Author Topic: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?  (Read 3546 times)

beached

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what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« on: April 02, 2019, 03:37:20 AM »
i recently got a 7'10" Hypernut, which i love on a wave, but it's got near zero glide. so i gotta be in the steepest part of the wave to catch it. guys on bigger boards keeps circling on the outside of me, and then i have to yield as they're on the wave before me. i've had people do this to me over and over, and they never once yielded to me. so i stand and watch them and have to hope there's a wave behind the one they all just took.

since there's no consideration given to me, what is the proper way to address this out there? do i just go for it every few waves? if it was the same person all the time, it'd be easier to deal with, but sometimes it's a flock of the bigger SUP boards altogether. (i'm sure this has been addressed elsewhere, but couldn't find it).

Bean

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2019, 04:24:33 AM »
Paddling around someone at most breaks, especially when it’s a tight take off, is considered snaking. 

Take off on your wave and if someone has snaked you “explain it” to them.  (By the way, if you don’t already know this, make sure you know all the “rules” at your break.)

Explain it only once with a smile, then paddle away.  A simple “hey, you tried to snake me and you know it”, should do it.

Note:
The only time that it’s appropriate to paddle around someone is if they are clearly not making the waves that they are going for.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 04:26:47 AM by Bean »

eastbound

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2019, 07:30:35 AM »
and dont drop way out on the shoulder, or youve little case to make

if youre dropping on or near the peak, harder for them to snake
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TallDude

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2019, 08:26:15 AM »
My short board has almost no glide. If I try to paddle it hard, it just sinks. I realized I can only surf it at steeper breaks or when it's OH. If there are lots of longer boards outside of you, it's probably a slopey longboard type of break that's not suited for a board like the Hypernut. There is a break I surf where you get some insiders and some outsiders. I'll side inside with the short boarder's, and the longboards sit outside. I do have to sit deep there to catch a wave on my sup short board. Those 11'+ gliders are the snake boards.
It's not overhead to me!
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mrbig

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2019, 09:43:39 AM »
+1 Talldude. I have to sit inside with the shortboarders and show respect and knowledge of lineups and the unwritten rules.

The smaller waves that don't break outside are always available. Never had issues, but the fact that I have been surfing since 66 helps.

Say are you the dude who got attacked on  CC by a shark is always an interesting topic.

No dropping, no snaking, hoot, holler, you go - I think it's called Aloha!

Changes your perspective on SUP kooks who paddle for everything and can't turn..

Let it come to you..
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PonoBill

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2019, 10:09:44 AM »
Now you know why shortboarders hate longboarders and SUPs. But yes, get in the pocket and take your wave. Most people that are snaking you and taking every wave they can get already know they are in the wrong. But you shouldn't plunk yourself in the middle of a mushy wave that rarely sets up for a shortboard and expect everyone to respect your precedence. If nothing else, they get pissed that you aren't taking the wave when it's you turn, so they ignore you. Having a shortboarder (or a longboarder that doesn't want to paddle hard) sitting sideways waiting for the perfect pocket and spoiling wave after wave is not reasonable, but it happens all the time.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 10:16:41 AM by PonoBill »
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eastbound

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2019, 01:41:44 PM »
your wave? take it!---and take it? youd best make it...........

if you have a problem with someone and you are on a sup, unless youre a known local, the groupthink wont hesitate to indict you--so keep your nose clean, cuz if the problem really is yours, you wont fare well

and if youre not solidly competent, dont surf in places so crowded that getting snaked can happen
« Last Edit: April 02, 2019, 01:46:54 PM by eastbound »
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Wetstuff

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2019, 01:55:51 PM »
Beached,  Welcome to the club.  I didn't even try surfing 'till I was about 40.  I could iceboat, sail, etc. ..never surfed. In our dumpy beachbreak it was not only hard but the local sharks could spot a funshape a mile off and paddled around me all day. I had to be there at sunrise ..and then move.   Later years - I could spook'm  ...coming roaring in from the outside with a kite, but mostly stayed away; kites in the early days could get dangerous fast.

A guy like Rick Weeks (Creek) has the skills to paddle into real, foreign territory and get respect within a couple of waves.  If you have those skills - show'm.  If not, then out of courtesy -so waves are not wasted- find a c'hit spot they don't want and skill-up.

Jim
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OkiWild

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2019, 06:18:16 PM »
Welcome to the real world of surfing, outside of all that is written about "rules and etiquette" on the Internet.

If you're going to surf in the crowd, people are going to paddle around you (snake). It's the reality. You either hassle them for it, making every session a competition, or you wait for scraps. If you get tired of it and burn them, there's going to be hostilities.

It's how it is in every crowded lineup I've surfed. There is no "line up," only priority, and the person sitting closest to the peak has priority. The "better" surfers will paddle back out, around everyone else, plopping their ass back in the priority spot. Everyone else gets scraps. Japan is especially bad.

Now, being a long-time surfer, I can hassle with the best of them, and generally take the wave I want. But about 10 years ago, I got really tired of having to put on my war face to do battle in the surf. As it got more and more crowded, it became less and less fun to surf.

People starting to snap at each other, yelling at newer surfers to get out of the water... It became ridiculous. So I left the line up, ditched my sponsors, and started surfing solo, using a kayak to get to more remote spots, away from people. Of course it had a big impact on how much I was able to surf...

