Dudes on sup's are the worst

Impressive 1st post ......thanks .............you knocked it out of the Ball Park

 

The real meat of this discussion, which no one has really said directly...

We don't like SUP types because they are not like us. They are soccer mom's and retirees. They are my 50 yr old aunt and her kids who just "took some lessons" in Rehobeth. They are my girlfriend's 60 yr old mom from West Virginia who RAVES about how she loves paddling around the lake and wants to go ride some waves in the ocean. It's the DC office guy with his oh-so-cool SUV with SUP stickers all over it. WE DON'T LIKE THEM. The general gripe here is not with Garrett McNamara or other "waterman" enthusiasts. Our beef sits with the posers we see creeping onto our turf. We want to feel cool and separate and unique. We don't want to be associated with the suburbanite weekend warriors. I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I suppose it's wrong, but I bet that this is how most of those against SUP (including me) really feel deep inside but hesitate to say. I'd like to say "oh, it's great to see more people enjoying the waves..." but the selfish side of me wants these bozo's on the beach watching me instead of dropping in. I don't know the answer, but I think that's the fundamental truth of this entire argument, safety concerns aside.

 

That is a very honest statement, that represents the basic surfing coutner culture that has been around for 50 years. We are all happy until we see outsiders of any kind paddling out on anything onto "our turf".... Generally, it doesn't matter what kind of board you are on. If you decide to paddle out into the pack, we don't want you there. We would much prefer you sit on the beach and cheer on our egos. So its really not about the boards... They could be out on shortboards and we would no want them there... its just the selfish nature of what we do...

 

My gripe is mostly over safety, hence about surf etiquette. And don't snidely snake me on the shoulder saying "first up owns the wave." I do like SUPs when they give longboarders of the same persuasion hissy fits

 

nothing wrong with SUPs on flat days, rivers, lakes, bays, etc. They don't belong in a lineup with anything breaking over shin high. Has nothing to do with where they are from or how old they are. Jesus grow the **** up and get over high school already. I dislike SUPs because they don't stay in one place lined up, instead they circle the lineup on the outside like sharks. Not only is that the worst of surfing etiquette x10 (paddle-battling) its hard to get a read on where they are so there is a safety issue. Also, at peaky breaks without a tight takeoff zone, where two can take a wave, they'll sit way outside and paddle for a wave, and since they don't pop up like a regular surfer, its very hard to predict which way they're going unless they yell "going right" or "going left" and it seems to me that most of these guys, whether its because they are inexperienced or just have their head up their ass, or both, they almost NEVER yell, they just go. So yeah, SUPs may be great excercise and a fun family activity, but they have no place in surfing.

 

And that is the part of surfing that turns me off to surfing. Selfish ****wads and their massive egos. I have done a lot of sports in my life, and never heard anything like the stuff I read on the surfing forums. Shortboarders hating longboarders. Surfers hating body boarders and SUPers. Grow up, children. I am so glad my surfing friends do not act like some of the people on net. They are helpful and kind, even after surfing for 25 years.

If your break is so crowded that you feel threatened by every new person in the water, time to move to a different spot or learn to share the water. If those new people are not sharing the water, politely teach them how. Live, Love, Surf.

 

saw a 50 something office dweller type SUPing in some shore break at my local beach on sunday. IT was awesome. We sat there and watched him get his sh*t packed over, and over, and over, and over. A sixer, some friends, and a kook on a paddle board- thats a good time right there!

On that same note- I have been out with some guys charging BIG waves on SUP's, and THAT takes balls. Just getting out on a serious day looks like a b*tch and a half on one of those things

 

I know it's different in different areas, ie VAB. And I will be the first to let any military person have the pick of the waves--the smallest "thank you" I think I can give.

BUT
Here in Wrightsville (not so much CB) I stand by my initial broad-brush statement. Yeah, there are a couple folks here (not more than 3) that can shred a SUP.... or "shred" as much as one can on a SUP, but they are the small minority.
Figure 8 Island, for instance--all of a sudden literally everyone and their mother got SUP's last year. Hell, you can't even fish the wealth of marshes behind the island without a gaggle of SUP kids all of a sudden showing up and spooking the fish... or just paddling around in the middle of a designated channel looking at you (in a boat) with an "eat chit and go around me" look.
Go to any WB parking lot in the AM and watch the SUP crew pull up. Guaranteed 90% of the cars have Landfall (uber snotty gated community) stickers on them..... and who gets out? Folks in the demographic I mentioned in my previous post. At least you can get a good laugh by following them out on the beach (after they have to stop 2 or three times to rest their arms and catch their breath), watching them fall all over each other paddling out, attempt to ride a few waves, get winded and then come in talking about how awesome their sesh was and all the minute details of how their board feels. It's a good laugh. Or even better yet, go do this on a chest to head day and watch them flounder around in the shore break.
Maybe I am a bitter party of one, but that's just how the SUP scene is around my home breaks. Actually, they have taken my mind off UNCW student "insta-surfers" the past few years so maybe they actually do have some benefit......

And dave..... what's the difference between calling people out for being the posers they are and trying to define where someone "belongs" and/or what someone has "any business" doing? Try not to claim moral supremacy...... it's pretty high school......

