One guy hassled me a while back. They still haven't found his body.

Kidding.

It also bugs me when you paddle out and say gidday and they just turn their heads. F**k them...

One challenge I have is we often have a different approach to the wave - but that could depend on the break. If we all caught the wave in the exact same position, and in the exact same way, sharing and following the etiquette would be a lot easier. But there have been so many times I have been out where the "surfers" hang in one spot and I might be a little further out (or sometimes closer to shore). I will see (especially long boarders) paddle for just about everything and often struggle to catch anything at all. Meanwhile I am trying to keep track of who has the next wave. So many guys who paddle for a wave but fail (suppers and surfers) don't count it as their turn. Or they take a sneaky look - turn, paddle a bit - and then quit. Does that count as their wave? But for me I take a few paddles to get really going. I am trying to watch the wave and the surfers to make sure I can catch it if I should. So when guys keep taking sneaky looks it is hard to know whether to paddle hard or not. (And plenty of SUPers take sneaky looks too.)

And when you add surf-skis to the mix, that just adds complication.

I agree that paddling out and sitting down sends a strong message that you are intending to take your turn. But when no one seems to be playing by the rules, including my fellow SUPers, it can quickly turn into a feeding frenzy...

I've been supping for nearly 3 years now and with a background as a surfer, I do see both sides of the discussion. I sup full time now and gave my surfboards away like a year ago and although I have been reading this forum for a couple of years, I've been waiting for this discussion to resurface before I added my 2 cents..

There are a few key issues I have experienced.

When the surf is small to medium you will always see beginner suppers out trying to get a wave and unfortunately the perspective held by most surfers is bang on. Sups are a very dangerous piece of equipment especially when there is a lack of "surf sense" and general wave knowledge being displayed by beginners. When I see a beginner on a sup I always paddle away and put at least a bank or two between us.

When waves are medium and especially in the larger scale, you will see the more advanced sup riders out looking for a wave. When I first started surfing over 20 years ago way before sups where even available, surfers used to get the ****s with mal riders and goat boats who because of their speed on the water could sit wider and deeper and wait for the bombs. Absolutely fair enough to get the ****s with that. I was one of those surfers.

I sup with some pretty capable riders and only a few of them have a genuine surfing background and I have been often embarrassed how they behave on a crowded break. It's at its worse when you get a pack of suppers who all know each other and just move in to dominate a break.

What's my solution?

If there is another option down the beach or point where there is no crowd and even if it's not pitching as good as the main break, I'll always drift off and find my own spot away from both sups and surfers. Always.

When it is pumping the number of sups drop off and often I have been the only sup out but my choices for another bank are reduced especially when surfing heavy SEQ beachies that can be big death close outs.

So then I don't have a choice but to get in the line up with the local surfers on a bank that is working but there are a couple of rules I always obey by.

Firstly I will never take off on a wave if there is anyone inside me paddling out or caught inside on the bank. Never. This is where I see surfers getting the most frustrated. Looking at a sup taking a big drop and leaning into a bottom turn is a daunting sight and if it goes wrong, things can get dangerous real quick.

In that case I am on full alert and hyper-vigilant and sit just a bit wide and deep and wait my turn. What I have found is that by doing this (even in smaller waves) more often than not when I get my chance and I'm in the clear, I jag some absolute crackers. When the line up see that I am being vigilant (I make eye contact with everyone and look alert), waiting my turn, not putting any of them in any danger and actually making the drop and fly down the line on a few crackers, the whole mood changes and I've even had the odd hoot.

Try and surf south straddie on a sup when it's pumping and not be on your best behavior and totally vigilant. 2 things will happen. You'll most likely get openly abused and because of the vibe in the water, you won't be on your game and you'll get absolutely worked.

So my message is not to the grumpy surfers out there, it's to any suppers who share the waves with ANYONE. We ride a serious piece of equipment that can be genuinely dangerous so we all need to be vigilant with regards to the safety of all others around us. Both sups and surfers.

Our equipment also allows us to catch way more waves so we have to be mindful of not being greedy, especially when we are in a group of mates supping.

From some of the comments in this forum it is obvious that there is a fair percentage of sup riders who really don't get any of this and for sure many of them would be the main offenders that have given sup riders this negative reputation. When I have brought this topic even with my mates who sup but don't have a surfing background they very rarely get it and often come back at me with the same tone as some of the members of this forum.

We are the new kids on the block and sure some of the surfing community have made their minds up about sups and they won't change their mind. But look how quick it happened. Pretty much overnight sups were everywhere and many times being ridden by beginners among seasoned surfers who grew up there and were taught to surf there by their Dad's.

Check you the solution at many breaks in Hawaii. No sups allowed at all. How long will it take before that happens at breaks here if something doesn't change?

One of the sad things for me however is that by running my solution of steering away from busy spots, there are a bunch of breaks I just have never surfed on a sup that I used to surf on a surfboard and they are some of the best breaks in the world. Burleigh point, Currumbin (tried a couple of time but way too busy with sups), super bank, Alex even Noosa. I've been much happier surfing back beaches and in the long run I reckon it's made me a better paddle surfer. For sure.

I just moved to Vic and I can't wait to explore this coast line. Way, way more opportunities to find uncrowded spots.

