Etiquette

[coldkook]

You're right I must have totally misunderstood this.
As far as I was aware the wave priority lays with furthest out/longest waiting then nearest the peak so I thought with me being nearest to the peak, and the fact that he'd literaly only just paddled back out from taking the last of the previous set, that I was good to go.
In my defence though once I saw him I stopped paddling but that was more out of just avoiding a bad situation than any belief that he had right of way.
Oh well if you're reading this sorry mate!

[Surfing-Innovation]

Just because you're sat deeper, doesn't always mean you've got carte blanche to take all the waves - but by the nature of the craft, longboarders will sit deeper than shortboarders. If the guy had literally paddled out, turned round and paddled back on the very first wave, then that's a bit arsey - but you did right to back out and that should have caught his attention and he should have acknowledged you....

If I'm on a break, I always tend to be vocal about what's coming along and just sort of ask if anyone's going for it or say 'yours if you want it' or something like that - saves any confusion.

You'll always get the knobber who just paddles into the line up and sits 5 feet deeper thinking he gets priority, same as you get those who sit 5 feet inside and closer in who think they're holding priority like in some comp or something.

Communication is the key ........

[Brisbanebound]

Drop ins are a fact of life on crowded peaks - public holidays in places like Noosa are a total zoo and that's when the aggro starts.
Most of the time, if you drop in you smile, and apologise and all is good.
The thing that really gets me is the guys that paddle for every wave. And goat boaters!
Snaking people is pretty cheeky too! Saw a mate on the receiving end of the worst example! Guy on a longboard paddled into the wave just as me mate was popping up. He virtually took his right ear off! Totally out of line.
I've dropped in on people in the past but never deliberately and I always pull out if I get a call.