Enter SUP. I explained how I got started in my first post/intro, but it was a way to get away from exactly what you describe, without all the extra gear, and with people who feel the same. I don't know what the situation is where you're at, but aren't there "lesser" spots or peaks that are empty? This is what I choose. I can now surf local when there's no time to take a drive, and the SUP allows me to surf stuff the short boarders pass on. I refuse to SUP surf among surfers, or any of that madness. I'll pick a peak with no one on it. It might only be a peak or two over from a crowded wave, and eventually, surfers tired of begin paddled around on every wave will see me catching all the waves, and paddle over. I have a two-surfer rule; more than two show up, I leave. I'll paddle down to the next peak.

At the popular SUP spots here, generally a ways out, it's a different vibe. There are the outliers, but in general, it's very friendly, and people are happy to see you. "Are you going? No? Yes? Which way? I'll go the other way. No, you go this wave." I attribute this to being on a SUP, and no short boarders around.  Maybe the snakes on SUP at popular surf spots are former prone surfers who were tired of begin paddled around, and have an axe to grind... I see it here too, with the one guy on a SUP at some popular surfer peaks. The short boarders hate him, he ignores them and takes what he wants, charging through the pack...who knows, but I don't want any part of that.

What I do know is that staying away from it all is the best solution for being happy. Maybe you have to drive a little more. Maybe you have to choose a lesser wave. It's better to have 30 waves with only you and maybe a friend or two, than it is to go to war, or wait for one or two on the shoulder.
 

 I know that sounds cynical, but at 50 years old, I'm a happy surfer again, and I know exactly what happened to make it so ;-)   

PonoBill

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2019, 11:21:02 PM »
Not cynical at all, Oki, just real. The most important criteria for a popular surf break is convenient parking. If you're SUP surfing, you can surf places that prone surfers don't mess with. If other SUPers are the problem, just keep moving. Surfing in a crowd just sucks. I find with a foil that one other person who isn't on a foil is a crowd.
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SUP Leave

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2019, 11:58:12 AM »
How far away are these guys rolling in from? Can you paddle out to the pack and talk about how you need to be more inside at the peak to get on a wave. Then hang inside of them a little bit, far enough that you can still communicate? I mean if everyone is on SUPs you already have something in common. I.e. set comes, hoot them into a couple, but then show'm you are taking the third by taking off or even claiming?

I mean if they can see you 20 yards away starting to scratch for the peak they have got to let you have a crack or they are dicks. Most of them probably know the rules and are taking off and tell themselves they will back off if you take off. I have been guilty of this, and have had it done to me. I was inside trying to get a wave while not being in the way and finally had to confront one of the pack and he told me he saw I was being patient and he and others would back out if they saw me headed for the peak.

But I am with everyone else, a SUP means you can move freely about the ocean and 30 waves on a lesser peak is >>>>> 5 waves on the main one with some hassle.
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eastbound

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2019, 12:54:51 PM »
funny--some think the peak i often surf by me is popular only because there's a public bathroom there! parking's good too....

i tend to mix it up, where i usually take waves away from the main peak, but ill always slide in for a few, at the right moments, on the main peak----this break is mostly left, but produces nice rights now and then--best is when i get a long, nice right, and paddle back out, and what do you know? there i am at the main peak--ill sit a moment or two then grab a wave and stay away a while

but i have a hard time resigning self to surf only inferior waves

mix it up
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supthecreek

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2019, 06:58:44 PM »
Hi Beached!
I hear you and agree that it’s a delicate situation sometimes.

2 days ago, I was out with a bunch of SUPsters who were riding big boards.
I was on a board that was mostly underwater.

The thing about most guys who ride big boards is.... they tend to stay out in front of the curl, surfing across the shoulder.

My solution that day, was to paddle deeper than they were willing to go.
I got nailed by the lip a few times, but I ended up getting a lot of nice waves.

I will have a video of it soon, but right now I am on the road.

My lineup put me in a situation where I had to zip over a shallow slab to make the wave.... no one else wanted to challenge that, so I had an empty peak on a crowded day.

The slab helped, but taking off further back, usually works at any break.

And I agree.... I they are snaking you, it fair game to fade them into the lip and let them know that what they are doing is not ok.
I just pretend they are not there and take the wave..... and make sure that they know that I did it on purpose.

beached

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2019, 03:58:06 AM »
appreciate all the comments. i've only been SUP surfing about 8 years, and have never prone surfed. i hear all this talk of surfing rules, but as far as i can tell, the only rule most have is: 'that wave is mine'. i feel i'm always paying attention to who has gone, and who is still waiting, who 'owns' the wave, and try to be aware of those types of things. i also feel i'm the only one out there doing that. of course i've made mistakes myself...i'm far from perfect.

as a few have said here, i almost always find a spot where no one else is. the one thing i've noticed in my short surfing career is that if i catch a wave, within moments throngs of other surfers will suddenly be around me. i then must move on.  it's odd to me how territorial surfers are, and yet they actively pursue anyone else that's out there. first thing i do when looking for my spot is identify where the most surfers are, and go elsewhere. whether they're SUPing or proning doesn't seem to matter, we have an active community here for both.

anyway, seems my best bet is to continue to do what i do best...avoid others. a day in a crowded lineup (which prompted my original posting) is more maddening than therapeutic.  i'd rather get 10 so-so waves in a lesser spot than 20 great waves in a crowded spot.

Bean

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Re: what's proper etiquette when getting shut down on waves?
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2019, 06:39:02 AM »
The rules aren't just about right-of-way on the wave, surfing etiquette also applies to where and how you paddle out, and more depending on the break, including coming to the aid of another surfer.

It's your responsibility to know the specific rules at your break including where and where not to paddle in.  If you miss a wave, you don't take the next one, etc.  A four wave set doesn't mean you get four tries brah! ;D


 


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