hilly said..

Just came in from a sup in decent (actually way better than decent) surf. Had a ball. Surf what you want but follow da rules.

Chris_M said...
As somebody who rides both shortboards and SUPs in the waves I reckon (like it or not) the SUPs need to go out of their way to show that they are considerate of the rest of the surfers. Nearly all surfers groan on the inside when they see a SUP rider coming out, and they are watching you, gradually brewing internal rage each time you get a wave ahead of them in the line up.

I know some of you hate to hear this.

My rules (when SUPing):
Sit down on the board when waiting for a set.
Call some surfers into the set waves and hoot them
Let waves (or entire sets) go through, even if you could catch them
The ones you really want to catch - paddle early for and get in the take off spot first, so everyone else knows there is no point going for it.
Attempt friendly small talk, and don't take it personally if they diss you.
Try not to run anybody over!

OR

Go surf a peak that is too fat for shortboarders, but excellent for SUPing (this is my fave).


I know there is a fairly strong brigade of blokes who think nobody has the right to tell them where to surf, but if you act like a bit of a prick, the general hatred of SUP riders in the surf grows, so cheers for that.


Red thumb away if you must, but I think some of you might need to hear this

stm said...


Was that at Yallingup , I've been watching on swellnet , looks like fun

Chris_M said...
As somebody who rides both shortboards and SUPs in the waves I reckon (like it or not) the SUPs need to go out of their way to show that they are considerate of the rest of the surfers. Nearly all surfers groan on the inside when they see a SUP rider coming out, and they are watching you, gradually brewing internal rage each time you get a wave ahead of them in the line up.

I know some of you hate to hear this.

My rules (when SUPing):
Sit down on the board when waiting for a set.
Call some surfers into the set waves and hoot them
Let waves (or entire sets) go through, even if you could catch them
The ones you really want to catch - paddle early for and get in the take off spot first, so everyone else knows there is no point going for it.
Attempt friendly small talk, and don't take it personally if they diss you.
Try not to run anybody over!

OR

Go surf a peak that is too fat for shortboarders, but excellent for SUPing (this is my fave).


I know there is a fairly strong brigade of blokes who think nobody has the right to tell them where to surf, but if you act like a bit of a prick, the general hatred of SUP riders in the surf grows, so cheers for that.


Red thumb away if you must, but I think some of you might need to hear this

Chris_M said..

As somebody who rides both shortboards and SUPs in the waves I reckon (like it or not) the SUPs need to go out of their way to show that they are considerate of the rest of the surfers. Nearly all surfers groan on the inside when they see a SUP rider coming out, and they are watching you, gradually brewing internal rage each time you get a wave ahead of them in the line up.

I know some of you hate to hear this.

My rules (when SUPing):
Sit down on the board when waiting for a set.
Call some surfers into the set waves and hoot them
Let waves (or entire sets) go through, even if you could catch them
The ones you really want to catch - paddle early for and get in the take off spot first, so everyone else knows there is no point going for it.
Attempt friendly small talk, and don't take it personally if they diss you.
Try not to run anybody over!

OR

Go surf a peak that is too fat for shortboarders, but excellent for SUPing (this is my fave).


I know there is a fairly strong brigade of blokes who think nobody has the right to tell them where to surf, but if you act like a bit of a prick, the general hatred of SUP riders in the surf grows, so cheers for that.


Red thumb away if you must, but I think some of you might need to hear this

oneteam said..



I have to admit as a short boarder and now SUP Chris you are absolutely correct in your statement.
I try very hard to do exactly what you have just said but I am not prefect and do not always follow the rules to a tee
But as I am a local at my regular surf spot and have been for a very long time I have a question?
I started SUP ing as a way of getting me out in water more often as found the surf to be a lot of the time to be of poor
Quality and riding shortboard frustrating as waves 90% always onshore and rubbish.
A lot of people have ask me why I don't ride S/B anymore and my answer is I get just as much of a buzz form SUP as surfing but surf more often as I can have a ball in waves a surfer would struggle.
But I also want to surf quality waves as well and that is where some surfer get angry and say that that is only for the S/B.
I say I do not agree as a short SUP can get a lot out off good wave just check out some of the clips on this site.
Do I get more wave in a surf YES why ---- I see sets long before surfers (see how many waves in set)(see inside sets and waves
That surfer don't see or could catch)(outside set and probably wave that they wouldn't catch)
Yes it is big advantage and yes you do call them into waves, and give them the heads up on how many waves ,inside and outside but it doesn't take much to cause an issue as you stick out like dogs balls.
It's an no win sutuation.