Author Topic: Taking a stand  (Read 31868 times)

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Taking a stand
« on: December 01, 2009, 06:49:43 PM »
About a month ago we were approached by Dave Kalama with an idea for an article.  The concept was to outline some of the tensions that have resulted from the integration of our sport into the existing surf lineups and into the surf culture on Maui.  This has been (and is) an ongoing process.  Interviews have been conducted and more will come.  One goal of this project, as proposed by Dave and backed by top pro SUPers on Maui, was a group of self-regulations for our growing sport.  That portion of the project has reached completion and we have been asked to publish the following:

Because of the rising tensions between surfers and SUP surfers on Maui, we felt that it was our responsibility to create a set of rules that will be used to self-regulate our usage.

1.    At Ho’okipa we will be adopting the existing regulations as they apply to windsurfing and will follow the 10 man rule as it is currently posted on the DLNR signs.  Even if you do have the opportunity (by the 10 man rule) to go out at the Ho’okipa area it is necessary that every individual take a very critical look at their own skill level and accurately estimate their own personal level of acceptance in the lineup.
2.   We will not be using Honolua Bay when there is any surf breaking. The only exception would be when the surf is so large that there are no surfers out.
3.   We will not use Paukukalo, Mala Wharf, or Dumps when these areas are being used by any surfers.  The only exception at these spots will be when no surfers are in the water (the Zero man rule).
4.   At Lower Kanaha, beginners will be asked to stay in the area below the canoe hale, past the end of the inside right or on the Paia side past the channel of the main break (a map will follow).

As we need some time to spread the word, we are setting Jan. 1 as an effective date for the above.

Dave Kalama
Laird Hamilton
Archie Kalepa
Robbie Naish
Buzzy Kerbox
Scott Trudon
Loch Eggers

trytryagain

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2009, 10:10:52 PM »
this is all fine and good. if this is what maui needs to make it work , great. im hoping my gut feeling that these are the seeds that others will try to take and use for justification to 'regulate' in other places is wrong. keep it on the valley isle. best wishes, aloha.

PonoBill

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2009, 10:36:58 PM »
Ooof.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Tony DaKine

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 11:22:55 PM »
"it is necessary that every individual take a very critical look at their own skill level and accurately estimate their own personal level of acceptance in the lineup."


This seems to be the unwritten rule on Oahu. Hope it stays that way. It would be a bummer if it came to what you guys are doing on Maui.

linter

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2009, 02:39:58 AM »
sup bucket list:

bali
peru
maui
nebraska
......

Easy Rider

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2009, 05:39:36 AM »
Wow - is it really so bad that steps like this need to be taken?

My only experience of something similar was introducing snowboarding to ski areas in the early 80's.
Some resorts would look at my brother an I like we were from another planet - but once we showed them that we had control, and were able to police our selves it was acceptance. 
A few areas did attempt to limit snowboarders to certain areas / runs on the mountain.  However once the numbers began increasing it was impossible to stop us and we soon were allowed on all runs.
Granted there are commercial interests at stake in snowboarding (resort owners want lift ticket monies), but to me this seems like a slight step backwards for SUP.
Personally - I feel as the stand up numbers continue to increase, acceptance will happen weather the rest of the world wants it to or not.
My 2˘.

Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

1tuberider

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2009, 07:15:06 AM »
What does the others side do?  zip
The way I see it     

surfers 1
supers 0

Don't come over here with these give ups.  I don't see supers as the problem.  I see human nature at it worst as the problem and you just gave up the ship to a bunch of pirates.  For those of you who are the accepted    Shame on you.  Who will be the first to leave the water when 11 are out? No bay if it is breaking - you got to be kidding me. You just gave up surfing rights of others that were not yours to give.  Hope you don't suffer to much from this as I know your intent is in your mind for peace and harmony.   

I feel the same way Linter does.  But I have been to paradise when it was still paradise.

 

outcast

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2009, 08:44:50 AM »
The guys who signed are all pretty strongly tied financially to the SUP industry
(Excepting Archie i guess).....so they should clearly want this sport  to flourish.

Seems quite reasonable to leave a few spots like Honolua alone....

Most important, this is an attempt at SELF-REGULATION.....better that, than the alternative  (DLNR etc.)

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JC50

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2009, 08:47:28 AM »
...to me this seems like a slight step backwards for SUP...

I am not a resident of island therefore do not know all the dynamics involved. However I believe that sometimes you need to take a step back in the short run to ensure progress in the long run.

SUP took the ocean on very, very quickly and is not showing any signs of slowing down, quite the opposite still. It has created rifts both real and fabricated. There is truth that a SUP can deliver the inexperienced to an advanced lineup much easier than a traditional board (short or long) which can create bad situations. Also true that an accomplished SUP'r can share that same lineup without a fuss, and often even improve the situation (ie: communicating the sets).

