I may be getting a bit older but I am starting to wonder if paddling out has evolved recently, as there were no complaints like this in the 70's and 80's?

The situation is as follows. I am on a right hand breaking reef break waiting for waves and the larger sets have just sprung up and I am in the potential impact zone so I paddle to my left and in a forward angle so I can get out the back and across from the impact of the white water when it break. On my right and further out is another SUP and they do the same in a forward left heading paddle to do the same.
We are both going to avoid the breaking wave just in time and we are in the same position so to me they will have right of way on the wave should they choose to take of albeit a bit of a late one. I start getting yelled at to stop paddling in my direction as I am cutting them off and I should paddle right and get the wave on the head, why would I do that, I will get smashed???
I get far enough out and the complainer has right of way on the wave as they are on the inside and can take the wave. They turn and do not go, so I have time to turn and paddle for the take off, they have given up, I get the wave.
When I paddle out they start again saying I cut them off and stopped them from catching the wave, I was at least 20ft from them the whole time we were paddling to avoid the white water.

As far as I know if I had paddled left, gotten out the back then turned right to get on the inside of them then I would have stolen the wave or just paddled better. My intention at all times was to keep them on the inside so they had right of way and to avoid coping one on the head and washing me in to the reef, have the rules changed or are some people not clear on giving way these days??
Personally I think I am in the right and they have no idea what they are saying.

When the big sets come its each man for himself but just try to keep apart as best as you can.

Some blokes are such precious sooks and love having a winge.

The way I see it if you don't like where someone is paddling paddle the other way don't expect them to know what you expect especially when they are wrong. I gave then right of way as well so I was being the good guy.

Problem also is some SUP riders have only taken up the sport late in life and don't understand common sense and the basic rules when surfing. Others just are plain dumb.
Don't let it put you off..... keep surfing the same reef .

Hi Dave, not sure about the yelling, but yes a surfer paddling out should move to the inside even if that means taking the white water on the head. And should try to give the surfer taking off all the space they need to take the optimal line in.

A bit harder on a SUP, especially when everyone is shifting in the line up. Still the surfer/SUPPer on the inside, padding in has total right of way in my book. Even if that means a few waves on the head for those out of position. It's more common when padding out, you don't paddle through the break, rather wider to stay out of the way of those on the wave.

If someone pulls off a wave that was catchable, I will be up the inside of them first chance I get

Sounds like the other guy wanted someone to blame for pulling back and not taking off.


Cheers.

Steve.

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DaveSandan said..
They turn and do not go, so I have time to turn and paddle for the take off, they have given up, I get the wave.

I must say that I tend to not take off if some guy is outside looking like he is going to drop on me.
SUP are big, and there is a chance that the guy either do not see me, or do not have the technique to avoid being caught by the lip and make the wave crumble on me, or worse, fall and launch his board in my face. Especially if I see the guy having preferred to get out in front of the surfer rather than behind him.

The solution is to yell to be sure he know I am going to take off, and if he doesn't clearly look like he is acknowledging it, abort the takeoff rather than risk a collision. I do not care if I had the right of way if I get hurt or my board gets damaged.
So, "the other guy" behavior may have been logical. But I have not been there.

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drivethebus said..
Hi Dave, not sure about the yelling, but yes a surfer paddling out should move to the inside even if that means taking the white water on the head. And should try to give the surfer taking off all the space they need to take the optimal line in.

A bit harder on a SUP, especially when everyone is shifting in the line up. Still the surfer/SUPPer on the inside, padding in has total right of way in my book. Even if that means a few waves on the head for those out of position. It's more common when padding out, you don't paddle through the break, rather wider to stay out of the way of those on the wave.

If someone pulls off a wave that was catchable, I will be up the inside of them first chance I get

Sounds like the other guy wanted someone to blame for pulling back and not taking off.


Cheers.

Steve.

Yes I see your point about paddling out and agree you need to avoid someone taking off, totally agree. Both of us were however sitting in the take off area waiting for the next waves, not close to each other but in the area and they were inside. We both saw the sets and moved to paddle to the right so we avoided the wave breaking earlier than the smaller waves and no one else was out there at that time they had caught smaller waves and were paddling out ( there was only 4 of us out ). On this break it is easy to paddle around and have no need to go through white water to get out to the waves. We were both going out the back I had a lot of distance as I said and they could have taken the wave at any time and I would have not been in a position to get in their way at any time, I can paddle hard like anyone. I Was planning on just letting the wave go to get the next one if it came through, they missed it and I was able to paddle hard and catch what they missed no chance of collision at all. I still think in this situation I had done nothing wrong, I have been doing the same thing since 1978 and no one ever complained about blocking them, yes SUPs are harder to position but we were both on SUPs.
Its fair enough if I have to move into the impact zone if I am close and stop them from taking off, in that situation yes I would have been wrong, not this time though.

