RESPECT THE RIDER cause the next one might be you...

It earns me lots of waves

 

This thread reminds me of what happened to me during Arthur. I was sitting in a SB lineup. This guy on a long board kept ending up basically lined up outside of me. All day it was no worries. He was making his direction clear and we would adjust accordingly if he was coming our way (right). On this particular wave, I was in a little bit so I even spoke out to him, are you going left? Yes he said. Anyway, He starts paddling to go left, get up and riding, so I stop my shift in the lineup and all the sudden he cuts completely back and takes a line right at me. He realizes that his line is right at me and he makes this crazy face like OH SH**. He was still out far enough and I could see him trying to take a lower line, but he wasn't accomplishing it. I duck dive as deep as I can, a few feet deep. He went right over top of me, to the point that I could feel the water moving over my back.

Everyone lined up with me was like, WTF is he doing? Why would he take that line, he had room all over that wave to adjust.

So, the guy goes way down, takes him a good 5 minutes to get back out. He paddles right next to me, gets off his board, comes over, shakes my hand, introduces himself and apologizes. He was obviously a good surfer. Old guy, but he knew what he was doing and just took a bad line and we were both fine.

So, COME TO FIND OUT.... THIS GUY WAS ON A WAVE JET BOARD!!!!! A $5,000 BOARD! I didn't even realize it that day, and it was a strange feeling when I went so deep but still felt him right above me. I thought he must have had like a 12" center fin or something.

Anyway, I was talking to my next door neighbor, who is the kite boarding guy. I told him where I had surfed and he was like yeah, I didn't go there for Arthur. Did you see ***? I said, yeah, he is an old guy and I described his board. He said yup, that's him. He is an old friend. He said, did you notice what kind of board he was on? I said a LB. He said, yeah, but it has a wave jet on it. He told me he surfed all day that day on his wave jet board.

Then it all made sense. Cause this guy was a skilled, old cat and I couldn't figure out why he couldn't adjust his line. I mean, he was still 15 yards out and I could see him trying, but the thing wouldn't move....

Moral of the story. Wave jets are not only ridiculous, they are dangerous in a crowd. I am not even sure what the bottom of one of those things looks like, but if you can't steer it, don't ride it.

Can't even imagine the conversation if I was injured and he was out $5,000.

 

Therefore logically not sharing is mannerrless. The belief "that there is no taking turns in surfing" that causes problems. I check my own friends when they forget that **** too. Not just on Swellinfo.

 

I know that there are shifty peaks all over the east coast, but I still always show activity and formation with regards to a lineup. Even if we are all drifting all over the place, if the guy next to me gets a wave, and paddles back to the other side when he is done, from that point on, when he goes on a wave, I will pause for a moment and as he is coming back out, I will paddle back further than he took off. And if I feel that he is getting close to me on his paddle back, within 10 feet, I will begin to paddle deeper. Regardless of how it happens, I make sure that the other surfer is WATCHING me paddle over when he is coming back out. Showing him that I am taking his spot and getting the right of way for the next one.

Not to be a di**, but just to indicate that we are in fact in an active lineup. If a guy wants to go surf a crap peak and keeps passing you, that is fine, but if there are a few of us out, I make it known that when you go and have priority, that I am going to paddle to where you took off, if not a little further, just so that we are clear. It is a simple unspoken word that keeps organization out there.

And if you get the guy that just keeps paddling back around no matter how deep you go, that is fine too, I make sure to just paddle him out of the picture. I will get as deep as I need, to where if you go 10 yards past me, you aren't even able to back door it.

IMO, there is always some sort of lineup. Regardless of how many peaks, even if there are a few main ones.... You always have the guys that paddle deeper, and organize a few deep into an active lineup. Then you have your shoulder hoppers, who are out there cleaning up scraps on either direction from the main peaks, and then you have the trolls who are just sitting in a channel or in the completely wrong area.

Regardless of what you call it, there is always organization. Of course reefs and points have a more organized takeoff, but even pipe and places like that have the shoulder hoppers waiting like scavengers for someone to blow a takeoff and clean up scraps.

I learned my paddling etiquette from OC MD, where we would paddle each other so deep over a little stub jetty, that guys were taking off 20 yards behind the rocks, getting into hairy situation. It's a pissing in the wind game, but eventually someone loses and then everyone just starts acting right.

Cause I don't care if you surf a spot every day and I am visiting, if you continually try and jock me out of the lineup, I push it as far as I can until we are all out of position.

 

but, I don't think there is an obligation to share like there is an obligation to not drop in.

 

Yeah, I mean if you paddle back in position and no one moves and they let you do it over and over, then by all means, grab every wave you want and that is the right thing to do.

I have surfed with so many people that always get all butt hurt about the LBer or the SBer that just keeps paddling back into position, and I am like bro, you are sitting over on the shoulder. If you don't want to paddle over to us grown ups, then sit there are whine to yourself. You aren't ever going to get a wave if you don't become a moving part in the lineup. I will share with any and everyone that is moving within the system, but if you want to sit on the edge, I am not going to paddle back out and sit on the wrong side of you, leaving 20 yards of the critical part of the wave open.

If they don't move, go right past em. Nothing personal, but that is just a waste of a lot of waves and if you want a good wave, you better act like it.

 

I applaud you sir

 

But the other thing I always try and do, because sometimes, things get so agressive out there, that the leader of the lineup, or the next in line is basically too deep. So, I will also not just drop into a closeout or a section I am way too deep on if the guys down the line have a better option. That is where sharing comes into play. If I think the guys down the line 15 yards have a better shot at the barrel, I will stop paddling and give them the universal head nod indicating that I am giving that one up. And that way I don't lose my spot, I don't take a bad wave just for the sake of positioning and those things are remembered. So then others may share.

Nothing worse than being in a better position and having to give up a wave to some genius who is dropping into a closeout just because they have priority. It's like, man, you knew that I had a better line, but fine, you want to waste a wave, well now you took a sh** wave, and I am taking your spot. So, well done.

 

On the crowded days I'm that shoulder hopper. I've gotten some of the best waves just because they went unridden from the main peak. A lot less hassling and pissing in the wind as you so eloquently described haha. I do enjoy it though when everyone out in the water has the mutual understanding and just trades off on waves. Was out recently and no one really knew each other in the water but we literally just line up for each wave in silence one after another. Surprised it worked out so well since it was a mushy beachbreak with side shore winds, but a peaceful session nonetheless.

 

yep. in a solid line up, the guys who know whats what will give up wave to the guy in the better position to get the better ride and the douches end up getting crap.

 

Haha, yup. Darwinism.

 

heres a little tip to clear a crowded lineup.take a shyt in the water

 

this may be an unpopular opinion, but if I see you paddle from 40 yards away to try and take a wave that is coming directly at me, prepare for it to be a party wave, because I'm still going.

 

+1

 

I think in most lineups your move is appreciated by everyone except the guy who paddled from down the line to try and intercept the peak that is coming right at you.

 

F*ck yeah I'm still going!

 

I've been mostly gravitating toward an empty beachbreak since moving to San Diego a week or so (coming from Florida). A few friends from back home keep telling me to get into the crowds, or go surf Trestles, or this spot further south... but I seriously hate anything over a mild crowd- unless it's pumping. I've had mostly a few guys around, no need to hassle each other for anything other than small talk...

I learned how to surf in crowds, and grew up with buddies who would only surf inlet stuff, but am I wasting my time in a wave-filled state where I refuse to deal with actual crowds?

 

In a heartbeat

 

Thanks, Seldom....