Perhaps things are currently bad enough that above measures would be a good thing to strive for peaceful coexistence in the long run. After time those restrictions will likely relax and maybe those involved will look back and agree it was a good move. Only time will reveal.

If you were not a surfer before SUP I'm sure this is harder to stomach, but I don't mean to sound condescending most SUP'rs I meet are very perceptive, intelligent professionals who research the etiquette before charging into established lineups. Not 30 minutes ago I had conversation with non-SUP'r (not a hater) neighbor asking why I often paddle far down the beach to surf rather than share the better breaks. Guess I just still feel like paying it forward. I'm not sure if it'll ever be universally accepted, just look at the rift between short and longboarders....

Anyway, hope things work out for you all, I'm sure eventually things will become more peaceful and coexistent.

Easy Rider

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2009, 10:07:51 AM »
SUP took the ocean on very, very quickly and is not showing any signs of slowing down, quite the opposite still. It has created rifts both real and fabricated.

Exactly what snowboarding did to the ski industry.
The Ski industry fought / ignored / looked down upon snowboarding for years.
It is only in the very recent past have they begun to acknowledge that in fact snowboarding has saved the ski industry.

Same deal here - As stand up brings more people to the water it will also bring more people to help "save the oceans" - even though the majority of SUP people in the very near future will be paddling no where near an ocean.
Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

noworrieshawaii

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2009, 10:08:30 AM »
I've kept pretty quiet on this so far but dont want the misconception out there that Maui is having huge negative issues with SUP's. There are a few "hot" spots that have always been "hot" spots whether short boarding, longboarding, kiting, windsurfing.. heck I dont even like to drive through Hookipa or Mala in my truck.. lots of punks and drunks...

Most spots are just fine.

Here2Stay

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2009, 12:22:30 PM »
Those people have my respect as a SUP as a surfer and as a person.  They have looked past their own interests have seen a problem and have taken action to do the right thing.  They get it. 

Mauiguy

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2009, 12:43:10 PM »
Randy, Dave, et al,

Good work guys.   I've got no problem with any of this.   In fact I advocate even stricter self-regulating at Lower Kanaha, but I'll keep my trap shut b/c I know it only fans the flames of hate and protest.   Plus, I freely admit my own hypocrisy.  I can't wait to drop in on a few choice waves there myself.  But unlike other SUPers I've seen, you won't see me dropping in on people, going for *every* wave, flailing my board around by the end of its leash, or paddling perpendicular across the paths of surfers.   The place has become a zoo, especially on nice days.   I view the effort to self regulate more of an exercise in common courtesy and safety consciousness.  It comes at a time when more and more SUPs are continuing infiltrate lineups all over Maui (i.e., more beginners).   At some point, someone has to man up and be "the bigger person" otherwise anarchy and chaos ensues.  It's not the same as throwing in the towel and giving up your rights.   The way I'm reading this, these are merely guidelines.  If you don't like it, go ahead and do your own thing, just be prepared to deal with the consequences.

Aloha,

// Gary

Kaweeka

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2009, 02:48:34 PM »
The issue that Maui now faces (assuming this intiative gains traction) is where does it stop?  This started off as an animated discussion about Ho’okipa and has now added more than a few spots.  What happens when you can no longer surf your SUP anywhere?  Lucky you got Maliko!  But there has to be a better solution . . .

Mauiguy

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Re: Taking a stand
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2009, 03:57:14 PM »
We're dealing with a different beast here.   Surf lineups on Maui have already been under pressure from steadily increasing crowds over the years.  Now a whole new demographic is showing up and they're arriving up in large numbers.  That is, standup surfers who never considered surfing before.  They haven't gone through the process of paying their dues, getting to know the different breaks with their various nuances and cultures.   One day they're not there and the next day 5 more people you've never seen before are there with everyone competing for a limited number of waves and not everyone as competent as you would hope to see.   This new population is adding to the pressure and  there's no signs of it letting up.  In fact it seems to be growing at an exponential rate.    At some point things are going to boil over. 

The expert watermen who have taken the time to consider this problem are showing they have foresight to look ahead and imagine what might happen if this trend of increasing tensions continues to build.
They're offering a few best practice rules we can all choose to follow (or ignore at our own peril).  IMO, this is a lesser of two evils choice and I'm all for it.  Like outcast said, if the County ever steps in and regulates SUP, then we're no longer dealing with guidelines but laws and that's a much harder knot to untie.


Aloha,

// Gary

The issue that Maui now faces (assuming this intiative gains traction) is where does it stop?  This started off as an animated discussion about Ho’okipa and has now added more than a few spots.  What happens when you can no longer surf your SUP anywhere?  Lucky you got Maliko!  But there has to be a better solution . . .


 


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