Surfing Waves

ok, so I'm kind of a noob, I can catch waves, pop up, turn and stay on the board for the length of the wave. My problem is I concentrate too much on catching the wave that sometimes I forget to check to my left to see if there's someone coming. I did drop in on a few guys but bailed out of the wave as soon as I heard them behind me, and grabbed my board on my way down. Here's my point:

At one point I actually remembered to check to my left when I was paddling for a wave, there was no one coming. so the wave was mine, I popped up and was riding the wave when I realized there was a guy paddling from the beach right in my way, I decided to bail. but I was already too close... I don't think I hit him but I think he might have had to stop my board with his hands... The guy looked at me like it was my fault. But as far as I know... Shouldn't the people paddling back be watching for people paddling for a wave? I know I do.
so what do you think?
was it my fault for not checking straight in front of me?
or was it his fault for not checking the line up?

his fault.

My understanding is that you shouldn't paddle out straight infront of where people would be dropping in on the wave. You need to paddle out further down the line, get out beyond the breakers and then paddle over parrellel to shore into your spot in the lineup.

Bub wrote:My understanding is that you shouldn't paddle out straight infront of where people would be dropping in on the wave. You need to paddle out further down the line, get out beyond the breakers and then paddle over parrellel to shore into your spot in the lineup.

you mean him? or me? I got the part when I paddle to the line up perfect, I never get in the way and I always get there fast. My only problem right now is making sure I pay attention to my left (and even maybe right in front of me) when I'm paddling to catch a wave.

edit: oh I gotcha...

You know I have a similiar encounter that really irked me. A friend and myself were doing dawn patrol one morning at a new break we never tried before, we were the 1st ones in the water that morning. A longerboarder paddled out and lined up about 30 feet directly behind us. About 30 seconds after he sat up on his board a really nice wave came in and he paddled in for it. I was waiting to see which way he was going to turn and would have moved out of his way, but instead he pulled off the wave, then proceeded to holler at me for being in the way and caused him to miss a good wave. Needless to say, my friend that I was with had never surfed before so I suggested that the 2 of us move out of this jackasses way before we cause further hostility. Later on, I talked to some other guys on the beach about this guy, who said that particular guy surfs at that spot everyday (but he isn't any good). He just likes to pretend he's someone really important around this spot.
So was I at fault here? If a few minutes had gone by, I would have moved a little further down to be out of his way, but honestly, I didn't even have time to process that he sat up directly behind us.

you are good, his fault. though most say if you are paddling out and there is someone coming in the direction that you are paddling that you should paddle toward them, kind of like the race car driver steers in the direction of the crash ahead, as the laws of physics say that the object (surfer on wave or crashed car) will have moved out of the way by the time you get there.

The rule of right of way as it applies to surfing does have its grey areas. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but let me try to break it down anyway into “clear”, “not so clear”, and “assholic” situations.

To be clear, these are just my interpretations and open for debate.

Scenario 1

<<-------wave---------<<

X Y

Clear: Both paddle at the same time; Y has right of way being closer to the peak.
Not So Clear: X takes the initiative and begins paddling well before Y; X has right of way.
Assholic: Y takes the initiative and begins paddling well before X whereby X proceeds to swing around Y to gain the inside position; X is quite assholic.

Scenario 2

<<-------wave---------<<

X

Y

Clear: X takes the initiative and begins paddling before Y; X has right of way.
Not So Clear: Both paddle at the same time; X has right of way being closer to the peak.
Assholic: X takes the initiative and begind paddling before Y whereby Y proceeds to reposition on the inside; Y is quite assholic.

So the big takeaways here are thus:

1) Closer to the peak equates to right of way.

2) Repositioning to achieve #1 after fellow surfer has already made clear his attempt to ride the wave is superbly assholic.

3) Wave priority should be given to he who first makes clear his attempt to ride the wave regardless of positioning.

the.ronin wrote:The rule of right of way as it applies to surfing does have its grey areas. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but let me try to break it down anyway into “clear”, “not so clear”, and “assholic” situations.

To be clear, these are just my interpretations and open for debate.

Scenario 1

<<-------wave---------<<

X Y

Clear: Both paddle at the same time; Y has right of way being closer to the peak.
Not So Clear: X takes the initiative and begins paddling well before Y; X has right of way.
Assholic: Y takes the initiative and begins paddling well before X whereby X proceeds to swing around Y to gain the inside position; X is quite assholic.

Scenario 2

<<-------wave---------<<

X

Y

Clear: X takes the initiative and begins paddling before Y; X has right of way.
Not So Clear: Both paddle at the same time; X has right of way being closer to the peak.
Assholic: X takes the initiative and begind paddling before Y whereby Y proceeds to reposition on the inside; Y is quite assholic.

So the big takeaways here are thus:

1) Closer to the peak equates to right of way.

2) Repositioning to achieve #1 after fellow surfer has already made clear his attempt to ride the wave is superbly assholic.

3) Wave priority should be given to he who first makes clear his attempt to ride the wave regardless of positioning.

Thanks about all this. This was all clear to me before. I had an instructor tell me all about this before and clarified it.

my issue was this


<<----------wave----------<<
X = me riding wave




Y = dude paddling from beach (dry hair and everything) whom I almost rammed and killed.


