Dudes on sup's are the worst

I live in VA, I have family in Carolina. I am familiar with both areas. People are more friendly in Carolina and SUP are fewer in abundance. There is 20 or so miles of ocean front in VA south of the eastern shore. In the outer banks alone there is over 100 miles of coast line. Not only that, VA is a large metropolitan area. North eastern North Carolina is just starting to feel the urban sprawl. The population density on the outer banks is so sparse that if you are surfing a crowded break there it's because you chose to. In VA if it's good, I'm probably in the outer banks, BUT on the rare occasion I am there I know how it is. It's crowded. It doesn't matter where you paddle out, there are no secret spots. And the reality is the last few summers, and during last years hurricane swells (minor as they were) there were SUP'ers increasingly abundant in the line up. And they are reckless.

I'm not saying all SUP'ers are reckless or kooks. That's ridiculous. I saw the Kelly Slater in 3d movie at the muesum and the Tahitian guy was absolutely ripping double over head teahupoo (sp?) on a probably 9 foot stand up paddle board. I also bet that guy has a ton of the respect in the line up and understands how important it is to be mindful of other people.

I'd like to see the SUP'ers tighten up their act. I'm not a bully in the water and I am the last person to become physical or violent. I'm usually not alone so it's rare that people infringe on my friends and my own rights. We are all big strong young men. And we go hard so we earn respect and give it where it's due.

My beef with the SUP is that they move from peak to peak and will drop in on someone who was sitting on the peak next in line without hesitation because they can get in the back. That wouldn't fly more than once or twice around me before I said something and made you feel uncomfortable. It's not an isolated incident but I think it was worse last year. I'm assuming some of them are reading these threads, I know there are SUP guys on this site, and hopefully the ones who are doing it will realize the error of their ways.

You don't see them on the really gnarly days, but they can get out on a clean long period inconsistent hurricane swell and really bust up a line up.

If I can manage I don't paddle out near anyone, especially SUP'ers just because I know they are so manueverable and they are going to take advantage of it. You can't really blame them for utilizing the tools they have available. But at the same time having been burned by several novice SUP'ers, and being nearly run over by some old man with a yellow and black SUP last summer I have bad experiences which have shaped my opinion. If it continues to become more and more popular hopefully the percentage of SUP'ers who have decent etiquette will increase. I certainly hope so because they are going to be out there and we need to all get along.

I don't hate SUP'ers intrinsically but they are going to have to earn my respect. I'm specifically talking about in VA beach too so if you aren't then we can't compare. I have seen a few SUP in the banks but I usually find my own spot there and even when I don't they are much more sparse there. As for the light house I have no idea I never surf there. Never felt the need to drive that far.

 

Being a SUP rider is hardly a key qualifier for being a waterman. And who gives a rat's ass anyway? It is just a label. Moreover, not even 1% of SUP boarders out in the surf zone would qualify as a waterman under any stretch of imagination. Take their leash away and they are lost puppies. Put them out in 12 foot surf and they will turn whiter than white. Please don't confuse the issue of that vast majority of SUP riders in the surf zone with something called a waterman or a surfer with some semblance of surf etiquette. It is outright lazy greed.

 

I think the proposition that people hate SUP'ers because it is the popular thing to do is dismissive. The fact that so many people have such strong feelings about the subject proves that there is a problem.

I believe the reason there is so many kook SUP'ers is because many of them haven't been surfing very long.

Since I started body boarding the hatred towards me as a body boarder has decreased drastically, or at least not as many surfers wear their hate on their sleeves anymore. I think that has to do mainly with the fact that they see me beat them out to the line up, they see me getting more waves, staying on the peak, dropping in deeper, and I've earned their respect. When I first started I was a kook just like all of us were and I'm sure I pissed plenty of decent surfers off by not having my bearings in the line up. I learned my lessons and came back a better rider.

Before last summer I don't think I had EVER seen a stand up paddler and if I had it was so infrequent that it's lost to my memory. That means that these guys have at most two years experience. That's not much time on the east coast to have any decent amount of solid swells under your belt. If you got two over head clean days a year here you are lucky. So there is this huge influx in novice riders. As they progress we will see them also become more aware of the line up etiquette. At least that's what I'm expecting.

