Lack of courtesy, piggish behavior, inuries to others, it’s all been
covered ad nauseum, and it’s still not what what is most objectionable
about SUP’s in the lineup.
It’s the visual pollution.
We used to be able to sit between sets, just enjoying the see forever
ocean, watching for sets…and now, when the sweepers show
up, the view is polluted by the constant sweeping back and forth, back
and forth, constant motion between us and the horizon.
Swinging left, back paddling, now going right, patrolling, patrolling,
twitchy as nervous cats…all the time trying to see past them at what
used to be an empty horizon…and now that one just fell, and between
you and the sets you’re looking for, he clambers back on his board,
works his way upright, and begins sweeping back and forth yet again,
constantly
repostitioning, waiting to pounce on the first rideable swell moving in
…
not hating the man, just the damn visual pollution and loss of a once wide open horizon…
Howzit kava, I had one friend who is a longboarder tell me that the tension between surfers and SUP guys did take some of the heat off the longboarders. I have to say that it is the guy riding the thing that can be the problem and if they don't hog waves and just take their turn and be respectful of the other surfers than all should get along. Unfortuneatly a lot of the SUP guys are beginners and don't know anything about respect or the other things that make surfing fun for all in the water. Now here is a new outlook, say I decdie to go down the beach to an area where no one else is surfing or even in the water so I won't bother anyone and start doing my SUP thing, then about an hr or so later some surfers decide to paddle out to where I am and decide that it's their spot now. Am I supposed to leave the water or just stay out and keep doing my thing but be respectful but the other guys start hassleing me for being a SUP guy. I don't know if this has happened yet but I am sure it may sometime in the future. Aloha,Kokua
that’s a pretty lame comment dude.I am 56,been surfing since I was a kid,I paid my dues,and a lot of guys older than me that have been around forever(some pretty famous old time shapers),feel the same way.We are not going to let a bunch of younger idiots on stand ups push us out of our breaks or give up surfing.I never meant to say that stand up was bad per se,it has given work to a lot of folks and made it possible for surfshops to stay in business,and given a chance to some longboarders to cross over to the stand up pro circuit,and created a whole new outlet for stand up paddling on rivers,lakes,lagoons(my favorite)That being said,stand up boards do not belong in the same lineup as surfboards,just like windsurfing,kite surfing,and tow in surfing do not mix with surfers.We had to fight to separate those activities,and we have not given up with the stand up.I remember many times spear fishing,and an idiot would whiz by dangerously close on a windsurf.Many a windsurfer had a spear shot at him in those days.Same goes with tow in,many altercations happened when we were surfing the outer reefs and some bozos that could barely swim would come and tow in.Still to this day we have to watch out for windsurfers that are oblivious to us on outrigger one man canoes,they are just not ocean aware,and when you have a person like that on a stand up,and they are close to you, it is not a good scenario.I applaud communities that were able to separate stand ups and surfers,we are still working on it. Aloha
And what do you think about old guys with nose and ear hair? Or a scraggly cigarette stained moustash with donut crumbs still in it. Or old women in old bikinis with the elastic streached out of both them and the bikini.
Jetskis in the line up are a lot more than visual pollution and kiteboarders are good for a laugh if you don’t mind bondage and the potential to be bound and gagged.
I’m more concerned about the permanent changes taking place to my local skyline when I look back at the land than the fleeting images out to sea.
Though fat, balding, grumpy old men on longboards sitting in my field of vision does disturb me. LOL!
i saw a hairy guy in a speedo, a small speedo,white legs, red,sunburned back and shoulders,on a SUP.But then saw many ladies in small bikinis.still couldn’t make up for the speedo guy.
So Laird and Co started with the tow-in,and then the hydrofoil thing,then the stand up,and everybody jumped on the bandwagon.Now Pe’ahi turned into a circus,what with the guy on skis and the frigging helicopter at night and lit up guy.Feels disrespectful to the place.That’s what bothers me more than anything.
Disclaimer I've made SUPs and I use SUPs, ouch it hurts to type that. But SUPing for me is done when its 1' to flat. Once it gets bigger than that it feels like dancing in a body cast.
So with that said I have to report a positive trend. A few of the more obnoxious SUP wave hogs have gotten bored with the whole concept and are actually surfing. They lose weight, start to feel fit, feel like their surfing on the SUP is a bit like using training wheels on a bike, so they start to surf a regular paddle surfboard, nice!
Besides this being totally amusing I've found an easy fix to an SUPer with no manners or regards to taking a turn or giving a wave. SUPing in general is very unstable, tippy. High center of gravity, problems with wind, etc. You would be surprised how easy it is to "accidentally" make them fall off their board. Just remember to pull their board towards you, don't push it as they will fall on you. Nothing violent just a bit of an "accident".
Its my version of "cow tipping". Tippy toe up to the "cow" while it's sleeping, just a slight nudge and oops their down and right before the wave breaks and they get washed in, oopsy daisy!
Had a birthday surf yesterday at a beach i dont normally surf at. 4 SUPs out, waves were pretty small. I paddled right to the bank they were at ( the only bank ) and sat inside, catching the smaller steeper shorebreaks. No drama's, no problems, they even called me into some of the better ones. No hassles, no hogging. They were catching the outside waves, and surfing pretty well. Thought i'd add...