What I've gathered from everyone is that he should have kept an eye open for people surfing and he didn't. this has returned some confidence back to me, since I felt terrible right after that happened.

He should have tried to get out of your way, that's for sure.

But my only suggestion would be that you should also have the ability to at least try to steer around any oncoming paddlers too, especially if you're in a crowded break.

And rather than bail your board, stalling it might have been a better option.

I'm not saying this happened in your case, but there's nothing scarier than someone with no board control coming right at you, having no ability to steer away from you, so just jumping off their board and allowing it to fly at you!

There will always be times when paddlers simply can't avoid 'being in the way', so some attempt to avoid them is always a bonus.......

Surfing-Innovation wrote:He should have tried to get out of your way, that's for sure.

But my only suggestion would be that you should also have the ability to at least try to steer around any oncoming paddlers too, especially if you're in a crowded break.

And rather than bail your board, stalling it might have been a better option.

I'm not saying this happened in your case, but there's nothing scarier than someone with no board control coming right at you, having no ability to steer away from you, so just jumping off their board and allowing it to fly at you!

There will always be times when paddlers simply can't avoid 'being in the way', so some attempt to avoid them is always a bonus.......

I can steer my board at will, but I had just popped up when I realized he was really close, no way to steer around him (which I have done in the past). I've could have tried to stall it tho, you are right.

usually his fault but not always in crowded waves where else are you gonna paddle out as always its usually a good idea to keep a look out. Sometimes when i see someone in the way i will try to go round them as if you bail in front chances are boards are gonna collide. A lot of the time you can make it through but you arnt sure if they are too close just use your best judjement regarding this.

I'm not saying this happened in your case, but there's nothing scarier than someone with no board control coming right at you, having no ability to steer away from you, so just jumping off their board and allowing it to fly at you!

Had to duck dive plenty of oncoming boards and once with a surfer on it who refused to bail needless to say he got an earfull and got out the water real fast

Okay, just to go against the grain...

Likeable Villains fault.

By his own admission, he's not paying enough attention to whats going on around him. LV should have known he was there.

Sure, the guy paddling out should be doing his best to get out of LV's way, but its often not possible (or its unclear where that newbie surfer is going), and LV shouldnt be surfing 'at' people unless he can steer around them (which is a lot of fun, incidentally).

And bailing the board such that the other guy has to fend it off with his hands is unforgiveable.

drowningbitbybit wrote:Okay, just to go against the grain...

Likeable Villains fault.

By his own admission, he's not paying enough attention to whats going on around him. LV should have known he was there.

Sure, the guy paddling out should be doing his best to get out of LV's way, but its often not possible (or its unclear where that newbie surfer is going), and LV shouldnt be surfing 'at' people unless he can steer around them (which is a lot of fun, incidentally).

And bailing the board such that the other guy has to fend it off with his hands is unforgiveable.

way to destroy my self confidence once again lol....

Likeable Villain wrote:way to destroy my self confidence once again lol....

Nah, dont worry about it. We've all done it, or similar. I make a twat of myself and get in someone's way every time I paddle out at Maroubra

But I do think that newbies have to try really hard to know whats going on around them both for their own safety and those around them. It'll come with practise

drowningbitbybit wrote:

Likeable Villain wrote:way to destroy my self confidence once again lol....

Nah, dont worry about it. We've all done it, or similar. I make a twat of myself and get in someone's way every time I paddle out at Maroubra

But I do think that newbies have to try really hard to know whats going on around them both for their own safety and those around them. It'll come with practise

too late... my surfing spirit has been shattered...
naah just kidding, I'm going out there tomorrow to Sunset Blvd beach.

i'd say a bit of both... he was paddling out therefore looking right in front of him, and must have seen you go for the wave...

if he was experienced enough to know the "rules" enough to to be sure of himself enough to give you an earful, then he should know better than to be in the way... have to make some allowances for newbies.(how else are you to learn)...

DBBB has a point though... awareness is crucial to yours and everyone elses safety out there.

his fault. as a side, you need to control your board and be more aware of your surroundings as best you can. Sometimes accidents happen, hell thats how we're all here.

yeah I would say it depends on the situation....usually the guy riding the wave has right of way but like said before he should also pay attention to people paddling out and steer around. Had a jerk at my local spot running over me as i wasn't even paddling out i was further down the line up and his wave had pretty much mushed out, saw that he wasn't goin around, tried to duck under and needless to say his fins sliced right through my board. Could have been my leg, my board was done though and he was yelling at me that it was my fault? I still don't know whose fault it was but i know that both of us should have payed a little more attention.

According to contest rules (which are the only rules there are, the rest are merely etiquette guidelines and therefore not binding in any way).
Surfer up and riding must avoid people paddling.
That is all you need to know.

Obviously its nice if people get out of the way when you're on a wave but if you hit someone its your fault - assuming the paddler is not deliberately trying to get into your way.

When I am paddling out, I'm still (after like 5 years or something) awkward and can't figure out where they are going and I usually just get in the way. I'll generally try to paddle towards the whitewater so they can get on with getting down the line. Works sometimes others not.

When I am up surfing I really couldn't care less if someone is in my way, I can generally go around them pretty well even on a log. As crowded as it gets here it almost becomes a game