surfing etiquette thread

I totally agree.

I believe the first rule of etiquette in surfing should be communication. After over 3 decades of paddling out, I've seen more passive/agressive behavior than confrontation. I think it's safe to say everyone that's got a year or more would agree. Be it talking crap when the offender has just taken off on a wave or just a vibe. I think they are the same guys that talk about kicking a$$ online.

When it gets into specific localized breaks (usually points, inlets and consistent jetties/piers) that aren't yours, all bets are off because the regulars pretty much set the rules. Roll to that or leave. No communications required.

It's in less regulated breaks (i.e. shifting beach breaks) and tourist areas that most guys get frustrated. Talk, for sh!t's sake. Use some social skills. A "What's up?" or "How long have you been out?" on the way out sets a good vibe. If a guy is dropping in or trying to snake every wave, badmouthing him behind his back isn't going to do anything. You don't have to come across like the wave police or an MMA badass, either. "Is there a lineup here?" or Are you taking this one?" Anything's better than not addressing the situation or over reacting.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I see maybe one to three fist fight each summer where I surf . Its mostly for the better part a yelling match between each other. I think the funniest thing i seen was last summer with 6 kids no older than 15 from Wild Ocean circled 2 older heads in the 50's cause the one guy got the wave before one of the teens. I sat there at the one the Sea wall after my session was over was it was all going down. The one older guy was in the right and I think it was the other guys ragging on there friend that made it all blow up . No fist were ever thrown I just thought it was funny how people get tough in numbers.

When I am at the beach there is no confusing who I am . Not to come off like I am better than anyone but I let my surfing and who I am as a person speak for itself

 

dude - we've all been there - you're there at sun up - scoring left and right with no one out or very few - - and of course the donkeys start to appear - standing there on the hill or the breakwall with one finger up their nose and their thumb up their ass - looking - then you connect a nice one, kick out and look back - and that sinking feeling half dread/half rage washes over you as you see them jogging back to their cars after they've clocked your ride. Fact is I know where the best bet is for me, I've been surfing and fishing these same 8 or 9 jetties for the past 23 years. I know what I'm looking at

 

this is so very true . There were time where i was all alone and then like someone switched something on and then there was a dozen guys coming towards me in the water.

Some peopel just dont like to surf alone or feel comfortable in there skills yet to do so.
I remember last december me and a buddy were out in NWW and we were just about to get out when this kid no older than 12 shows up with his mom and she wasnt gonna let him surf cause there was nobody else surfing. Me and my buddy who were already out for 3 hours went back out for another hour so this kids could get some waves

 

This like arguing philosophy here but let's look at the completely unwinnable situation you have just put the intermediate or non-local but local-respecting surfer in here. He's staying off the peak maybe out of respect to the locals who don't know him or just in deference to the better surfers or whatever. I've been in this situation a zillion times myself - confident I could make the deep takeoff, but not quite sure where there might be submerged rocks or dry reef or whatever, so I'm staying off the peak for a bit.

We've seen a few comments on this thread already from people saying this is the rule of thumb for people in this situation: stay back and let the locals take their waves and work your way into the lineup. So they're following THAT rule of etiquette and now they're getting denied waves and excoriated for not manning up and taking off right in front of the jetty. Give a few waves away. SHare the stoke. Get good karma.

 

whats the question here?? one guys goin left. the others going right. why would either one of them have to get off the wave?? they're going in opposite directions... -_-

 

I'm pretty sure he means they're both gonna backdoor the peak. They'd be crossing paths before speeding away from one another. So, they have a good chance of smashing into each other at some point during the drop-in or bottom turn.

 

Exactly! Sometimes that person who is off the peak is there out of respect. Reward that behavior by throwing them a few good rides. Give respect, get respect.

Or be greedy and take all the good waves and you could end up miserable with someone sitting on top of you for your whole session.

 

Now that was what I was talk'n about yesterday and this is no surprise of you ......
Your act of Kindness I'm sure made an lasting impression on that young surfer too.

Just a little extra effort helping others either like this and giving pointers to those less experience could remedy most problems on a crowded session.

 

What is a SUPr's place in the lineup? They get whatever they go for? or do they just get dropped in on non-stop?

I think the absolute worst thing to do is to ditch your SUP while paddling back out with surfers behind and beside you. I don't think it gets any worse than that.

 

PERFECT WORLD: guys with an SUP would either avoid other surfers so as to not endanger anyone, and not to hog all the waves since they can obviously scoot from point break to point break. only guys who were experienced and could control their board with proper lineup knowledge would stick to the lineup like any other surfer

REAL WORLD: guys with SUP's feel entitled to any and all waves, and will precariously position themselves in the lineup and cut you off and lose control of their board and hit you with it (happened more than once to me). they will also shoot you dirty looks for "cutting them off" when you have the right of way.

 

Totally agree on this one. Did something similar a few years ago and now surf with the guy regularly. As stated earlier, the helpful approach works almost every time. It's that one or 2 jerks that don't care that create almost all of the hassles.

 

You have to go backside then. Its etiquette. That happens all the time. Im goofy, so I will try and line up left, but when an a-frame is coming and im deeper than the other guy to go left, but I would then in effect null a perfectly good a-frame, you always take off the other way. This is how you make friends in the water. Half the time, you get back to the lineup and the other guy is like, dude, thanks, I just got a sick wave... , I literally say out loud just to be sure, "Ill go right" and call the backside take off so they know they can go left.

I typically would like to go left, but that is a di** move for sure... If its an a-frame, you should take off backside if you are going to force going one direction, thus hogging the wave...

Even if the left looks better, i will go backside all day and share a wave... Its the circle of life. Especially in good, crowded condtions. Cause for sure, you will have the same thing happen back to you, when instead of having to pull out of a great left, the deeper guy seees that there is a wide open right hander and give you the shoulder... Then bam. One big happy family....

 

depends on the condtions. The spot. The crowd and a lot of stuff. I have quite a few SUPers in my lineups all over the place. On small days, on huge days. On reefs, at beaches... And for the most part, the better the surf, the better the crowd, the more well behaved the SUPs are. They will always paddle back out a tad deeper because they require more momentum to take off, but if everyone out if lined up and decent, the SUP has to sit outside, but wait turns....

If its knee high and there are 200 guys out at a surf beach in OC MD in august, its lawless. I mean, every man for himself type stuff.... but if waves are good, SUP guys no longer have this big advantage on taking off. Usually they are gonna eat shi* on steep beach breaks....

So when its small, and crowded, just trade your potato chip in for a longboard and go head to head with the SUP guy out there. Get more waves and beat him at his own game, but if its good out, the ocean always regulates its users... The bigger and better the surf, the lesser the crowd, the easier to pick off a set and the less likely an SUP guy will be anywhere near you.....

SUPs mind their business when its good out. Its when its crap that they will abuse their privilege.

 

so thats why u have that goofy hair cut

 

yeah I can defiantly see that, if the line up is already established, and as I said I keep my distance regardless. the situation I was seeing was more the other way, that I and perhaps others were already out and a crew comes and parks inside. The other thing I didn't mention is that this is basically a summer scenario when it's hard to find space anywhere, other times of the year it's not a problem especially the small days I go out.