Firstly, I surf a sup and surfboards. I am having a few issues with some sup riders in regard wanting to catch every wave.
Just because we can sit 5m further out and 3m further in and can get back out to the lineup quickly, doesn't mean that the next wave is ours.
There are a few who believe that he who gets the most waves wins. That is really doing the sport a lot of harm and will end up causing a great deal of animosity between sups and surfers.
Please, think of others. Be respectful of their rights to a few waves. Don't take all the set waves. Definitely, don't snake the surfers and please share.

Ditto - well said... sit down every now and then....

Spot on Sandsy.... a tricky subject but definitely relevant. I try and wait as long as I can between waves and will often give the surfers right of way regardless knowing I can pick one up after they are off and going.
If you are on a SUP and see someone being a bit greedy... I reckon a quiet word from someone on the same craft should do the trick.

Of course from time to time, I have also run into the odd short boarder who apparently owns all the waves as well...

That's only because your board is too small gareth.

Sandsy1, so true.
It is not easy, but I think it is our duty to kindly explain the situation to these SUPers, that most of the time act out of ignorance, having no surf lineup culture.
Another rule to learn is that once you tried to paddle for a wave, and did not catch it, you have spent your turn, and you must wait for the rest of the set without attempting a take off... except of course if no surfer is around anymore. Having a SUPer paddling on all the waves and missing can rise hostility extremely fast...

Basically it amounts to understanding that a working surf lineup is when everybody takes turn taking waves. Priority rules are a last resort to avoid accidents, but getting all waves ridden and all surfers riding is the collective goal to reach. Just as on the road, the goal is for all to reach their destination in time and unhurt, priority rules are there to avoid accidents, not to be abused to create ones.

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glennc said..
That's only because your board is too small gareth.

And doesn't mean sitting side saddle either Gareth.

Over where i surf lately it doesn't matter how many wave's i give surfers they still hat on u .. I even sit further down the line and only take off on spare waves and they still think I'm getting every way..

I don't think I've ever paddled past surfers in too the takeoff zone i would always give them righter way ..

BUT Its gotta go both ways i reckon. Surfers don't own the ocean or do they for some reason ?

The only problem with wait your turn (I find) is that it does not exist with most surfers. I surf and sup but I hardly ever hear surfers say "you go, you were here before me ". Its more like paddle (snake) to the shoulder and take priority.
The only people I ever hear "you take it" are some of the sup crew. Probably because we know we will have good waves every surf.

It is daunting when surfing if a couple of sups join the peak as you know that even if they take turns you are down the pecking order but then again its the same if a long boarder sits just outside you in the line up.

On my sup I try where possible to surf a peak away from the surfers. A few weeks ago I did this and had some good waves, 3 surfers see some of the waves and paddle down to the peak I'm on, then, complain that I took the set wave as went down the line and they had to pull off. F*****g sups as I went past. I ever so politely told them that I came to this empty peak not to intrude on the surfers already in the water on the 3 mile beach. I then politely suggested that they move to a peak further down
Problem is that some (not too many where Im from) sups do have the every wave mentality and some surfers think they own the waves.
I dont think this problem will ever go away.

Not until everyone has respect.

So many places in the world where you have to line up and take your turn.

The ocean is big, the waves aren't PC, its every surfer for themselves, whoever paddles the hardest gets the most waves

I only snake round snakes .

normally Im well behaved ...but ...

+1 re Cola's comments.

It's definitely worth a word to anyone making a pig of themselves.

I also think that it would be helpful if the SUP organisations in each state or the national body developed a fact sheet on sup/surf etiquette and sent
it out to shops and surf schools. Every SUP-related purchase or lesson gets a complimentary copy.

There are more and more learners venturing out at places/in crowds where they are completely out of their depth. Just because there are sups out in crowded conditions doesnt mean it's a good idea to head out there too. Mind you, after watching a local very good surfer lose their mal sans leggie the other day in 4ft waves and it collecting a learner broadside, my tolerance of the "that thing will hurt someone" line has pretty well evaporated.

