Got a few red thumbs re my association with a boardrider club.

There seems to be alot of hate towards these types of clubs.

My question is why?

If you havnt been in one how would you know how good they are or not??

Dont just hate for the sake of hating!!

The only time I can think of that a boardriders has stopped me from surfing a break was years ago and we just went and surfed somewhere else, what is the big deal!!

My experience of clubs (Sydney based):

Getting out for a super early surf only to be told to get out of the water by megaphone when the comp was setting up.

Paddling out to surf with a comp and copping megaphone abuse "blah blah...we have council permission to run this comp. No other surfers allowed"

Surfing at a beach break peak one over from a comp only to have the comp surfers paddle over on top of us as soon as we got some good rides. Got dropped in on by a comp surfer who said he was allowed to because he was in the heat.

When I was a kid I was surfing with my dad and we got swamped by a comp. We got out to move on and my dad told them that it wasn't right to kick us out. The comp organiser took a swipe at him.

Comp riders always seem awfully defensive...

So thats the sum total of MY experience. Can I be blamed for not wanting anything to do with comps?

Well you had one bad experience when you were young and that had scarred you.
Thats fair but dont judge all clubs as the same because they arnt.

In Denmark we had a peak to ourselves and a couple of people surfed with us, one bloke I recon was out there for at least 3 hours, still getting their waves ect with no probs, all clubs are not the same so dont treat them as such!

I've got nothing against them.

At the same time, I don't really get the attraction of competitive surfing for anyone with no prospect of getting a lifestyle out of it by going pro.

I reckon the vast majority of pro surfers prefer free surfing to being in heats, but keep competing to maintain sponsorship, win dough etc. If you aren't a pro, or aren't aspiring to be, why compete at all?

Not having a crack at your surfing there Doggie - I can only assume you rip . I'm referring to anyone that clearly is never going to go pro, like most people in anything above junior/cadet division at the majority of clubs.

I've got absolutely no interest in them, but then again I've got nothing against them really.

I was pissed off real bad once when my 'local' reef break was closed off so a bunch of old dudes could play on their longboards. It was a Sunday and my mate and I were hoping to sneak in a surf before the working week and we're told no one could go in the water.

To me that's just not on and entirely unacceptable just so a small handful of crusty old men could fall off their boards every time they tried to drop in one a wave

Then again, that was one time that's happened to me. Couldn't care less if you're in a club or not. Doesn't affect me. Closing beaches for comps annoys me but I'll live.

Doggie,

Mate, you know how F'ing crowded Trigg is already... nothing worse than getting keen for a surf and arriving to see the tent and flags set up on the best peak around 2nd car park...and a bunch of ordinary surfers just wasting the waves...

Trigg is already bad enough with the normal weekend crowd and the two surf schools that operate there...

I know metro options are limited - and no I don't have an answer to the problem...

Having said that I enjoy sitting there watching King of the Point...(when the swells on).

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GPA said...

Doggie,

Mate, you know how F'ing crowded Trigg is already... nothing worse than getting keen for a surf and arriving to see the tent and flags set up on the best peak around 2nd car park...and a bunch of ordinary surfers just wasting the waves...

Trigg is already bad enough with the normal weekend crowd and the two surf schools that operate there...

I know metro options are limited - and no I don't have an answer to the problem...

Having said that I enjoy sitting there watching King of the Point...(when the swells on).

Answer to the problem is to create some proper artificial reefs, surely technology has improved to get it right the second time.

getting back to board rider clubs, I dont see the point in comp surfing and find the the WCT boring, but I enjoy racing sail boats and some people will find that boring (my girlfriend)
aslong as its advertised a week in advanced, crew can find another break to surf for half a day

2 cents

The 3 that I was associated with I found to be really cliquey (sp) which has turned me off them...although I have found footy clubs and other clubs in general to have the same problems more or less...

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Tux said...

The 3 that I was associated with I found to be really cliquey (sp) which has turned me off them...although I have found footy clubs and other clubs in general to have the same problems more or less...

I have the opposite experience, good people fun times. And it's an excuse to go on a surf trip once a month with the lads. Usually the day is a family affair kids & mums all included.

I am not one way inclinded regarding board rider clubs; I'm undecided at the moment. I have met some genuinely nice guys that have gone on to tell me they are in board rider clubs. But then again, I have nothing to base the opinion on yet.

However, here's just a piece of useless information that you may or may not wish to act on at some stage. I have read newspaper articles on the topic of kitesurfing in parts of the river where councils are thinking of banning their practise. I have read a similar article in a ASL mag about boardrider clubs closing beaches. In all these articles it was pointed out that a council's rules only extend to the high tide mark of the land, and no council has ownership of the waterways except in two or three Gold Coast surfing competitions. The truth is even if a beach is shut down, if you back yourself in for a good old punch up (which is needed sometimes in surfing) you can by law ignore them. I am unsure how this applies to surf clubs putting up their flags but in other cases you could just tell them to get stuffed.

Mind you, there are some breaks around Perth, namely Northern breaks such as T** S*** or D*** where the locals would probably torch your car / 4x4. Just food for thought...

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GPA said...
[ and the two surf schools that operate there...

Oh Christ, don't get me started on those guys.

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Geoffro said...


Mind you, there are some breaks around Perth, namely Northern breaks such as T** S*** or D*** where the locals would probably torch your car / 4x4. Just food for thought...

...and they did just that!!!

On the Artificial Reef thing - how did they get the one at Cott/Leighton so very wrong?! It only breaks when it's like a true 3.5m swell - and then every other part-time break is working anyhow...