Hopefully in a few years we won't be having this conversation and then it will truly be only the most vile and hate filled among us that feel the need to lash out against any of their fellow wave riders based solely on their board choice.

 

i think life guards on those "force feild" boards are just as bad ifnot worse

 

I got an idea, shut up and surf.

There is a ton of SUPs in Rhode Island, alot of them good, alot of them bad. Just like any other board you are riding, guys that know waves get waves. I have no problem with the SUP, Im gonna get the waves I want regardless about how far outside they sit.

A kook to me is a guy that throws a hissy fit about every other guy out in the water because they are getting less waves.

 

It takes one to know one, kook.

Truthfully though I don't see the point in calling each other kooks on the forum. You can't possibly interpret that data from the words which someone types on an Internet forum. That is preposterous, and disrespectful.

 

If someone is acting kookish on any board be respectful and inform them they are endangering themselves and others around them. If they are a decent person, which most of us are regardless of the cold shell we seem to wear, then they will get the point. Even if they act offended at first, when they go home and stew over the day they will remember your words. Especially if you are polite and concerned instead of aggressive or passive aggressive. I know plenty about passive aggressive surfers throwing the mean mug my way. I just let my surfing do the talking nowadays but when you suck it is not a pleasant experience to be mean mugged by some aggro punk.

I hope everyone gets some waves tonight and tomorrow. If you are staying in VA watch out for the kooks!

 

I agree. The problem is that the majority of SUPs are new to the ocean with the exception of them who also surf. Most of these people don't have the patience or energy to get in shape to actually use their arms to paddle a surfboard. They prefer the easier method of using a paddle. I guess I shouldn't hate too much. These people don't go out on big days and aren't around in the winter.

It's just annoying when you are out by yourself and they sit on top of you. I guess they hear it from all angles. People tell them to go to less crowded breaks and then the people at the less crowded breaks get annoyed by them. They can't win unless they go to a bay or lake. Get the necessary exercise there and then you can learn to surf.

 

I never said that Riding a SUP make or Qualifys someone to be a waterman. A waterman is someone who knows the sea and can use a variety of different waveriding tool. A waterman takes pride in being a good swimmer, diver, fishermen and surfer.

I am not saying anyone has to embrace the Sup's as a legit aspect of Surfing but execpt the fact that it here and been around alot longer than your shortboard and move on with you lives

 

I'd rather have a few "considerate" SUPers around than a kite boarder - one time a "kiter" near me went 15-20 feet into the air, and landed "board first" about three feet from my head - I asked him if he could control where he landed, and he said "no" - and I let him have it! He could have killed me, or a few other guys that were surfing near me!

 

300.00 round trip airfare from Richmond, VA to San Diego + Car.

this trip might eliminate some of the anger on this thread.

 

the term "waterman" is so annoying. Talk about a kooky term.

 

I have no issue with my local SUPers. They are all super respectful in our lineups. Even when there are 100 guys out, the SUPers are not novices by any means. They are legit, no leash, never falling, pretty much ripping SUpers... So while there may be a craze of new SUP enthusiasts who are new to surfing, the ones I know here and most of the ones I have encountered in Hawaii were all very skilled surfers. Just something to do on a small day usually. I do know guys who charge on much bigger days. As big as they come, but those guys are serious shredders on any kind of board. Its only been in the past 3-5 years that I have seen any SUP activity, but the locals that I kow that picked it up are doing it on a legit level.

So while I understand the frustration if they are invading your local break, but as a whole, they are not all skill-less water newbies. I am sure a lot of them are. But I would not judge that commnuity as a whole that way. It is short sighted.

 

I never called anyone on the forum a kook, I was talking about the guys in the water throwing hissy fits.

In my opinion its real lame to come on here, *****ing and moaning about the equipment someone is using. Surfing shouldnt be about hating on every aspect of peoples equipment choices. I resepect all forms of surfers, beginners, experts, locals, weekend warriors, long boarders, SUPers, short boarders, etc. We have all been the new guy, we all have snaked someone, we have all acted like a bunch of fools endangering someone else in the water. What gives anybody the right to hate on people for what they ride or how they ride it. Deal with it and enjoy your time.

