What is the general consensus on SUPs in the lineup? (I had originally started to reply to the "controversial t shirt" thread (which by the way I like, though the bozo design is pretty hard to top). At the risk of being branded a total a-hole (not for the first time ) .... I feel kinda guilty about it, but I pretty much intensely dislike SUPs in the lineup! And yet I am totally fine with body boarders, surf kayakers, body surfers, long boards, short boards, kite boards, anything. I do believe it's a free ocean, and I especially have respect for anybody who can do something I can't. But something about SUP seems like cheating. I hate that they have no shame seeking mechanical advantage instead of fitness advantage. Here I am working my ass off as a 49yo trying to step _down_ from a long board to a big guy fish, and some guy goes by all smug because he is able to balance on what is essentially a two-dimensional small boat, and use a paddle to catch a wave ... slow.clap. The other thing that irritates me is so petty I am embarrassed to admit it, but it totally irks me to see these guys on land taking on every possible surfer affectation, and referring to SUPing as surfing. So I fully expect somebody to display how open-minded _they_ are by publicly trashing me and my opinion as small minded, fascist and everything that's wrong with America today. But isn't that why Al Gore invented the Internet, so we could insult strangers from in front of a glowing rectangle? So flame away! Or express your own opinion. Or if you are a SUPper you can plagiarize something, paste it here, and pretend it is your own accomplishment.
dont knock it until you try it. its not the equipment they're using, its actually the people themselves. A vast group of SUPers are inexperienced surfers who havent a clue what surf etiquette is, they just want to surf the easiest way possible. Paddling for every single wave, dropping in with no regard for others or who has priority on the wave,(like if someone is already on the wave) and having a lack of control over thier surfboard. With that said, ive met many cool people who SUP and fit right in with everyone else in the lineup. Again, not the equipment, its the riders.
You, my good man, may be suffering from SUPis envy, the remedy of which is to find satisfaction and contentment in your current state of affairs, and appreciate the reality that there is a variety of ways to catch, ride and enjoy waves, be it dragging, crawling, or standing. And seriously, I concur with the good points aquidneck makes.
I think a beginner or a novice, on an SUP is extremely dangerous to themselves and other people. I know, i know. "How're they gonna learn?" Heres an idea... Buy a surfboard. Its like $500 cheaper and its a lot safer and easier to transport.
you are going to have to deal with a lot of different sh*t in life if sup's piss you..... you need to toughen up or not give a f*ck
btw, sup culture is a lot different than the surf culture let me present to you the following: 1. you will need a trucker hat to sup and none to surf (flat brim is gay but young surf crowd does it) 2. there are far more women sup'ing than surfing 3. the men like women and the women look like men 4. 1/2 the people who sup, don't know jack **** about the ocean, tides, waves, sandbars etc idgaf if they have a canoe or whatever
As the poster of the 'controversial t-shirt' thread, I have to confess that in my experience, SUPers (sweepers, janitors, [insert your own humorous insult]) are by-and-large selfish. *Some* will give you a nod that they see a set approaching. *Many* will engage you in conversation, perhaps to make them feel part of the 'prone crowd', but they seem unnatural standing there like some perverse human oil-rig in on a beautiful, glistening ocean. *Most* will take every damn wave they can get. Don't get me wrong, I subscribe to the idea of 'ride what the hell you want'. Infact, over the years I've ridden twinnies, longboards, shortboards/thrusters, fish and hybrids. Even sponges with the kids. But I can't ever see myself at my local break with a SUP. Chastise me for not embracing the future and clinging to the past. Just wait until some bright spark has a SUP wave-jet at your local break. Then we'll all have something to moan about. I feel cleansed through this confession.
I just had this conversation with a buddy of mine, and we decided if either of us were to actually paddle out on an SUP, it would be painted black, with the number 3 on the front, with a EZ Boy Longe chair with cup holder, umbrella, and flat screen mounted on the nose,, with the rider/paddler/douche-warrior wearing a helmet with a polarized face guard, the number 3 (go Dale Ernhardt!), and a sound system built in, to watch the NAASCAR races while engaging in this so called sport whilst in the dirty souff! And a stripper pole mounted on the back just in case.