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colas said..

DaveSandan said..
They turn and do not go, so I have time to turn and paddle for the take off, they have given up, I get the wave.

I must say that I tend to not take off if some guy is outside looking like he is going to drop on me.
SUP are big, and there is a chance that the guy either do not see me, or do not have the technique to avoid being caught by the lip and make the wave crumble on me, or worse, fall and launch his board in my face. Especially if I see the guy having preferred to get out in front of the surfer rather than behind him.

The solution is to yell to be sure he know I am going to take off, and if he doesn't clearly look like he is acknowledging it, abort the takeoff rather than risk a collision. I do not care if I had the right of way if I get hurt or my board gets damaged.
So, "the other guy" behavior may have been logical. But I have not been there.

Yep your right and you can tell when someone is going to drop in, I had plenty do it last week in Noosa even when I let them know I was there they still did it anyway, all younger prone surfers or Hipster's. Anyway I caught the wave after they gave up and I paddled harder and the wave actually broke in a different spot than we both thought and also went nowhere in a very short space of time it was slack tide so it was a bit messy, not worth the effort or the complaint. in your scenario you are correct in holding back to protect yourself, it's not the situation I have described, I guess you had to be there. Pretty sure the way we caught waves when we were pre 20's is the same as today, just because we ride SUPs does not mean we are new to surfing. Also the other person was an experienced surfer of probably 5 years and pretty good at it too which is why I was surprised by the reaction. Maybe their group has different rules??

You were in the wrong. Never paddle across someone who can take off. Even worse you caught the wave. You should have taken one for the team rather than paddle in front of someone further out. This is a surfing rule from day dot.

Im thinken if ya 20 feet apart and the paddler dont get the wave and you turn get the wave thats legendry ??

If I was trying to catch a wave and a guy was paddling across me which made it impossible or very difficult to catch the wave (whether the surfer/sup'er is doing it to avoid copping the wave on the head or not) I would not be happy. I would not cry like a baby, but I might contemplate running my board over his face and leaving him scarred for life.

It is tough, but if you get caught inside you just need to take it on the head - unless you can 'easily' paddle so that it does not impede the person trying to catch the wave.

The way you describe it the guy probably could have caught the wave and safely avoided you, but if there is any doubt about that, sorry Dave, you should have paddled straight and given the guy the wave.

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hilly said..
You were in the wrong. Never paddle across someone who can take off. Even worse you caught the wave. You should have taken one for the team rather than paddle in front of someone further out. This is a surfing rule from day dot.

Sorry your not understanding the situation, I did not paddle in front of someone, of course that is wrong. I caught the wave after they gave up, that shows how far away I would have been from them. They pull back, I have to turn the board which is not fast as I was facing out to sea, then I caught the wave, that takes a fair bit of time. I was no where near them to block or obstruct them in any way.

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cantSUPenough said..
If I was trying to catch a wave and a guy was paddling across me which made it impossible or very difficult to catch the wave (whether the surfer/sup'er is doing it to avoid copping the wave on the head or not) I would not be happy. I would not cry like a baby, but I might contemplate running my board over his face and leaving him scarred for life.

It is tough, but if you get caught inside you just need to take it on the head - unless you can 'easily' paddle so that it does not impede the person trying to catch the wave.

The way you describe it the guy probably could have caught the wave and safely avoided you, but if there is any doubt about that, sorry Dave, you should have paddled straight and given the guy the wave.

Yep I get your point but I was well out of the way, no chance of getting near me at any stage. What you describe happened to me so much in Noosa it was nuts, prone surfers everywhere cutting in front, paddling out right where you take off blocking, all not right but typical in Noosa crowds. Not what I did. If I had slowed my paddling and gone on the inside toward the impact zone I would have been able to catch the wave and they would have dropped in on me if they had taken off. I was being a good guy and allowing them to be in the prime spot, they stuffed it by worrying about me instead of just catching the damn wave.

This will help clarify, if I am wrong based on this then I will take it and next time will paddle to their inside on a larger set and have right of way if I get out the back first and turn in time? To me I did nothing wrong but maybe I am wrong after all, I am willing to learn if the rules have changed.

Hi Dave, as I said seems like the old mate wanted a fall guy to blame for pulling back on that take off.

