Etiquette

[reefrash]

Stand Up Paddling is a fantastic sport. Whether it is going down wind or surfing waves, I have had some unbelievable experiences over the last few years. As the sport has grown, I have seen tension towards stand up paddlers increase. A few stand up paddlers who are ignorant or have bad intentions can ruin the experience both paddlers and surfers. As the line ups are going to get only more crowded, I think it is critical that SUPs both new and old practice good etiquette in the line up. One of the best write ups on SUP etiqutte is on the Stand Up Paddle Hawaii website. This is a must read particularly for those getting into the sport.

http://www.paddlesurfhawaii.com/default.asp?doctype=mm&C_ID=129

A few other thoughts on etiquette that aren't mentioned.  Keep an eye on the number of SUPs at any one break. While you may individually practice good etiquette, collectively a group of SUPs can dominate the lineup. Let waves through for other surf riders.  One of the best parts of stand up paddle surfing is the mobility and paddling power. Take the extra five minutes of paddling to go to a wave up the coast that is empty. Marginal waves on a short board or even on some long boards can be fun on SUP.

[Christian70000]

Great article.  thx

[RUSS-D]

Christian, you made it over here compadre, that's awesome.

[jayr]

Good read reefrash...thanks for the article... RUSS-D, I like the quote on your signature...truly a surfers mantra.

[Allan Cheateaux]

Here's something else to look at...

http://web.mac.com/allancheateaux/iWeb/Nui%20Moana%20Paddlesurf/What%27SUP/73B23B05-78E2-4492-B1E1-5DC9EE100858.html

[val]

not sure if this is the place but tonite there was this guy so aggro...  he never stops moving, he catches a wave and woosh woosh woosh he paddles all the way down the line (why?  it's not helping his mediocre surfing any)...  anyhow, I paddle out to relax for the after work sunset session and stand off to the side and watch him get a couple waves through all the surfers.  I'm feeling a bit of a vibe from the surfers so I stay off to the side a bit longer then this guy comes back out and calls me off the next wave from the other side of the peak as he sprint paddles across...  unbelievable!  i wasn't in the mood so just paddled down to a lesser peak but man, it made me wonder...  do I act like that?  like i just snorted ten rails of blow and can't stop moving?  maybe some times I do!     it was a good lesson for me.  BE MELLOW.  let some waves go...  show some respect for others.  I'm promising to make a good faith effort from now on.  I always get more than my share with the SUP anyways.  No reason to be an hyper jerk.

[Gossimer]

[awe]

Yep, so true.   Know your limitations, nothing is wrong with paddling in calm flat water, for weeks or months before getting out in the surf. Then slowly getting to know your equipment and your self.
                             

[dietlin]

Sit, Talk, Surf in TURN.  In that order.   Don't just show up at a crowded point break (and relatively speaking, most point breaks are, by definition, prone to crowding), that already has a mix of SUPs, LBs & SBs on it, and immediately start trying to catch every single wave.  Especially if you can't.  I mean, it is fun to watch people tire themselves out this way, but it really reflects poorly on all SUP surfers. 

When you paddle out to a point, SIT down and observe where the take off is.  This demonstrates to the other surfers that you aren't in a feeding frenzy and don't intend to monopolize the spot.  Acknowledge the presence of the other surfers.  TALK to them.  Everyone prefers friendly people.  You might even get some pointers on how the spot works.  When you start try to SURF, take your TURN - not every turn. 

[Rockbottom]

Gotta say, this is a lot like kayak surfing.   I surf a surf specific composite kayak, but have to deal with all the crap that recreational SOT and whitewater kayakers leave behind "surfing" their tupperware straight in.
     My last outing was Hurricane Igor swell.   Not too crowded a break, pleanty of waves and space to go around.   The waves were really "pockety" meaning there was a definite barrier when the wave broke.   outside that very visible barrier, catching a wave was just not gonna happen, one had to be in the right spot... done. no shoulder hopping here.    I got  more compliments from boardies while in my 7'4" kayak on my surfing than in recent memory.   Best surf since Mundaka, that I can recall.
     Anyways...   Same thing.   I am  an American Canoe  Assoc.   certified surf kayak instructor.   My main goal in getting this  was to eliminate this factor, or at least get folks to learn to share waves safely.
    I took up SUP as a challenge, man it's tough.   Boardies that think SUP is cheating should try it before they discriminate.

[pdxmike]

   Boardies that think SUP is cheating should try it before they discriminate.

People reserve their greatest hatred for people that are threatening to them.  People who dismiss SUP as easy or cheating know at some level that it isn't.  People don't bother dismissing something as easy if they think that it actually is.  They just ignore it. 

That's why the quickest way to fluster someone who's saying it's easy or cheating is to ask them if they want to try it. 

[Kendog]

You are so right Mike. There are more & more flatwater paddlers finding there way out into the line-ups every day. Most are experienced paddlers and after a few attempts they can easily catch waves. Unfortunately, a percentage of these folks have never surfed and know very little about the rules of the line-up.

Thanks for sharing the video.

[crkrider]

Was in Tortola last week for a wonderful gift of a week of North swell. Every surf spot
on the North side of the British Virgin Islands was firing! What a gift.

Didn't take my SUP board out at Cappon's Bay, the best, most easily accessable break on Tortola. Right in front of Bomba's Rum shack, it was double overhead for days.

As much as I wanted to, I didn't go out. I'm barely past the grommet stage on my SUP board, in spite of having years of experience surf kayaking. Instead, I went further west a bit to Long Bay. I figured me getting trashed in the line up, running over people out of control, and being unable to appropriately maintain postion in the take off zone, would be not very Aloha.

At Long Bay, I was rewarded with mellow, cruisy waves, perfect for my development as a SUP surfer. And no crowds. It was magical.
Then the sharks showed up., but that's another story.

[Kendog]

Was in Tortola last week for a wonderful gift of a week of North swell. Every surf spot
on the North side of the British Virgin Islands was firing! What a gift.

Didn't take my SUP board out at Cappon's Bay, the best, most easily accessable break on Tortola. Right in front of Bomba's Rum shack, it was double overhead for days.

As much as I wanted to, I didn't go out. I'm barely past the grommet stage on my SUP board, in spite of having years of experience surf kayaking. Instead, I went further west a bit to Long Bay. I figured me getting trashed in the line up, running over people out of control, and being unable to appropriately maintain postion in the take off zone, would be not very Aloha.

At Long Bay, I was rewarded with mellow, cruisy waves, perfect for my development as a SUP surfer. And no crowds. It was magical.
Then the sharks showed up., but that's another story.

Good call crkrider-We need a like button here on the Zone!