SUP Vs. Surfers: Keeping The Peace

Article Written By: MattSchweitzer

Today it seams like everyone is a wave hog! Weather your a short boarder, long boarder, wind surfer, or kite surfer, no one likes to share waves in the water... And certainly not with the stand up paddle guys! But we can figure it out and all get along on the water. After 35 years of shortboarding and windsurfing in Hawaii with some of the best surfers in the world (and most aggressive), I really understand the frustration of the surfers. If you don't surf and you have just learned to SUP then you may never understand what those surfers feel. So take a moment and think about it.

Would you go to Compton and swerve in from of a gang member driving? It would probably cause you a slight conflict don't you think? Surfing tribes tend to be the same around the world, very territory driven and ready to confront anyone who gets in their path. You don't want to get in the way of a guy who's already raging that you are there, you know how that can turn out, we have all heard the tales before.

Here's the problem: Stand up paddlers can catch the wave like they are powered by an engine. They can easily out paddle a surfers speed 10 fold. So, if a surfer has been sitting at the point waiting for a wave for a half an hour with a group of other surfers and jocking for position you can understand why they get bummed (or worse), when a stand up paddler comes from the beach and is at the point in an instant with minimum effort. In a matter of minutes the SUP guys can paddle outside of everyone and catch the first set before it is even close to the surfers that have been patiently waiting for their turn in the line up. Many times the SUP guys can ride a wave in, paddle right back out and do the same thing over and over while the surfers anger begins to boil over. Ive seen it happen over and over again in Hawaii and its becoming a real problem.

A couple of weeks ago while in Peru I was on a SUP and noticed a bunch of surfers. I ended up paddling a half mile up the coast away from them. I found myself in the middle of some amazing long waves, I was riding the same swells as the other surfers, but a different wave. After God knows how long of some the best surfing I had in a long time, I paddled back to the beach away from the other surfers. They all seamed to appreciate the fact that I wasn't infringing on their territory like everyone else seemed to be doing lately. It was a win win situation.

That is the best part about the SUP sport. Most surfers go to the waves that are closest to the beach, they aren't willing to paddle out as far as a stand up guy. So you can literally have the ocean to yourself just by paddling to the outer reefs. If we all use our judgment and a little common sense we shouldn't have any problems getting along. This isn't the first time a new sport has come out after all.

We need to keep in mind that we all share the oceans and lakes and we shouldn't try to dominate them. That is the beauty of SUP, we can go anywhere, it's wide open to us. If you find yourself in a situation with only one small surf break then wait your turn. Be thoughtful of others in the water and you will get respect. We should all represent our sport so it can grow with all the BS and we can get along with all the other surfers of the world.

About the Author

Understanding all there is to know about SUP surfers is not always easy. Luckily you can get everything you need right here at stand up paddle

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