I have to thumb up every one here on this topic because every one has good thinkings about the greed's limit.
Honestly my own greed limitation is what I'm able to catch with my paddle standing up on 6'5" and I do think there is not enough bombs for me and too much people cross my way down the line.
I'm greedy and selfish, I assume and worst as it is hard to keep a clean line most of the time, last time I nearly shave a good friend ducking cross my way, only cut the tail almost in half. Happily have to pay the ding fixer on his favorite board 5'10" Diverse's
Finally an happy end but I've lost a good friend

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steve35 said..
A few weeks ago I did this and had some good waves, 3 surfers see some of the waves and paddle down to the peak I'm on

Ah ah, a "Benny Hill session". My last session was one: finding an empty peak, enjoying great ride after great ride, and have all the 20 prone surfers in the other peaks all migrating to mine...
... and moving out to the now empty other peak... and rinse and repeat...

A Benny Hill chase in slow motion.

Shortboarders do not seem to realise that on a 9'2" longSUP you are able to enjoy peaks where they wont be able to catch a decent ride. More due to the ability to see sets more in advance, and moving around to position oneself perfectly, than to magical taking off abilities of SUPs.

My usual strategy is to let them give me the stink eye for a while, then when a set comes, call a few surfers into it.

Then wait for the massive close out set that they have no chance of getting out to, take the biggest one and cover them with spray with a searing cuttie or five.

Then you are set for the rest of the session

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Tardy said..
I only snake round snakes .

normally Im well behaved ...but ...

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colas said..

steve35 said..
A few weeks ago I did this and had some good waves, 3 surfers see some of the waves and paddle down to the peak I'm on

Ah ah, a "Benny Hill session". My last session was one: finding an empty peak, enjoying great ride after great ride, and have all the 20 prone surfers in the other peaks all migrating to mine...
... and moving out to the now empty other peak... and rinse and repeat...

A Benny Hill chase in slow motion.

Shortboarders do not seem to realise that on a 9'2" longSUP you are able to enjoy peaks where they wont be able to catch a decent ride. More due to the ability to see sets more in advance, and moving around to position oneself perfectly, than to magical taking off abilities of SUPs.

And doesn't that happen all the time. Get a few on your little peak and then all of a sudden you paddle back out to find 2 or 3 sitting in your zone, then more and more and on and on it goes

Great topic,couldnt agree more and always make an effort to sit down early after having a wave.I take the stink eye plenty but i always find it dissolves when the crew realise you kn ow how to play the game.Interested to hear how you guys manage the situation if a few sups out in line up,like some surfers not everyone follows the same game.Many times i paddle away to the sub standard wave down the beach to avoid these situations but i gotta say sometimes im peeved as its the beach out front of home and i do plenty of hard yards out there in the winter months.Am i getting too precious here ?

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Lucyloo said..
Great topic,couldnt agree more and always make an effort to sit down early after having a wave.I take the stink eye plenty but i always find it dissolves when the crew realise you kn ow how to play the game.Interested to hear how you guys manage the situation if a few sups out in line up,like some surfers not everyone follows the same game.Many times i paddle away to the sub standard wave down the beach to avoid these situations but i gotta say sometimes im peeved as its the beach out front of home and i do plenty of hard yards out there in the winter months.Am i getting too precious here ?

I don't think you are being too precious. This idea that we should ride the sub-standard waves gives me the sh ts. But I do it too - go down to the empty or uncrowded zappers instead of riding Pines. Every surfer (including us) needs to show good etiquette, but the idea that we are supposed to scurry away when the high and mighty proners arrive is BS. And like you, it bugs me when you are in crowds when the conditions are good on a break that you ride when it is crappy, but until they introduce a Frequent Rider program I think we are stuck with that

Some SUP guys consider that "the rider decides"......someone paddles out on a shortboard.......someone paddles out on a longboard.
And they say......there you are. You are trying to catch waves on the board you chose to paddle out with.
Some SUP guys would say........nice try but bad choice.
They will catch lots of waves ......the people who chose to paddle out on shortboards and longboards will catch bugger all.

