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wave riding etiquette

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Icharus
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wave riding etiquette

Postby Icharus » Wed May 04, 2016 1:14 pm

Just back from medano where I got 5 great days - mostly wave riding. Its amazing how many don't know how to behave at a point break - to me short tackers should be hung at dawn! However I was slightly unsure of the etiquette of stalling to wait for a wave I liked while the queue of people behind me had to do the same ? Some windsurfers did it to me - which was OK by me - but I am not sure how this sits in general? Usually I would stall a bit but if nothing good appeared in 4 or 5 waves I would get embarrassed and go round again. Those that just blasted around in the surf instead of joining the queue were just liabilities.

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby plummet » Wed May 04, 2016 1:25 pm

Short takers? So someone claiming an unused wave on the way out or someone claim a wave on the way out that's already claimed.

The way it works round here is you tack out until you find a swell you like. You then jump on it and ride it in. Once claimed its yours. The further out you tack the more chance of being the first to claim the swell. But also it may turn out to be a dud. If you loiter closer in to select your wave some guy who has tacked out further may have already claimed the swell.

If your tacking back out through the swell and an sweet wave presents that no one has claimed you sure as hell claim it so it doesn't go to waste.

Short answer who ever turns onto the wave/swell first claims it. Whether tacking in or out

By your description it sound like you maybe are tacking back in and want to slow down and wait till the next swell catches up and claim it. Is that right?
Going by our local unofficial rules. You can only claim if nobody else has.
So.... If you look back and another dude has already claimed it. Tuff luck for you. tack back out to keep the rotation going.

If you want to cherry pick a better wave than the one that's in front of you now and expect others to wait. That is not cool. Ride that shittier wave and tack back out.

If there is no swell and you are waiting for a set. and want to loiter like a surfer and take the next best wave in the set. That is also not cool. Keep the rotation going regardless of sets or lack of them and try your luck out the back to claim a swell and ride it in.

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby plummet » Wed May 04, 2016 1:39 pm

PS cool name. Have you ever jumped so high your kite has been so close to the sun its caught fire?

Icharus
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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby Icharus » Wed May 04, 2016 1:44 pm

its a tight point break plummet along a rocky point - and tightly packed waves - if anyone else is in there it ruins your line. Some would even tack and power out thru the surf knowing there was a line up waiting. Sometimes a windsurfer can nip in and get away with it but kiters need some room. Some riders seem to think they have to do everything at 100MPH - I like to wait for a good one if theres no-one else there I will even sit in the water out of the impact zone waiting for a good one. In surfing terms this is normal - but in power surfing how rude is it to sit and wait too long ?

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby kas911 » Wed May 04, 2016 2:41 pm

Dont think you can stall the entire que at el medano. Slow down a little bit and if nothing shows up you just have to tack and line up again. But thats just my opinion. Seems like there are so many beginners in el medano so the rules dont really apply there........

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby alexrider » Wed May 04, 2016 2:45 pm

Simple rule: the oldest rider claims the wave. Respect for the elders.

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby plummet » Wed May 04, 2016 2:49 pm

To be fair I don't know the break at all or the local rules. So you can only take my advice with a grain of salt. My call is do not stall at all. Choose the swell ride in and ride it when it turns into a wave. Get the hell out and go choose another one and ride. If for some reason you find yourself blasting back out through the line up. Get the f*** out of the way of anyone on the wave face if possible.

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby Icharus » Wed May 04, 2016 2:59 pm

alexrider wrote:Simple rule: the oldest rider claims the wave. Respect for the elders.
Only kiting since 2003 ? I look forward to you giving way then!

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby Icharus » Wed May 04, 2016 3:06 pm

plummet wrote:To be fair I don't know the break at all or the local rules. So you can only take my advice with a grain of salt. My call is do not stall at all. Choose the swell ride in and ride it when it turns into a wave. Get the hell out and go choose another one and ride. If for some reason you find yourself blasting back out through the line up. Get the f*** out of the way of anyone on the wave face if possible.
at this break the swell only really cleans up into a wave at the last minute - unless its really big - so keeping moving seems dumb as you might get a dud. BUT I worried a lot about doing it too much - the windsurfers ( the ones that had any talent) all did it and understood when I did too.

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Re: wave riding etiquette

Postby Icharus » Wed May 04, 2016 3:08 pm

kas911 wrote:Dont think you can stall the entire que at el medano. Slow down a little bit and if nothing shows up you just have to tack and line up again. But thats just my opinion. Seems like there are so many beginners in el medano so the rules dont really apply there........
The biggest day had a lot of old hands in the line up and all went smoothly - best day I have had in years I was out there for about 6 hours! but then the muggles arrived...........


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