Why do surfers dislike bodyboarders?

It has been a non issue for me. But I actually think surfing is a little easier. Maybe because I haven't done much bodyboarding. I love bodysurfing. Guess I don't have a stance. The raft thing sounds fun. My kids love the cheap bodyboards I got them. Keeps them busy while I surf

 

I am totally in agreement with you, been saying that for a long time on this site... its really absurd and narrowminded, and if there is the said etiquette, yes, we are on the same quest......! thanks!

 

YDM, look at what you have done! The length of this thread will soon rival "dumping in the water"...a classic SwellInfo thread

Perhaps there is a scientific approach to solving this.

Bodyboarders are typically greater in number and not subject to the regulations that surfers have. Are there $10 surfboards for sale at Sunsations? Perhaps everyone just wants to get wet (in more ways than one).

When bodyboarders go to the "main break", that's when most surfers seem to be at odds with them. "You wanna ride here, but you have the whole beach to do it with no restrictions, and you took my wave."

This is a wave-starved coast and I am preaching to the choir. Perhaps everyone "hates" everyone. Nothing like finding a break to yourself, catching waves, no crowd and then a pack of other surfers, bodyboarders and kiddies flock right to you despite having entire stretches of beach at their disposal. Then one of the "other surfers" paddles up and requests wax. "Hey bro, got any wax? I forgot mine. That's why I'm not catching waves. I don't like slippin. Dude, such a gnarly DMX song. Is that a thruster set up? I think I've got one of those. My buddy Greg over there uses one and he is sooo sick! Is it forecasted to get bigger" You're in your own world and have water in your ears, feel like you're in a Wal-Mart with all these kids and fat moms on the inside playing and you turn to "other surfer" and reply "that's what she said?" Then you take a wave and Greg drops in in front of you and falls off right away and gives you the stink eye and says "I don't think you wanted that one." Thanks Greg, I hope you die a bizarre death until you realize that all of the bodyboardering tikes are his kids and with his bizarre demise, the financial burden of raising his kids will likely fall on you and the rest of the tax-paying public. You dismiss this nonsense, take a wave, re-enter a spiritual state (where you would've been the entire time had it not been for the hordes of boards in your immediate viscinity) until you hear Greg say "that guy isn't too nice is he? What's his problem?" to his asking for wax in the water chum as you paddle away...again. Problem is, you surf the "magical mystery waves". That's right, you move away only to attract the next group just like this. You are Moses. You lead these folks to the breaks inadvertently. You lose your mind because you just wanted some water time. You head over to the main break that is much more crowded and a bodyboard takes the wave. All you are thinking about is Greg and his brats, although this bodyboarder is actually a really down to earth guy that did nothing wrong...the 6th letter of the alphabet to you Greg

 

I think it's because bodyboarders can catch more waves Many a time when everyone has been caught inside on a big set I've been able to spin around and drop in late. It's kinda nice to be honest. But skill and etiquette probably are the biggest factors. I surf rarely and usually only when the waves are small. I much prefer bodyboarding because I've done it since I was a teen and hate missing waves and falling on my face. I can recognize that surfing is harder to learn initially. Also, bodyboarders in the lineup need to realize they are slower and that even if a surfer is way up the wave when you drop in, odds are you are eventually going to get in the way. If there is a lineup, I rarely drop in unless I'm at the peak.

 

This debate never ceases to crack me up. Surfer's that hate on bodyboarders do it because they're jealous, ego driven kooks. They spend all this time learning to stand, and then here comes my lazy ass flying down the face of the wave all gettin' in their way and what not. My fave is when someone who only surfs actually tries to bodyboard, and then realizes that its not as easy as they think. Better is when they try to bodysurf and can't even begin to understand how the mechanics of it work.
My sponge is just another board in my quiver for surfing in certain conditions that call for it, just like my hand paddle and my McDonald's tray or my outrigger canoe. I'm so lucky to have had the opportunity to become a well rounded waterman, not everyone is, and who cares what you're riding except jealous, ego minded kooks.
I got into surfing years ago as an act of rebellion, and though I can surf just fine, these days I like to go out on my sponge and dominate because I know just how bad it pisses people off. It's my big FU to all the haters. Sorry, but its tough to shake those punk rock roots. I know getting out there in the crowd and taking over is beguiling and harder on people's heads than when long boarders take over a peak, because I can feel the serious hate every time I do it, but, and this is a big but, what makes it all so worth it is the smiles from the true souls who appreciate watching anyone with mastery of their equipment ride a wave. That then there is someone who understands what we're all supposed to be out there in the water doing.
So next time you look down a wave and see the half crack poking out of the back my board shorts scooting by you, remember that I'm just giving you my 'Aloha', and its nothing personal.

 

Exactly. I have a friend who was a pro, then the money dried up, then he tore his ACL. Now he sits around depressed, getting fat, and doesn't surf anything. I told, "You know there's no shame in bodyboarding," and he kind of hung his head and said quietly, "yeah..."
That much hate and disrespect that he can't even lower himself to sponge. Whatever, I pray that I never lose my stoke like that. Give me something, anything, and I'll surf it. Pray Jah, my body doesn't break so bad that I can't use it, because as long as I have it, I'm surfing, again, something, anything, whatever I can get my hands on.

 

Why are we still stirring this pot?

 

That sux for your friend, hope he finds some way to get his stoke back, a sponge in his situation sounds like a great way to keep catching waves, and then he can possibly rehab his knee to the point of maybe getting back up on a board one day, at least small log days or something. I'd take anything over nothing, that we agree on.

 

Too much splashing

 

Surfers hate on bodyboarders because it's easy and lame! Everyone on Swellinfo can do this all day long!



BTW I bodyboard. Detect the sarcasm.

 

The thing about bodyboarding compared to surfing is that you can basically bodyboard ANY wave including shore break, rough choppy water, and not have the lifeguards get nearly as pissed at you. The important thing though is the shore break part because on my beach any wave smaller than like 5ft will shore break unless driven by a long period swell. This is why I bodyboard because of my environment, and because the boards are cheaper, breaking them doesn't really matter, its easier to just jump in, and i just feel more free on it with less dead weight to worry about when wiping out.

 

if you care what people think of you, then your doing it wrong.

 

Yawn, why do dogs dislike cats...

 

it's because if somebody paddles out and it's not one of your buddies you honestly wish that they were not there, some one else to share the waves with that might end up in you not getting a wave. we (surfers) often hold a belief that body boarding takes less skill then surfing so you are not worthy of the wave (not saying that it's right). I've seen surf snobs do it to other surfers all the time because of lack of skill.

 

bodyboarders are like kooks. They get in the way

 

I'm sure we're all aware that spongers pioneered Chopes.

 

Sponge Bob Square Pants

 

And most big wave slabs out there. : )

 

Yea, you can see all the cool spongers in that boogie boarding video game! What's it called??...oh right, it doesn't exist.

 

Remember Toobin? The real extreme water sport right here my friends, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDxEHs4gj0