It's one reason I try to be in the water before sunrise and find a less crowded beach, just too many people in the water these days.

More of a dick move on his part if there were on two of you out.

Hope the next surf is more fun.

Steve.

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DaveSandan said..Sorry your not understanding the situation,

I understand the situation extremely well, happened many times to me. We are only hearing your side of the situation, I bet his is different and the truth lies somewhere in between.
When he turned to take off you would have been in his line of sight, which if the take-off is critical, is very off putting for the person trying to catch the wave.

I dunno, I think what you describe and the distances you mention makes it a judgement call and that puts it into grey area territory. And ol' mate sounds like he got over excited and just paddled out too far.
Judges decision: Winner winner chicken dinner!

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hilly said..

DaveSandan said..Sorry your not understanding the situation,

I understand the situation extremely well, happened many times to me. We are only hearing your side of the situation, I bet his is different and the truth lies somewhere in between.
When he turned to take off you would have been in his line of sight, which if the take-off is critical, is very off putting for the person trying to catch the wave.

HI HILLY
Yes if I was in that position I would agree, I was positioned where the arrow ends. The other person was complaining while we were both paddling in that direction. When paddling like this in these directions perception by each other is the only variable. I only thought about it because someone said something, there was no agro just a complaint on the low key side. There was no way of being in the way we were both on top of the wave at the same time, I had further to go and paddled harder to get there as to avoid the situation you are suggesting which is incorrect.

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drivethebus said..
Hi Dave, as I said seems like the old mate wanted a fall guy to blame for pulling back on that take off.

It's one reason I try to be in the water before sunrise and find a less crowded beach, just too many people in the water these days.

More of a dick move on his part if there were on two of you out.

Hope the next surf is more fun.

Steve.

It was still a fun surf, no agro just a loud comment saying I did the wrong thing, I said nothing in return they are a nice person. I was just wondering if I actually did not know. The new rules

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bobajob said..
I dunno, I think what you describe and the distances you mention makes it a judgement call and that puts it into grey area territory. And ol' mate sounds like he got over excited and just paddled out too far.
Judges decision: Winner winner chicken dinner!

Yep agree

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DaveSandan said..

hilly said..

DaveSandan said..Sorry your not understanding the situation,

I understand the situation extremely well, happened many times to me. We are only hearing your side of the situation, I bet his is different and the truth lies somewhere in between.
When he turned to take off you would have been in his line of sight, which if the take-off is critical, is very off putting for the person trying to catch the wave.

HI HILLY
Yes if I was in that position I would agree, I was positioned where the arrow ends. The other person was complaining while we were both paddling in that direction. When paddling like this in these directions perception by each other is the only variable. I only thought about it because someone said something, there was no agro just a complaint on the low key side. There was no way of being in the way we were both on top of the wave at the same time, I had further to go and paddled harder to get there as to avoid the situation you are suggesting which is incorrect.

"The other person was complaining while we were both paddling in that direction."

LOL - You selfish bastard, don't you you know you should have paddled into the beach in that case!

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DaveSandan said.. I start getting yelled at to stop paddling in my direction as I am cutting them off

But you kept going.

Oh **** Dave, it wasn't hilly was it?

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bobajob said..
Oh **** Dave, it wasn't hilly was it?

Could have been

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hilly said..

DaveSandan said.. I start getting yelled at to stop paddling in my direction as I am cutting them off

But you kept going.

Yep because there was no reason not too.

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bobajob said..
Oh **** Dave, it wasn't hilly was it?

That's a long paddle for him?

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DaveSandan said..Yep because there was no reason not too.

In your opinion. I disagree. You asked for people's thoughts.

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hilly said..

DaveSandan said..Yep because there was no reason not too.

In your opinion. I disagree. You asked for people's thoughts.

I did and thank you for your in put.

Dave I would not of taken that line as if he got creamed his board would hit you ,
go straight at the wave and get on the other side of him or jump under the wave .

Hey Dave
You've got a "nice guy" saying to you that he felt you got in the way and it sounds like the "nice guy" didn't take the wave as he didn't want to take the chance of hitting you - which is best. When in doubt don't take off as its not worth hurting anyone or your equipment and 20 feet is only 7 metres which is nothing on a take off - as gap closes super quick.
Nice guy wasn't happy - chances are you were in the wrong. Me, i'd say sorry mate, keep out of his way and enjoy the rest of the session as only 4 of you out having fun

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Tardy said..
Dave I would not of taken that line as if he got creamed his board would hit you ,
go straight at the wave and get on the other side of him or jump under the wave .

Ok thanks.