Ya, it's just people. Some SUP-ers certainly use their contraption machine in a way that even lets the longboarders know how the shortboarders feel sometimes; I've seen a few guys that really tear it up and wait turns with everyone else too, tho. But any surfer can wave-hog on his board of choice depending on the conditions. Speaking of a how a single surfer can come make it feel like it's crowded, how many surfers does it take to remove any SUP competitive advantage? It was a tough game to find a Christobal wave that one of every board type didn't simultaneously claim. Mob rule today!
I understand what you guys are saying... But it seems like there are less sups in the line this year compared to others... Idk maybe it's me... Or maybe it's #Belmar
I'm all for personal freedom and not a big fan of whining or whiners, but it seems to me that just one SUP in the lineup can ruin 50% of the waves if they do follow the rules of the lineup. As most of them were never surfers, there is really no way they would know, but we'll give the benefit of the doubt for now. So, here he is, gut hanging way over his waist-attached bottles of water, knowing when and where the next sets will show, able to get in impossibly earlier than even the longest of long boarder. Every break has its wave hogs, its aggressors, its entitled locals, its good surfers who actually deserve waves. SUPs exponentially decrease that already thinned out wave-funnel. Now, I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed to sweep, I'm just thinking that the simple act of being in priority position shouldn't be enough. They should be willing to share. Some are, and this isn't about them. Better yet, they should find a break that a surfboard couldn't get into and we could all be happy. Or maybe camps could be set up where paddle boarders could be sent to live. Comfortably of course. With brooms when water is not available.
They are kind of a cancer to our sport if most of them weren't such greedy bastards and shared some waves i wouldn't mind them as much very few actually share and wait their turn in my opinion, they can be really annoying on an inconsistent day taking all the good set waves that come through
..agree with the points made about the negative impact of SUPS. I don’t like em. Lineups are fragile. Longboard guys can dominate and ruin it for shortboarders. Hot shots who ‘deserve’ waves and ‘own’ a lineup do the same. All decent surfers compete for waves and are, to some degree, selfish ****s. I hate all of you. And now the SUP. This is a Darwin moment. The surfing machine mutation is now with us and presents a competitive advantage in a lineup. You want to school ‘em on etiquette? Why should SUPers care what the evolution loser prone surfers ***** about? I’m sort of hoping they wake up one morning and realize how they’ve sinned and repent. Or, more likely, get bored and take up knitting. But they’re probably hanging out with cockroaches and stomach parasites gloating over their inevitable victory over the ‘surfer boys’ and plotting their next conquest. So, should something be done? There’s a lot of libertarian “pro-freedom” folks here. You want more rules and government involvement to keep those bad SUPs away from your precious surfspot? Is more oppression ok when your interests are anti-freedom (hello anti smokers)? Call your congressman/city council/beach patrol? Self-regulate and kick some SUP butt? Quit surfing? Here’s a good tread topic “what are you going to do after the SUPers ruin your life”. Wake up surfers and throw off the shackles of your SUP overlords… Rise up!
^LMAO......... Slippery Slope. Great points on both side. But really. We can't all drive Ferrari's because then we will all be D-Bags. Whats next. No surfmats in the line up.
By the way. Theres a vid out there of Laird shooting the pier at Malibu on sup. Sick... Undeniable!!!!
if their douche, I make jokes and make it blatanly clear im talking about them until they feel awkard.. and of course drop in on them every wave and bring a ****ty old board every session just for that but of course if there nice or chill or just not a douche tho ill treat them like any other surfer. 1 way that worked to get a SUP brah to never return after he dinged the holy life out of my bae... after the sesh I sprinkled my snacks around his SUP mobile and hence seagulls come haulin ass for those chips,,, after dumbass seagulls eat all chips dumbass seagulls sit on car wait for more,,,when more doesn't come and dumbass seagull tummy hurt dumbass seagull dukie on the SUP lord's mobile,,, SUP lord comeback and swing paddle at seagulls and look very butthurt and sad.... SUP brah lord king never return