 

Was out in VB this weekend and nearly had an SUP'er kill me. I had to ditch and he ditched and his yacht ran over my board and in the process his leash took him under and became tangled in my leash. When he finally surfaced and I got my leash back from the tangles, as he coughed and gagged, I started to feel the vomit of expletives growing. Before I could start to lay into him he started apologizing amongst his coughs and gags. He claimed he shouldn't have been after that wave, and that it was too much for the board because he would always nose in. I couldn't even get a word in because of him apologizing. Best I could do is just tell him to pay attention to others in the water. He is standing up so he can see a lot more of whats going on, so its HIS responsibilty not to run down surfers. I could tell it shook him and he got a grasp of how easy it can be to run someone over because for the rest of the time I was out, he cruised the outside and never went after anything that I was remotely showing interest in. Dude didn't fit the middle class old dude bill either, which was a surprise. I think the biggest problem with the SUP fad is exactly what has been mentioned. Its come on too quickly, and its something that a lot of folks just "buy" their way into. Not saying there aren't good SUP riders out there because I've seen dudes who know what they are doing and even seen a few out in some winter surf conditions too, which surprised the he11 out of me.

Its the same thing though with most hobbys and sports. There is always the "buy in" guys. I deal with it in my Jeep hobby too. You have guys that go out and dump $60k in parts and pay a shop to put this rig together, but once they get it on the trail, they are so afraid of it / have no clue what they bought that they just plug up the trails that with their driving skill, have no business being on.

 

Haters gon' hate.

It's interesting that so many surfers hate on SUPs just because they are popular with kooks, old people, non-surfers, etc. Everyone looks for surfing-like activities to help get through flat spell's and this is one of the best I've found. Feel free to argue that paddling a big ol' SUP is nothing like smacking the lip on a potato chip, but I like it better than sitting on the beach looking at lake Atlantic.

I obviously surf too and get get pissed at irresponsible SUPs in the line-up, but that doesn't mean that it isn't fun. While most are complaining about the flat spell, I've paddled the ocean, bay, lakes, rivers, with kids, with dogs, around 7-mile island (and pissed off several lifeguards...hehe), etc.

All that being said...hurricane season can't get here soon enough.

 

benny go home!!!

 

Thank you. Good to see an intelligent and reasonable post in here.

 

This is my first post. I have been riding waves for over 40 years. After my fourth knee operation at age of 30, I could no longer pop up to a standing position. I continued riding waves on windsurfers, kayaks, waveski's, boogie boards, and now after two knee replacement surgeries, on SUPs. I am thankful that my love of the ocean has been magnified by the variety of ways that I have enjoyed it. I hope that the following attachment will put an end to this whining thread about SUP's. I don't think any rational surfer will call this Stand Up Paddler or his SUP wife kooks. I have copied this from a Virginia Beach SUP site and have omitted the name since I don't have the family's permission.

"Freedom is not free. They gave their lives to make our world a little safer and it is with a heavy heart that we mourn those we have lost....God bless our fallen heroes from Seal Team 6....(his)spark, wit and contagious smile will be greatly missed. He was a fiercely devoted husband and father and an instant friend to all that who knew him. He leaves behind a beautiful wife, two daughters, a son and has another daughter on the way. Please come show your support for this family...Please bring your board...anything you can paddle out on. We'll meet on Tuesday at 6pm on the south side of Little Island Pier-one of his favorite spots. Whether you knew him or not, let's let the familes and friends of all of our service men and women know that they will never be forgotten. This will be open to anyone who wants to show their support... men, women and anyone who wants to join the paddle out."

The photo on the website shows a smiling father paddling a SUP on an ankle high wave with his young daughter lying on the nose of the board with inflatable water wings.

 

^

Yes, very sad. I know a lot of the SUP riders in the VB area are military guys. Never had too bad of a run in with any of 'em in my spot, just the typical stuff like minor hogging and maybe getting too close to where I'm at, but nothing that you can't brush off your shoulders. I just think to myself that maybe this guy has been deployed in the middle east for the last 6-8 months and is just that hungry for waves.