SkeBum wrote:One question for the gang about line up etiquette; Was out in the break last week, this wave is a right so the person on the outside left has priority, if they get the wave, or so I have been taught. .... Now I knew she was taking position but being new I didn't quite know how to handle it and it is just a beginner break nothing to get too fired up about, any advice on how to handle this in the future.
The whole 'paddling inside to get a wave' thing is a notorious annoyance...in some places (like Snapper Rocks in Australia), the inside is right in front of some rocks and only the good surfers will dare the take off there. As things get crowded, they just move further and further inside until its just them on the inside, and then hog all the waves.
Constantly paddling to the inside is a form of snaking; and while the general rule is that the person inside has priority, that must always be balanced with the 'take turns' rule and the 'anti snake' rule. However, some surfers will always pick the rule that benefits them - if they are always inside, they claim priority; but if you are picking off too many waves they will argue for the 'take turns' rule. Then get upset when you pick them up on it.
There are ways around it, or at least ways you can try without being too aggressive. For example, move so you are right next to her (if you are next to each other, claiming the inside is harder - it can then become the first to start paddling competition...sounds like this is what you did and is probably the easiest); yell 'mine' when you start paddling even if she is inside (don't do this constantly, but give her a wave or two or a mistake or two then do it and if she blows up about it, explain); say 'next wave is mine' in a lighthearted manner before she even starts thinking about it (but then, of course, you just have to go even if its a bomb set...). If you can, take off as soon as she is out of position - if she misses a wave, you get the next one (this is probably the second easiest method). If you need to you can say 'I don't mean to be rude, but if you could stop snaking me that would be appreciated' or 'if you could let me go for a wave now and then'.
You could even appeal to vanity - say 'sorry to bother you but I'm just learning, could you check me out paddling for a wave and tell me whether I'm doing the right thing'
However, you cant do any of the above (except for the out of position timing) if you are sitting 20m off the shoulder (where the wave first breaks) because you want to get the wave when its slightly smaller or less steep (perfectly understandable positioning for a beginner, but you cant have the best of both worlds).
If nothing works or you don't want to do it or you get an adverse reaction, then you just have to put up with it, move to another peak, or get more upset. Suggest not the latter! Some surfers are just wave hogs, especially when they can tell another surfer is a beginner; they figure the beginner will probably mess it up anyway so why even give them the chance. Part of it is being a more confident surfer yourself so they don't do this; but I fully appreciate saying 'be more confident' at your stage is nigh on impossible (and in no way do I blame you for it). It can often get better as you get better - people will respect you more in the line up and then, even though you will have the confidence to call her on it, you wont need to because she will be giving you the respect you deserve and letting you catch waves.
SkeBum wrote:then some tourists from Germany or some place on Costco boards, trying to drown in the kelp beds..
