With so many SUPs on the water; not always from a surfing background we should probably revisit AA's Kook or Kool.
I had a client in today that happens to ride a Mal at "Toms" a reef break in metro Perth northern beaches.He told me they have had a gutful of SUP bretheren sitting out the back taking all waves before them because they have more glide.So they now make a conscious effort to block.
Might be time to revisit AA's Kook or Kool ....

How are you representing Stand Up Paddle Surfing?
Are you Dangerous to others? Are you a WAVE HOG?

When Paddle Surfing, there are Kool things and things that make you a huge KOOK!

This section is dedicated to Kook & Kool!

1. You paddle out floundering to a lineup with surfers. You can barely stay standing but proceed right into or outside of the lineup. You paddle for waves while people scramble out of your way only to fall off before you can even get on the wave.... Your big board becomes an extremely dangerous projectile... Kook alert!! KOOK!! KOOK!! KOOK!! KOOK!!

2. You can barely stay standing so you practice in an area where no one is around that you could endanger or bum out. You care about the world wide effects of SUP surfing so you paddle and surf with Aloha. Very Kool!!

3. You start to get the hang of it and want to surf better waves so you decide to surf a more popular spot. You paddle out and stand outside everyone. The sets come and you paddle in like a locomotive right thru the pack. You get waves in every set... KOOK!!

4. You start to get the hang of it and want to surf better waves so you decide to surf a more popular spot. You paddle out and check out the situation. You see waves off to the side that a lot less people go for. You catch a few of those... Since you don't want to wear out your welcome, you decide to catch only a few set waves at most. You surf with Aloha.... Kool!

5. You paddle out on an in-consistent day to a crowded spot. You stand outside everyone the whole duration of the lulls. You never sit down so you tower over others the whole time... You make sure you catch a wave from every set. KOOK!

6. You paddle out on an in-consistent day to a crowded spot. You feel like you're on stage so you stand off to the side or sit down between sets because you don't like blocking everyone's view of the beautiful ocean. You catch a couple waves then move to the inside or on to another spot or just paddle around because you figured out how to surf with Aloha... KOOL!!

7. You're pretty good and can get in and around the surf well... You surf crowded spots and catch all the waves you can. Small ones, set waves etc. Because you can surf good you get plenty waves. You're always calling people off your waves. You just can't help yourself to sit sets out so you basically take over the spot for the duration of your surf. HUGE SELFISH KOOK!!!!!!!!

8. You're pretty good and can get in and around the surf well... You go to a crowded spot and check out what's going on. You see some of the lesser quality waves going un-ridden and surf those. You catch a ton of waves but ones that no one really wants. You paddle out and get a few set waves but you make sure others get waves by quietly cluing them in to incoming sets. You become a quiet spotter of sorts for others to score good waves.... You always sit out a few sets. You use your high vantage point to stoke others out. KOOL!! (When you arrive and it's already crowded NOT GOING OUT THERE is the KOOLEST!)

9. You see how cool SUP surfing is because you can paddle fast and want to get back at those greedy longboarders. You decide to get into it to take over and be the dominent surfer at any spot at any time. Do the entire surfing world a favor and don't get into it. You are the biggest KOOK!!!!!!

10. You see how cool SUP surfing is because you can do something that is a challenge, get great exercise, paddle far up the coast at will, have a blast riding waves you never thought would be fun, discover new spots, like to enjoy the comraderie of the SUP surfers around the world. KOOL!!

Note:
If there are more than one of you SUP surfing, everything becomes doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc.
Avoid heavy rotations with other SUP surfers when surfing with others.

Be aware of your actions and the actions of others. BE KOOL!

Well put Basecurve...in the interests of "2 sides to every story" I would however like to however discuss my one and only SUP at Toms.

Nice day about 2-3 feet swell, a few guys out - I consider myself to be competant however stayed well out to the side and took my first wave after about 15mins of checking it all out, ensuring not to drop in on anyone, to be told in no uncertain terms to f*k off by (I will admit) a short board rider. Tried having a discussion however the guy would not even listen prefering to continue his abuse.