Some of the local guys are like that........am more like a "sit down and relax" person myself. Am often the only sup person out at makorori point.....so tend to be quite polite

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cantSUPenough said..

Lucyloo said..
Great topic,couldnt agree more and always make an effort to sit down early after having a wave.I take the stink eye plenty but i always find it dissolves when the crew realise you kn ow how to play the game.Interested to hear how you guys manage the situation if a few sups out in line up,like some surfers not everyone follows the same game.Many times i paddle away to the sub standard wave down the beach to avoid these situations but i gotta say sometimes im peeved as its the beach out front of home and i do plenty of hard yards out there in the winter months.Am i getting too precious here ?

I don't think you are being too precious. This idea that we should ride the sub-standard waves gives me the sh ts. But I do it too - go down to the empty or uncrowded zappers instead of riding Pines. Every surfer (including us) needs to show good etiquette, but the idea that we are supposed to scurry away when the high and mighty proners arrive is BS. And like you, it bugs me when you are in crowds when the conditions are good on a break that you ride when it is crappy, but until they introduce a Frequent Rider program I think we are stuck with that

No no, it shouldn't and doesn't work that what with me, yes to surf etiquette but no to taking slops, if a prone ain't playing by the rules then there ain't no rules

My local break is very uncrowded but on the good days with larger crowds I feel the need to give the surfers something. I find that the old trick of falling in out back to get some more room doesn't work anymore as all the locals know I can catch almost anything that comes my way. But It s a good chance to let the surfers catch a few. But they know the old grey headed SUP rider on the blue board will respect the lineup as long as I get my fair share.

my local here can get crowded, but i am the sole sup 99% of the time, so no confusion about sup behavior, based on others---and i behave well. I have been surfing, sponging, knee-boarding (ws'ing too) for many of my 58 years, and i respect protocol etc

one issue: at my main local break there is one longboard guy who is simply a wave hog. he's a strong paddler and always on a huge board, so lines up outside of everyone and takes choice of every set--i am 90kg plus on an 8"8" 120 ltr board, so i line up way inside of him--one day, he's doing his usual thing, taking every good wave, on a pretty crowded day, where conditions are weak and there are few waves--i mustve already kicked out of 10 waves the guy was on, which is the right thing--if it's his wave and he's making it, i kick out

well one time i go to kick out and there's a kook padlding out who has me blocked--i either straighten out or try to kick and run the kook over-lomgboard guy is 3 meters behind me, and had i not been there the kook would have blocked the lB guy anyway. LB guy sees the whole thing and, instead of straightening out, he comes right up on me yelling some BS---well i couldnt contain myelf--i told him he was a focking wave hog, and that it was obvious i was trying to kick out for him (yet again), and instead of straightening out he chose to risk hitting me and the kook to make a point---

funny thing there were 25 or 30 guys arounfd in the water, and i am the only sup, but no one said a word--the guy has "friends" at the break but not one spoke up on his behalf. then the guy starts blocking me and focking around. so i just paddled right up to him and sat down, right behind him--blocked him from getting 3 waves and he didnt say a word--i try to keep it real zen in the ocean--i really try to get along, even giving waves to better surfers out of respect---and if my wave count is high, i move inside or to a far shoulder, never wanting to seem as though i am dominating wave count--people have seen me behave like that for years---guess it just took an sup guy to tell off the wave hog

what really pathetic is this guy takes all the best waves, but does nil with them, never a nose ride, never a rail grab, nothing

i am tempted to asked him, in earshot of the lineup, if he's ever considered trying to turn on the wave? or doing something other than just standing there??

but hey i am zen!!!! (and he could be a gnarly UFC cage match fighter!)