dropping in

It's simple. If you see someone paddling for the wave you are going to get, yell "YO!" or "going left!" then you better get into it. If you see they are still paddling for it (dont care, or didn't hear you) make the drop and start shooting down the line. Do a floater or lil air right in the area that they are trying to paddle into. They will never try to drop in again.

On the flipside, if you have the inside and it's your wave and you can't make it (too late, too far out) you better yell "GO" for the next guy to get it. Thou shalt not let any waves break empty.

 

Sorry Retro but your thinking is wrong!!!! I also have sat while watching the local crew of where ever I am surfing be it in NJ or travelling catch more than thier share of waves but they are in position and taking off where the peak of the wave is and If I am not up to thier game not feeling like I could make the drop and quick barrel that they are doing and sitting on the shoulder all I deserve is the ones that swing wide or the ones that they miss. If I dont have the balls,skill,endurance, whatever it takes to sit on the peak and catch the sets then in NO WAY DO I have the right to drop in on a competant surfer he is obviosly surfing better than me. You are now the dangerous kook and if its a local crew holding the peak and someone tries this PLease you will be getting thrown out of the water so PLease dont any one practice this approach correct thing to do it your not getting your share of waves becuase others are out surfing you is to move to another spot till you cinfidence is up to compete for set waves/ Surfing isnt a charity event when the waves are pumping and the local crew has been waiting for there spot to go off and some guys on the shoulder are getting misty eyed cause no one is giving up waves for them to get..... Get over it move on to a spot where you can get the sets with out the competion Thats is what I do when I am out matched and that about half the time when I am at a well known spot....

 

I hate when just because im only in highschool and alot of the guys out there especially the offseason like now think they are the sh*t and drop in on you just because they are older. I also hate when there are the guys who either paddle for a wave real hard then jump off it, or just watch a wave so you think they arent taking it, then just hop in it last second. In the past year of so i have dropped in on two surfers accidently, only because when i checked i didnt see them and then focused on the wave. Immediately after doing so, i apologized and told them i completely didnt see then and they were totally cool about it and understood completely.

 

I have to agree with bauer on this. Being aware of your skill level and where you fall in the pecking order is important. It doesn't mean that a better surfer deserves more waves. Its about safety for all in the water. If you are out matched, LEGO YOUR EGO. Go to the spot when no one is out and build up your skill level and then next time you need to charge you will be prepared. Besides, whats with all the crowded peaks? There are decent spots that go unsurfed on many good days. Find one of those and shred alone. I have enough friends and in general don't like most people, so I look for empty spots.

 

Yeah people should learn how to conduct them selves in the water before they decide to surf in a spot that gets crowded. One thing that really makes me mad is when some person in there 40's who decides all of a sudden that they have to surf and they are sitting out there on a bic longboard or some other board for that stature and they think jsut becuase the sit out the farthest they they have the wave it give longboarders a bad rep.
Another thing is when you are already up on the wave doing your thing and you either pass someone or they are sitting on the inside and they drop in deep in the white water behind you and they think its there wave all of a sudden. Just becuase you drop in after someone goes by you doenst make it your wave then . I dont know how many times that happens .

The best advice I think is take some lessons with a good instructor before you go out on you own into the line up .

 

This is what you have to do: Don,t just get mad and yell at them and pull off, they will never learn unless you teach them a lesson. Pump as hard as you can and try and get as close as you can to them (this is a good strategy since it can prob only be done by people who are decently skilled and don't deserve to get cut off), and just flat out try and tackle them, grab their board, even try and launch your board at them, or if your really good just fly right by them (that is always the best way to embaress them). Do that and they won't cut u off again... or u will get beat up, whatever happens, someone will learn a lesson from it

 

another thing is that when its going off everywhere literally every spot is working and theres already say 10 or so guys out, why do people get the assumption to paddle out there too? i never understand that. why paddle out where theres already a bunch of guys out? just means less waves for you. the beach over is reeling down the beach just as well with half the guys. bunch of wagon hoppers. oh and than you have the "locals" with the 15 year old o'neil wetsuits that are dropping in on everyone with their rhino chasers. thats the best.

 

Yeah matt we have a huge problem with this in DE. It also relates to the idea "just because you can catch every wave, doesn't mean you should".....

on another note, I would just like to say that if and when you make a mistake, as long as you apologize and don't do it again there should be a universal "no stink-eye" code. one time I was riding down the line and some older guy with was standing right in my way, not duck diving. I tried to bail and my board went flying. after all the white wash was gone I looked over and said "sorry man did I get you?" (Which btw keep in mind he was in MY way on MY wave) and he had the nerve to respond like a smartass and say "No...LUCKILY" stink-eying me the whole way. the guy probably didn't even start surfing until he was in his 40's, and most definitely wasn't a local.

 

Like a lot of people already said... I hate dropping in as much as the next guy, but I clearly understand that it is going to happen.

If you surf in a crowd, you WILL get dropped in on. I used to go out to the same spots I normally do all summer, dealing with idiots... Dealing with kooks. I cant count on both hands how many times the exact scenerio that this guy posted has happened to me... But I always keep an eye on it, and usually when you see a guy pull off the back and you see his board pull underwater because of the leash, I ALWAYS Keep an eye on it, cause it WILL pop out with a ton of force right at you. I used to literally catch foam longboard under my arm as they fly up at me, and I would hold the board and pull it as long as I could. When you are dragging a kook by his leash and he is flailing around, then he gets the point... Im not saying its your fault... But dont surf crowded spots I guess...

