What makes a kook a kook?

to me a kook is someone rides a foam board with ralph lauren swim trunks on and has no idea what they are doing out in the lineup. that's just my personal experience hahaha. Now if you are seriously trying to learn and are being respectful, then, I don't have a problem with ya at all.

 

posting this

 

Not necessarily a beginner but someone who shows little respect for the others in the lineup. In the case of beginners, it is often because they don't know any better. The definition of kook can also entail those who portray their skills to be better then they actually are and engage in unqualified bragging outside of the water when no one is watching.

 

There are many avenues that can qualify a person as a kook. My daily definition comes from my surf session yesterday. So I was having a good time, minding my own business, and being respectful in the lineup like always and then a KOOK ruined my session. The guy was thinking he was billy badass - but he really wasn\'t - paying no mind to any of the other 10 people out there and (almost) catching every single wave that came by (and there really wasn\'t many waves to be had). I had to quit paddling for many waves because I know and obey the rules of surfing and didn\'t want to drop in on him. Although, as soon as I paddle for any wave, this a**hole drops in on me. After this happened multiple times I called him a \"F\'n KOOK\" and rode one more and found an empty sandbar. I would consider this guy more of a kook because of his inconsiderate behavior in the lineup then the obvious beginner that was out there, who at least got out of your way when he saw you up and riding.

 

If you grew up surfing Cocoa Beach it was anyone from Orlando. Riding a Ron-Jon Surfboard made you half a kook.

 

To me a kook is not what you ride,how you look or what you wear.Its the way you behave in the lineup.Its knowing your place in the lineup.Theres an unspoken rule in the lineup.Alot of beginners are 1st kooks just for the fact that they don't know any better on etiquette out there.Bottom line its all about etiquette.

 

if you do anything that Wilbur Kookmeyer does then you are a Kook

 

I agree that behavior/ediquitte defines who is dubbed a "kook". Everyone drops in on someone by accident every once in a while; but it's those who think they can do whatever they want all the time that I have no respect for.

 

people that call other people kooks are, in fact, kooks themselves.

 

Origin of "KOOK" -Hawaiian (spelled "kukai." def. "sh!t" (n.); derogatory connotation. Cali surfers brought term back in the 30's and 40's.

 

I never think of beginners as kooks. I never see some person out in the ocean, trying to do what we do and think of them as a kook. I mean, it has to be pretty decent surf and a dangerous situation for me to even grunt at you. Kooks to me are the guys who surf well and display terrible attitudes. The guys I consider kooks are the ones who rip, but weave in and out of the lineup and down the line, talking sh** to everyone. Screaming at beginners, acting a damn fool. If u surf well and are a local, just shred, throw fans of water in peoples faces and you wizz by, rest and repeat. Displaying poor attitudes for any reason while in the water, unless its a serious situation makes you a kook. To me anyway...

Beginners and posers dont bug me. Everyone in the world wishes in one way or another that they are a surfer. I get it. There is nothing better than seeing dozens of tourists, snapping photos of you surfing. And you know they are thinking, man, in another life time, I would be that guy... Not the guy here visiting for a few days, taking pictures and wishing. I think deep down, everyone wants a slice of our lifestyles... They are not kooks...

Imitation is the best form of flattery. Its us surfers that are responsible for not becoming kooks once we are capable of surfing well..... Its a responsibility thing. And if you are out there acting a fool, you are being an irresponsible member of the community.... None of us want to hear you *****ing. Your bad vibes... Take that sh** somewhere else....

Its like surfing trestles. One guy will puff his chest out, start talking sh** to some other guy... 10 seconds later, the whole lineup turns on the aggressor, telling him he better shut up or he will be removed from the lineup by the rest of people.

 

i think a kook is someone who doesnt show respect to the surfers that surf at a certain spot day after day after day either it be shin high or oh+. as one day a few weeks ago i went paddling out on my costco foam longboard just for fun and it was maybe waist high but some guy cut me off and said he didnt even think i could paddle into a wave let alone surf it very well which i can do on the foamboard and. and he would be what i call a kook, someone who doesnt show respect to another surfer no matter what board hes riding, and ive been surfing for 6 years and havent missed a swell and i surf at the same spot every day basically.

 

I gotta say man. I bought my wife an 8' foam hybrid board and I love that damn thing. I have a standard round nose long baord but this thing is fairly maneuverable. I will paddle into a waist high mushy one and perch on the nose while im flying past all those dudes pumping their ass off (and dropping in on me = kook) so they can get a 4 second ride on their 5'11" that they bought because someone told them they have to 'shred' if they want to be a surfer. I yell at people who are about to drop in on me after I've already set my line. If you dont teach them they will NEVER learn.

 

Yea I still have an 8'4 Peter Pan foam board that I got when I first started 8 years ago. Although I have moved on to many other boards and have even started to shape my own, I still take that thing out when the conditions are right. Its not what you ride its how you ride... aka repecting others out there.

 

I respect ya for that man. I was talking about the tourists and people who don't give a ****. Props to ya if you can outride anybody with the equipment you have. I have a 7'6 funboard i love to death when the surf is small. it rides like a champ. people clear out of the way when they see me comin down the line on that thing haha

 

True that brotha. It pisses me off too. I can handle it as long as it doesnt get good. Ill just go back and drink some beers. If it gets good thats another story.

 

I think you guys pretty much nailed it. Now if one of you can edit a description into Wikipedia...

 

And don't forget to Stay Above The Weather!

 

i agree to this. i love seeing people out there in the summer learning to surf and trying their hardest to stand up because I remember when I was like that. As long as they don't come out like they are some superstar, and understand basic lineup etiquette i'll even give them pointers. However the guy who snakes everybody's waves, drops in on everyone, and is just a cocky a$$hole in the lineup is what I consider a kook. I don't care how good they are.