If surfers feel that they are entitled to whinge and whine and cry like 2 year olds when a SUP rider does act like a kook then they should also be willing to show some respect to SUP'ers who respect them. I certainly don't tar all surfers with the same brush after that experience and nor do I expect to be abused when doing the right thing in the waves just because someone has had a bad experience with another SUP rider.

I am sure we can all co-exist - after all we are all (usually) adults.

Agreed 8383. Shortboarders are even more precious for mine.They truly believe they are the chosen ones.
I have no problem with the long-boarders at my local , but will generally move aside if it is busy.
As has been said before prone paddling and waiting your turn in the line up is great PR!

aus301 said...

I'm a bit over all this rubbish.

It doesn't matter how many waves you let go, how good a person you are, or how good a SUP rider you are, or how far away from everyone else you venture there are some things that are true. Wankers wont notice what waves you let go, only what you take. They really don't care that you are a good person and will look at SUP as some sort of kook board that anyone can ride, hence will never think even the best guys are any good. No matter how far away you are someone will see you getting waves and think that it must be better where you are and soon follow.

Some people will never be happy with us out there and I am not going to bend over for them.

I am not the greatest rider out there, but I do not drop in, I let a decent amount of waves go by and I try to show respect to other water users no matter what they are riding (yes even body boards). I will never accept that anyone has the right to threaten me, attempt to hurt me, damage my board or any other possessions or threaten anyone else on the water. Calling someone out for incorrect behavior is ok, but that is where it ends, simple.

So if you don't like SUP riders on the water you better find somewhere else to go, cause I am not going anywhere. I am not going in cause you call me a wanker or worse, and if I drive to the beach I am not going to turn around and head home again.

Well said, exactly how I feel
Sure there is kooks on subs and beginners out in the surf giving all subs a bad name, but anyone can see if someone knows what there doing and probably spent the last 20 yrs in the water at least 3 to 4 times a week and deserves respect even if they were out there on a blow up lilo

I wont be backing down either from sooky shortboarders.
Mals wont even register on my scale, been burnt for years from old mal riders

Seems funny how balding, fat, unfit 50 something mal riders are thinking there running the show Hilarous!!

I'm a kook whatever I'm riding, I try and fit in, say hello, rest between waves so others can get the waves. but some people look at you like you've trodden in cat**** and then walked on their shagpile. some people will not be happy until a vaccine to immunize the population against SUP is compulsory .

Basecurve said...

I had a client in today that happens to ride a Mal at "Toms" a reef break in metro Perth northern beaches.He told me they have had a gutful of SUP bretheren sitting out the back taking all waves before them because they have more glide.So they now make a conscious effort to block.

I know the two locals who SUP at Toms. I occassionally will paddle over to Toms from Metts for a chat with them and to catch a wave or ten. Ive also been told to @#$% off.
If anything I reckon the mal rider is just jelous

So the client rides Mal and has a bitch about some other surfer stealing what he thinks is his wave.
I see mal riders doing what he is saying the SUP does.
I ride a short board and see many of the Tom's mal riders taking every set wave. Most likely I see him doing it as I surf Toms at every opportunity.
The SUP riders at any break do have to look at their own etiquette in any line up.
As does every surfer .
Take a look at your own actions in the water and see if you should reconsider your distaste to other methods of surfing.
If any person is not following the rules of respect in the water then have a chat to them . Call the next wave as they paddle back out past you and then go for it. If they paddle for it then you have a right to have a go. Some riders do think every wave is theirs. We sometimes do have to give their own actions back to them.
We cant always get other surfers to follow what should be golden rules of surfing and they do need to be educated if they break them.

I see to much agro in the surf , it can spoil what should be a happy experience.

Lighten up , talk to others in the surf , dont take every set wave regardless of the board you ride and enjoy the surf time.

Kook or kool is not just for SUP's.

Try calling someone into a wave if they have not gotten one for a few sets. The stoke on their face when they paddle back out is what surfing is about. The respect they give you back could mean you get more waves without someone pushing the wave down when its your wave , or , they could call you into a wave that otherwise you would not have gotten.

Karma has a way of finding you . Good or bad.







Kook or Kool?