I mean, when its pumping and 2 feet overhead, I dont show up at blacks. Cause I know 7000000000000 people are there. I would much rather find a quieter spot to rip alone or with a few respectable guys... If you play with fire, you get burned. If you surf in crowds, you will get burned. You will get dropped in on.

And you can talk all you want about regulating, but that is a part of surfing that I dont like to do. I do it when I have to, and if you blow it for me on a big day, Im yelling at you, but when I start yelling at people, it ruins my day. Ive yelled at a guy for dropping in on me... He looked at me like a deer in headlights, then paddled in and went home. The whole rest of the session, I felt like sh**, I was like dam*, I really just ruined that guys session. This is probably gonna scar him for a while... Its just not worth it nuless its super dangerous...

But like I said, play with fire, get burned. I know way too many guys who see someone dropping in, or potentially doing the wrong thing, and rather than Popping over the back and discussing it with them, they take a SUPER HIGH line, aim right at the guy and start yelling and screaming while they pump down the line... Once you identify a potential hazzard, wave over... Its not worth getting hurt over. There are always more waves... Talk to the guy, but I hate when guys get all Agro, start AIMING at people and then yelling about it... Its just a joke to me...

Again, if it is dangerous, do something about it... But unless it was really big that day, it probably could have been avoided... Remember that when that board punched down under water, it is gonna punch back up with equal force... Ive seen it happen a million times. Board looks like its going backwards, then WACK, over the falls or the reverse tombstone shoots right back out... Just be aware of it.

Surfing is like driving. Just cause you are a safe driver doesnt mean you can control ANYONE else. You have to keep an eye on every car, in every lane around you, and when the guy who has been driving fine for miles, cuts u off all the sudden and you hit the breaks, sliding all over... You HAVE to be aware... Never lose your focus.

 

This summer while surfing out front of a pier, some dude dropped in on me after i was already standing and coming down the wave. He looked at me but didn't stop paddling then i got closer and gave a little hollar he saw me but waited tryed to take up but bailed his board last minute i dodged the board and bailed. But of coarse my leash snaps new board goes right into the pier and was never the same. This could have been way worse if i was not able to swim out of the bad rip and the pier people need to watch out. Its not just disrespectful but dangerous

 

I tend to share waves in order not to get dropped in on. If there are 10 other people in the lineup and you're catching every set wave, you should probably let them have a few after you get your share. Its all about respect, as well as safety

 

sometimes a hoot , a hollar, and even eye contact will not stop someone from droping in. People think that it not a big deal but they are the ones who dont really understand surfing they think its a hobby like stamp collecting or something.
there have been times that as I was up and going working up and donw the wave . I saww someone that was gonna drop in I gave a hoot and he looked at me but still continued to paddle . By the time he was gonna drop in I was right in front of him so I just put my hand on the nose of is board and pushed him down the backside of the wave as I went by . He was mad but I think the guy next to him explained to him why I did it cause I didnt see him try to drop in again on anyone else that day

 

The nose push is a classic Summer move! I love doing that one... The only thing better than that is when some jackas$ is about to drop in and you do a huge gouge right in front of his face, drenching him with a fan of water in the face and scaring the daylights out of them because they think you are going to hit them... The trick to that is approaching VERY FAST, then slamming on the breaks and laughing... Then the point is very well taken... They then realize that you could have decapitated them with your board, and next time, they will CERTAINLY be awaer of your location... And they will also understand how fast you actually surf, so even though you are taking off 200 yards down the line, they now know that you WILL infact end up down on their section....

But yeah, the nose push is MONEY! Freaking goobers!

 

if you are a good surfer you dont have to worry about getting dropped in on. stop whining about it. it happens, get over it. if not step out of the beach and fight the guy, if not then shut up and surf.

 

We need a quote of the month Thread, and this needs to be the winner for November. That sums it all up in very simple terms. Everyone read that, and live by it!

 

yes
I think we must remember to trade or share waves. If you observe human behavior you will notice that humans are predictable.
If a weaker surfer is continously denied a good break then eventually frustration will overtake him/her and they then will go for the wave - and since they are weaker they will end up dropping in on someone.
And so oberve your sorroundings and allow weaker surfers to learn - I like to encouarge them and make friends with them - best way to avoid conflict.

 

No way. If you want waves TAKE EM! Not saying drop in on people but get aggressive in the line up and paddle battle/jockey for position to get the best waves. Beginners shouldn't be out at the best breaks anyway.

 

Well said your the kinda bro I like to be out in the water with and some others "not so much"

 

Dropping in on someone is disrespectful... and can be dangerous. But I'll do it if I have to in order to make a point. On another thread, I said that if somebody snakes me or paddles around too many times, I'll get to a point where it becomes, "hey... you snake me one more time and you won't get a wave to yourself for the rest of the day." Then follow through, and let the chips fall where they may.

There's a difference between "survival of the fittest" in the lineup and greed. Sometimes giving waves is the ultimate sign of strength.

But what I think is worse than dropping in is people paddling or sitting right in the freak'n way 'cause they're too lazy to take the longer paddle outside, or too unaware and inexperienced to know where NOT to be. Like somebody said, dropping in happens. I actually don't mind too much if it's a small day. (It's a more serious offense when the waves are good.) But there's absolutely no excuse for being too lazy or ignorant to stay out of the impact zone. If you fall, and you find yourself in a bad spot, belly it in at least part way on the next wave, and get out of the line of the next guy. Don't try to paddle for the shoulder in front of another rider. Paddle toward the whitewater and take it on the head. You blew your wave, now take your punishment.

 

If you miss the peak repeatedly, you better expect to get dropped in on. Otherwise, stop whining. The better surfer and stronger surfer will get the wave. Man up and paddle harder