Should have been up at North Scarbs or even Mullaloo - somewhere where there is consistent swell but no shape.

I'm in a longboard club at Manly we surf just north of the volley nets and there's a shortboard club that surfs out of queenscliff and a Manly gromet club that surfs just south of the north styne surf club then there's the surf school, the board rental places, the back packers, the westies, and the rest of the locals not too mention swimmers freaking everywhere. Metro waves will always be busy, boardrider clubs or not.

I like the club because it pushes me to evolve my surfing intead of just going out and doing the status quo and evloving slowly, I've become a better surfer in the last year I've been in the club than in the 5 before.

As for locations the Manly clubs are in the same spot at the same time every month (unless it reshcedualed to the following weekend due to conditions). None of the clubs push people off the peaks. Hell I was called into a wave one day when the queensy comp was on while riding a SUP by one of the guys in a heat and it was a cracking wave.

Guys and girls in the BR clubs in Manly all seem to be nice and don't drop in on people (you loose one of your waves if you do - we have a 6 wave max count in the LB club), I think it's one of those things where if you free surf like a dick you'll surf in a comp like a dick and well you probably just have dick head tendencies.

Had a great surf this morning shared a peak with 3 others while the heathens all climbed over each other on the next peak up, I was pretty thankful lnone of them wanted to make the paddle down to us, some cracking lefts infront of the NS surfclub

As for the Artificial Reef have a read up about the one in England tear in a bag, surfers complaining about wave quality, and the council complaing about weird rips.

Agree cRaZy, I really do it for the social side but I think it helps me in the water, tends to make paddle for waves that I would not normally go for and to read the waves a bit better.

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GPA said...
On the Artificial Reef thing - how did they get the one at Cott/Leighton so very wrong?! It only breaks when it's like a true 3.5m swell - and then every other part-time break is working anyhow...

Should have been up at North Scarbs or even Mullaloo - somewhere where there is consistent swell but no shape.

Yeah, and the reef has stuffed up the break on the inside. Used to be a good wave, but it double lips now.

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DL said...

GPA said...
On the Artificial Reef thing - how did they get the one at Cott/Leighton so very wrong?! It only breaks when it's like a true 3.5m swell - and then every other part-time break is working anyhow...

Should have been up at North Scarbs or even Mullaloo - somewhere where there is consistent swell but no shape.

Yeah, and the reef has stuffed up the break on the inside. Used to be a good wave, but it double lips now.

Agreed, but when the outer reef works, it works well.

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GPA said...

Doggie,

Mate, you know how F'ing crowded Trigg is already... nothing worse than getting keen for a surf and arriving to see the tent and flags set up on the best peak around 2nd car park...and a bunch of ordinary surfers just wasting the waves...

Trigg is already bad enough with the normal weekend crowd and the two surf schools that operate there...

I know metro options are limited - and no I don't have an answer to the problem...

I dont see the problem, we dont surf @ Trigg Point, I dont even free surf there.

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doggie said...

GPA said...

Doggie,

Mate, you know how F'ing crowded Trigg is already... nothing worse than getting keen for a surf and arriving to see the tent and flags set up on the best peak around 2nd car park...and a bunch of ordinary surfers just wasting the waves...

Trigg is already bad enough with the normal weekend crowd and the two surf schools that operate there...

I know metro options are limited - and no I don't have an answer to the problem...

I dont see the problem, we dont surf @ Trigg Point, I dont even free surf there.

My Comment/Reply was in answer to your original 'why' question - not in ref to the Contacio club or yourself - just offered my opinion of comp surfing at popular breaks...

Cheers
GPA

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GPA said...

doggie said...

GPA said...

Doggie,

Mate, you know how F'ing crowded Trigg is already... nothing worse than getting keen for a surf and arriving to see the tent and flags set up on the best peak around 2nd car park...and a bunch of ordinary surfers just wasting the waves...

Trigg is already bad enough with the normal weekend crowd and the two surf schools that operate there...

I know metro options are limited - and no I don't have an answer to the problem...

I dont see the problem, we dont surf @ Trigg Point, I dont even free surf there.

My Comment/Reply was in answer to your original 'why' question - not in ref to the Contacio club or yourself - just offered my opinion of comp surfing at popular breaks...

Cheers
GPA

Tbh I havnt seen any club down at Scabs/Trigg for ages.

There was one day when we had a comp down there and we were pushed south because there was a state round and Scarb BR was there as well. When situaltions like that arise I can understand people getting angry.
This was a few years ago and on a great day for surf.

I think you'll find a scabs BR event is on this sat!!

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1joe said...

I think you'll find a scabs BR event is on this sat!!

I bet they wont have it at scabs.

Alright guys just hear me out. For a bloke that knows no one who surfs, I was keen on joining a board riders club but after reading through this thread I'm not sure. My surfing might be pretty average but I was keen on the social aspects of things even just enjoying a day watching comps and helping out if need be. Not to mention learning how to surf better from guys who obviously been surfing much longer than me.

Atleast it'd be better than my footy mates giving me **** for surfing - calling it a **** sport hahaha

@ newguy,if I were you I'd find out when each club in your area run their comp days.
Check them all out and join the one that best suits you.
BR clubs can be great,comps,social nights,BBQ's and Beers and road trips which are always a highlight

Board riders clubs are great!!! Nothing better than hangin out with a great group of mates , surfing all day then the after surf mayhem at night!
Great fun and its a good way to meet other like minded people.

SUre people may get upset at them for running a comp and taking the best bank , but its only usually once a month , not worth having a cry over.

From my perspective , there great and shouldnt be knocked untill you've joined one!