The Zealous SUPer – A modern day parable

pretty funny I actually never seen a sUPer in person.i seen a few of those ocean kayakers and it looks like a nuisance but never had a bump in with a sup...sup bro...sup........bro

 

heres' what suppers do at my local spot: they show up, paddle out, catch waves, go home, come back,
catch waves, go home and never seen again...

 

Good parable cdog.

When did yankee get banned?

 

When god found out he was ___

 

That's classic!! So you agree an SUP is a Coast Guard regulated vessel (i.e. A boat) but when its running over surfers in the surf zone we should all pretend it's not a boat. I'm calling bs on that logic. In my opinion a boat is a boat. If you use an oar or a paddle you have removed yourself from access to the surf zone.and if big brother govt doesn't regulate they can pay up when some kid gets sliced by a paddle by a zealous SUPer. Then the local town councils will wake up.

 

Paddle or as I call it cheating. It's alot easier to paddle a tank with a big paddle than paddling/popping up on a surfboard. They can keep paddling even on the wave since they are already prone. They shouldn't even be in the lineup since it is basically cheating. If they are in the lineup, they should the furthest person from the peak and take anything that passes the surfers.

 

No, that's not at all what I said. All I did was state what the rules really are here to clarify the incorrect statement. 1st of all it's not a boat or a "vessel", it's a freaking surfboard. Several years ago they were being made pretty heavy but most SUP's being made these days aren't any heavier than the typical LB. You can actually buy some SUP's that are lighter and shorter than a lot of LB's and even some fun shapes. It's not to say that some of them out there aren't big and heavy, because I know some are, especially the beginners out there, but those guys need to go down the beach away from the crowd as I stated earlier.

As far as the paddle goes, i'm not aware of anybody getting their heads cut off by them or anything. Most guys put a guard around the edge of the paddle blade or they'll use tape around the edges to make them more dull, to not only avoid injury to themselves, but also to their board. If someone hits another person with it, then they're just a complete moron who shouldn't be in the water anyways, or they're violent to begin with and they wouldn't need a paddle to do harm to someone, it could be anything.

Look, I totally get why some may feel uncomfortable with an SUP around them, as I stated earlier, I've even had run-ins myself while on my SB or LB, but only a couple, and those that I barked at apologized and moved down the beach to prevent further incident. It takes a little communication in the line up from the more experienced guys to keep that stuff regulated. If someone has a problem with taking it down the beach then you handle it like men.

 

DawnPatrol, what the rule says is that a paddleboard (SUP) is a vessel “beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing or bathing area.” It's generally understood that the Coast Guard allows the swimming, surfing and bathing areas to be regulated by local towns. That's why you have local lifeguards at beaches instead of the Coast Guard. Its not a "surfboard" if you use and oar or an paddle, its a vessel. That's not my opinion, that's a fact. If you want to go prone on your SUP in the line-up, and paddle with your hands you should be welcomed.

I'm biased and I don't deny it. I like SUPs and enjoy paddling them in open ocean. Its great exercise. But, it has no business being in the surfing areas. The reason more people aren't injured by the paddles is not because the SUPers are so cautious and nice. Its because those of us on surf boards move out of the way when an SUPer comes sweeping through the lineup to catch his 5th wave in a row. If two guys on surfboards paddle for the same wave its positioning, paddle strength, and ability. But an SUPer simply starts paddling (through the lineup) and people move or get hit.

As far regulating and barking at people - that's not the point. Laird Hamilton brought this SUP business to the forefront. I've surfed while Laird was SUPing at my local break many times and here's the thing - he's Laird. He's confident enough, skilled enough, and friendly enough that he catches a large set wave and waits his turn. He's not the norm. The vast majority of SUPers think they are on some conveyor belt of "I'm next" where they sweep through the lineup, catch a wave, paddle out around the pack, and sweep for the next wave. That's the norm. If Laird chose to do that you try and regulate him (and Dave Kalama)- good luck. And what happens when 5 guys on SUPs are on the conveyor belt of waves? The tough guy regulator thing only goes so far. You're not likely surfing Pipe. More likely you are surfing some spot with a parking lot, a freeway within 10 minutes, some fast food places nearby, and waves which for 90% of the summer months when it gets really crowded are inconsequential at best. It stopped being the wild west in the lineup when Costco and Target started selling SUPs to the masses.

Lastly, like I've said, when, not if, someone gets really hurt by an SUP in the swimming, surfing, bathing area, (especially by a paddle blade), they will have the Coast Guard vessel designation as a pretty strong argument that local communities should have better regulated their beaches.

 

You know what, i'm tired of being nice about it, i'm breaking out the SUP this weekend and I'm mowing down everybody in the water from the Jetty all the way down the beach. I think you should apologize to all of the soon to be critically injured for being so selfish.

 

Don't forget your banner and your stainless steel nuts!

 

I'm flying a rebel flag off the back of my "VESSEL" and putting a brush guard on the nose to avoid getting any dings from people's heads hitting my board (freaking kooks), and stainless steel nuts in place of the center fin. All while blasting David Allen Coe from my boombox resting on my shoulder...

 

HMS DPSUP will be under full steam with guns blazing this weekend and the Captain is taking no prisoners.

 

Was just wondering where Manisses has been recently, good to see ya Bub! If you want tickets to the demolition derby you're going to have find them on Stubhub, only a few left, standing room only!

 

I'm imagining a 8" steel spike mounted to the nose of your board. Who's got the balls to drop in on ya then?

Along the same vein I thing tailgating and schitty driving in general could be eliminated by mounting a similar spike in the center of everyone's steering wheel.

 

DP, you say: "My context for SUP surfing is much different than your experience. I live in a relatively uncrowded area with nearly 40 miles of National Seashore. When I have surfed the SUP (and it makes super fun days out of nominal surf, even days that may not be surfable on other craft), typically it is at sun up, and the more popular peak is uncrowded."

I think its great that you are able to surf in an uncrowded area. With that in mind, its difficult to give your perspective much weight when it comes to SUPs and crowds. Its a whole different ball game if you are surfing a reef or point break with five wave sets and 6 SUPs in the lineup -there's no moving down to the next peak. But if you have 40 miles of uncrowded surf it doesn't seem like you have much to worry about riding your SUP.

 

Yeah buddy, just need me a Tommy Gun to install to the GoPro mount, that'll teach em!

 

Thank you for your understand, however I believe that quote is actually from capecodcdog, it's all the same though, we have plenty of scattered peaks around these here parts as well. I would never crowd a limited take off spot with a SUP, i'd rather be on my 6'4" Coil if that were the conditions.