PS Holden , you nailed it mate
I agree 100%
Surfed today in the boat channel away from all the surfers
Had some absolute monsters coming through and was easy to get set , line up and take off
I also got smashed a few times being caught inside
The last half an hour I had a surf school instructor come over in their boat and let all the beginners watch and learn
I got a few hoots as well , some respect
Just another day on the water
Enjoy and be respectful

PSHolden has it.
I do exactly the same.
When i first started out on a 10'10" x 33" oil tanker, I used to venture out to the point break at our local. I could feel (and hear) the hatred, even though I tried really hard to do the right thing.
As I've improved and bought boards more suited to beach breaks, I have given myself the freedom to use the whole 5km of my local. As a bank becomes crowded, i just move on to the next.
My kids prone surf the point, and so do their mates. I'm not out to hurt anyone or wreck their day so I leave them to it.
I believe I've made more friends and earnt more people's respect from doing so as well.

Talk about timing, was thinking this very same thing on the weekend, even when I am doing the righty I am still get the stink eye and the bad vibe etc...fck em I reckon.

I am having fun trying out a new craft which in my opinion is the awesome thing about surfing in general, there would not be a shortboard at all if people had not tried different things so to criticize someone on a different board is just backwards, people with that attitude are not worth the effort.

From a safety point of view I totally understand the apprehension but this is where a bit of common sense comes into play, if there is a bloke on a SUP on a bank on his own, don't paddle up to him or next to him and expect him to move cos you have turned up, that's your choice. I wouldn't paddle up to a bloke prone surfing and stand next to him??

I am still a beginner and as such have been seeking solitude so I dont hurt anyone and to be honest I am enjoying it that way, when it works out well I get waves to myself and can really tune into how to go about it without worrying about others around me. Doesn't bother me if it is not the best peak on the beach. I have always rated waves with less crowd higher than crowded waves that are better.

I ride all sorts of boards so I get some of the frustrations as I have had them before, the turning point for me was when I went and had a go on the different boards and realized how fun being able to change and try different craft.

I've just returned from PNG on a surfing trip booked through World Surfaris. I had no issue with going on the trip being the only SUP. There were 16 proners on the trip and after the first session they realised that I could handle myself and I even got a few people coming up and asking questions about my background. On another note I have had SUP rage at different breaks from Ulladulla to Port Macquarie. All not justified. The best way to sought a bully is head on. I'm only small but I refuse to take any **. I'd rather stand up for myself then let them think that they have got the better of me. I will however move away to diffuse the situation if required. Some breaks I don't bother with because of the agro. The bottom line is you can never win an argument with an idiot so don't try.

Psholden nailed it. 40 years ago it wasn't a problem. There are only so many surf breaks on earth and when they're lined up ... Us fellas on SUPs can start out further, go longer and don't need as good quality waves as surfers do, I can get most waves I paddle for out wide and away from the pressure of the lineup. I don't have any trouble with surfers because they wouldn't be bothered with the crap that I'm happy to ride.

I have been paddlesurfing for years and still do a fair bit of short boarding and you guys should not be suprised that the surfers get annoyed because there are too many paddleboarders being greedy and unsafe out there. I got hit by a super on my short board once and I can tell you its not a nice experience. The mal riders can be a pain is the ass too. If everyone shows a bit of respect to each other off the bat then a lot of issues can be avoided but that includes the paddleboarders. Then it doesnt matter what surf craft you are on!

I'm running for the senate and one of my policy is to build a fence inthawater to divide different type of watercraft so we can live in peace and happy for n-ever. Vote for a change and let's make inthawater great again!

Bowerboy next time you in QLD paddle out at snapper and embrace the difference.

In 20-odd years of surfing, I don't think I've ever seen anyone get yelled at by mistake, regardless of the craft they ride.

This topic is discussed on here every couple of weeks in one way or another.

The message is always the same. Learn the rules, pay your dues, don't be a dick.

Macaha said..
Bowerboy next time you in QLD paddle out at snapper and embrace the difference.

Been there and done that a fews times. The Angry Snapper locals make the angry Manly locals look like pussy cats ( which they are):-)

You know what really cuts down on the harassment in the line-up?

Showing up for beach clean-ups.

Seriously, establishing yourself in the community makes establishing yourself in the line-up so much easier.

don't tell "red thumb".......he is a sensitive soul......but once promised to send the point of my PSH 12'6 into his head if he dropped in on me again

Personally I don't think it's a SUP thing at all.
Surfers are generally having a crack at SUP riders because they are probably having a bad surf due to the line up being so fricken crowded
You talk about Manly, surfing and the weekend.
That in itself is a recipe for disaster.
Only the entire stretch your probably lucky to have 2m of water to yourself.
People with all levels of ability with every right to be out there like the next person. Everyone is out there. Bower talks about the new generation of self entitled new locals in their multi million dollar homes that's better than the previous and your adding that attitude to the line up.
Not to mention the surf school, Multiple backpackers. Board hire shops. The influx of Westys on the weekend.
You ask everyone why they surf and it's always "it's fun"
But I hate to break it to you. Surfing on the weekend on the Northern Beaches of Sydney is a F..... up
No fun at all.