SupChickadee said..
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

Tardy said..
Theres always two views ,he should of seen your line of paddle to and paddled toward the wave not putting you in danger ,I surf with lots of surfers and I know I have a 8'8 foot board plus legrope 8 foot ,so a 17-18 foot KILL zone ,,there always will be more future occurrences ahead Dave ,I shake it off everyday ,I always head out the back ,and try to catch the wave before its peaking ,it pisses the surfers off no end ,but sorry guys my wave ,they say nothing as most are way younger than me and relies my time in the surf will be coming to a end one day and they will still be out there , but until then ,stay clear grommets ,

Surlygringo said..
Dave, it sounds from your description that you made a bad choice. It isn't really your decision that you have given the guy enough room to take off, it's his, just like if he was up and surfing you can't scratch for the shoulder because you have decided the person surfing has room to avoid you if they do a cutback. Sometimes, even when it is big you have to suck it up and get hammered. Due to traveling for work I have spent a lot of time surfing in new spots and I will also tell you that almost nothing wins you the respect of a local crowd faster than if they see you are willing to take a big set on the head to avoid getting in someone's way. It might help to think of it as a bit of short term suffering that will pay off down the road.

supthecreek said..
Hi Dave

You said one thing that made it clear to me why he was upset.

"to me they will have right of way on the wave should they choose to take off, albeit a bit of a late one"
albeit a bit of a late one.....
I won't commit to a sketchy takeoff if there is anyone inside of me.

It seems he made the decision not to takeoff because he didn't want to take the chance of blowing the drop and possibly hitting you.

My very strong belief:
"Surfing is always about the rider, never the person paddling out"

Do everything in your power to leave a clear path for the person in position
That means taking one on the head, so they have a clear path down the wave.

bobajob said..
I'm in your camp Dave. If he was already going for the wave and taking off, sure cop it on the head. If your both scrambling out to beat the sets and while still on the way out he calls you because he may have a go at catching one - too bad.
Surly this rule only applies when one person is paddling to get out and the other is going for or on the wave.

As Creek says, "Surfing is always about the rider, never the person paddling out". But you were both paddling out.

micksmith said..
Making a judgment on a diagram or one person's account of a situation like this is tough, take creeks photos for example, he has "paddle out spin to take off" yet there's no sign of wake or paddle froth leading out to just before spin, now I'm not saying it didn't happen as he suggests but it looks to me he was already out and just taking off and then fell.
As with Dave's , 20 ft can be close or can be heaps of room depending on angle of attack. My opinion is no one got hurt and old mate probably went on to surf some more so get over it.

saltwaterwine said..
Just another take on this..
I get pissed off when people paddle across, blocking others and putting them in danger when an unexpected big set comes through. Its poor form. To then abuse the people they just inconvenienced and endangered is just plain rude and stupid.

DaveSandan said..
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.

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.

surfinJ said..
avoid the clean water path, let the waves push you in and come around the impact zone the long way via the channel.