beginner breaks before they paddle out at a prime spot and expect waves in a lineup full of better-than-average locals when the best spots are firing, and there's plenty of lesser waves down the beach. As I've said many times... you can debate the right and wrong of that, but that's just the way it is pretty much everywhere I know of. What "should be" and what ARE are totally different things. And if you are a beginner, and do think you are "entitled" to waves at the best spot on the best days, many would agree that YOU need to learn some etiquette. But for the record... I get my share, and give my share... you'll just have to trust me on that one.
+1. Part of learning to surf is understanding where and when you belong and where and when you don't. I think it's good to push your comfort level a little sometimes because being around better breaks, bigger surf and better surfers helps you improve. But within reason, you should be ready before paddling out into double-overhead surf or a pack of hotdogging short-boarders blasting aerials.
The six riders may have been complete noobs. I surfed Waikiki and it is completely full of new surfers. Personally, if he could balance, turn, and take the wave without loosing his balance, I would have left him have it. This would have shown he knew what he was doing and was not learning to SUP. As for the others who are riding foam boards and doing their own stupid thing, I would drop in on them because the would be only going straight or barely riding the line.
If you don't know.... Don't go........ http://www.surfinghandbook.com/knowledge/surfing-etiquette/ Learn it.....Love it..... Live it......