 

I understand the safety aspect. I surf my SUP from time to time, but only at dawn patrol away from line ups. Wiping out does launch a 30 lb freight train.

As far as the out of shape newbs falling all over...at least they are trying to learn. Maybe next time you could walk over and give them a few pointers instead of just being an ass.

 

for me,i love surfing for the feeling of riding a wave,and getting away from people,so i guess i'm different than some.i like my crappy beachbreak by myself 10 months a year,and go to Hatteras as much as possible july and august.i deal with people the rest of the time,so for me paddling out alone or with a friend or two is my escape.
maybe i can learn to accept the more crowded situations better.longboards,sups,beginners,invaders are annoying when i just want to be alone,but i guess i could go someplace else.a lot of old great surfers will surf crap waves instead of their old,now-crowded good breaks.manasquan inlet on a summer saturday is no fun for me,but sometimes it's the only game in town

 

Explain to me, anyone, the rationale of SUP'ers paddling over to a peak that you and a couple of others are enjoying, that you walked to away from the hordes and there are tons of other peaks, but they come to ride on your peak. That happens all too often. Then there are the SUP'ers who have told me that they gave up trying to catch waves in increasingly crowded conditions and now they can get all the waves they want on a SUP. These are the SUP'ers I have not time for.

 

.."hey bro, try to.... be better at that... yeah" Man I don't SUP, If I gave him pointers it would be straight trolling to watch him fall harder.

 

I hate the term SUP'er I've been stand up paddle surfing since it started or at least 5 years ago and started surfing as a kid 45 years ago and I have to say it's proved to be more fun than lying down in the water, prone paddling especially in cold water. I paddle a 9'6'' wave board and adhere to all the ettiquete and respect I would expect given to me as well. I've had very little resistance from the regular crowd at the jetty in VB where it's super crowded and agro but I rarely venture into the lineup until it gets really big, then it's fair game for everyone. To me it's still surfing in every sense of the word, just no prone paddling plus my little board rips around with the best of them. I will say there are kooks on all size boards especially new people on SUPS. I try my best to steer them away from the advanced surf lineups if that's possible. To me it's all about the wave and what you ride, be safe.

 

Hating on SUP will not help you feel cool, separate, or unique. You get that from your own self consciousness bra....Sounds like you don't hate SUPers, you hate tourists on SUP's. And I feel your pain, nothing pisses me off more than seeing someone on a paddle board with the paddle facing the wrong direction.


I SUP. And you will never see my board hit yours. Even if I'm caught inside on a big day, I will not lose control. I only wear a leash because it is the law. Ill even tell you when some of the best waves are coming. If I'm in a better position to get a wave, yes, I'm probably going to take it. But racing back out to the line up to snake another is exhausting. I rock a blue Tim Nolte custom shaped 10'6 and I can tear it up. You will have fun surfing next to me, cause you will know when and where its going to happen.

What I think is amusing is: I'll be the only guy out on a deserted sand bar then after I get on a roll, a bunch of dudes will come crowd the wave. Like birds to a bird feeder. But I don't get pissy...It's more of a compliment.

So don't put everyone who stands up on a surf board in the same category.

 

They are a hazard to everyone in the water because a majority of people who aren't watermen use them as crutches to catch waves. There are exceptions, of course. I've seen some guys destroy waves in HI on SUP's. But generally speaking, they are mostly a danger to others and themselves.

 

There are plenty examples of SUP'ers causing injury and harm in Hawaii.

 

I've read a little bit of this thread. I have seen quite a few guys/girls out on SUP's. They always distress me when I see them. I may have seen one guy that could actually ride it with class and skill, and even then they still jumped every wave they could. My take is that it is the latest flavour of the month, and another way the masses can get involved with the latest surfing craze. Last thurs. was French/Canadian day at the lighthouse and man they were making life difficult. I know everyone wants to be involved with the in crowd, cool thing to do, but some of us have a hard time taking this seriously. If you suck, stay out of the good breaks and reside at the crappy ones, like I was taught more than 35 yrs. ago. If you must ride on a modified sailboard because you can't or won't ride on a board meant to paddle with your hands not a canoe paddle.

 

And to reply to the comment, "you must hate tourists," well I'm not real fond of them, it's one of the main reasons why some much of the outer banks is completely closed. Don't need you money, or want it. KEEP THE COUNTRY COUNTRY. Go home Yankee.

 

Your local businesses just won more concessions to sell alcohol/mixed drinks and all that on Hatteras Island... meaning more tourists are being beckoned. BTW, just curious, but what percentage of your economy is based on tourism? What other business would there be besides some commercial fishing, a Coast Guard posting and such?

 

I never insinuated SUP injuries haven't taken place there or anywhere for that matter. Crowds, attitudes, and big egos cause injuries regardless of what size board you choose to ride. There is a big difference watching a guy (or girl) drop in on double O reef giving me a wide berth to get out of their way as opposed to almost getting my ribs broken by a guy SUP'ing on a knee high wave who couldn't control his board. The latter did not take place there.

I'm all about everyone having fun in the water but this SUP thing has gotten a little out of hand.