Surf Etiquette: Snowballing

[RinkyDink]

I went out surfing a few weeks back in a lineup full of beginners who were blowing their waves over and over again. It was in sloppy small surf so the stakes were minimal. Surfing etiquette was kind of non-existent that day. Here's what I was doing in the lineup that made me realize I was practicing bad etiquette. I would go for a wave along with two or three beginners and I would watch the beginners closest to the curl to see if they made the wave and, if they blew it, I would then follow through with my takeoff. However, there were times when those other surfers closer to the curl were actually competent surfers. When those surfers came toward me I would pull out of the wave, but I realized I was snowballing their wave. I could clearly see that my pull-backs from the waves were technically not a drop-in, but were nevertheless destroying the section of the wave the competent rider was on. So, I came up with my own snowballing rule: always assume the rider with priority is competent and don't even get in a position that will start a snowball. The question is, however, should you follow this rule in a free-for-all beginners surfing scrum where surfing etiquette doesn't apply? If anybody has other insights into the finer points of avoiding being the cause of a snowball to other surfers, I'd love to hear them. For example, when a wave is breaking left and right, can you assume that a rider is going to go in a direction that allows the other surfer in position to go in the opposite direction?

What is snowballing? See following video.

[oldenglish]

Poor etiquette indeed. But, beginners paddling for every wave let alone blowing the wave is much more poor. I usually assume that anyone going for a wave will make it. That goes for people taking off late and behind long sections. If they blow a couple of waves I will then start taking out insurance by having looks at their waves and making sure they go and make it. Generally, if your taking off on the peak next to the person, then the snowballed section isn't really a problem. If your snowballing a section that I rider would be problematic for a person up and rideing then you need to stop shoulder hopping.

No easy answer but if you surf enough you can almost spot the guys that will make the wave before they paddle for it. Snowballing is really only a big problem in super small mushy stuff where every little bit of workable wall is needed or in barrels. 9 times out of 10 I'm more concerned with drop ins and snaking going on at my locale rather than some guy snowballing sections.

[icetime]

I don't really have to worry about poor etiquette unless the breaks get to 3ft then the damn foamies get to the lineup when I say foamies I mean foamies, I'm talking 25 people sitting like ducks paddling for anything passing by, thing is for the snowballing, I'd say don't swim straight over the waves but sideways and up away from the curl so you swim off the flatter sections, less likely to cause snowballs.
Snowballing isn't something you should worry about unless you're pulling into perfectly shaped barrels but for normal surf, it won't ruin your wave in any way, that's assuming it's not a 200 pound guy that paddling a SUP like a normal surfboard that bashes into the face

[Lebowski]

I don't really have to worry about poor etiquette unless the breaks get to 3ft then the damn foamies get to the lineup when I say foamies I mean foamies, I'm talking 25 people sitting like ducks paddling for anything passing by, thing is for the snowballing, I'd say don't swim straight over the waves but sideways and up away from the curl so you swim off the flatter sections, less likely to cause snowballs.
Snowballing isn't something you should worry about unless you're pulling into perfectly shaped barrels but for normal surf, it won't ruin your wave in any way, that's assuming it's not a 200 pound guy that paddling a SUP like a normal surfboard that bashes into the face

Snowballing (or waterfalling) is when you're paddling for a wave that someone else is riding (or about to ride) and you bring down the section in front of them. It's not paddling over waves out to the line up. It's perfectly possible to ruin a 'normal' wave by bringing the section down.