Open book...I'm new here, I usually mow the lawn but I decided to try something new. Just looking for answers so I don't run into anyone.

Question 1: Encountered an interesting scenario during my first day on the waves. Cross/off breeze, waves crumbling in the same direction as the wind. Sailor A, established on a wave, sailor B chasing and overtaking the wave. Sailor A performs a bottom turn and encounters sailor B.

Has sailor A failed to stay upwind as per sailing RoW, OR, has sailer B dropped in on sailer A as per surfing RoW?


Question 2: Does sailing inside the break change the standard head to head Port/Starboard rule? If so, who gives way?

Sailor A clearly had ROW being on the wave first and also being up wind of sailor B . Sailor B should have given up that wave , turned around to catch the one behind " IF " no one was on it or kept going out to get back into the line up.

Kitesurfers also seem to have their own rules most windsurfers play the game right.

My own simplified rules:
1. do my best to avoid collisions (assume others may not know about priorities or recognize situations in the first place)
2. rider closest to the peak has priority (may not be as distinct as it sounds, see 1.)
3. rider may jibe and be on swell before other who was waiting for a piece of swell (sux for that rider)
4. rider working the wave has priority over rider mowing the lawn!
5. we may ride front or back side, apply rule 2.
6. be nice to people heading out, they should have the right of way (depends on the spot, I believe ? la Hawa?an, rider working the wave has priority)

Applying 2. in your case, A has priority unless blocking the peak for B. When I'm B and I want to hit the peak I try to make A understand that I want it especially when they just head straight down without any intention or sign that they want to work the wave.

Staying cool, understanding there will be more waves, avoiding waves with people on it. Feeling good about offering a wave to someone, etc.

Waves are fun!

My pet hate are the twitchers that look back and decide your wave is better than theirs, drop off the back of theirs, park then try to claim the up wind rule on the wave you've been on from our back!

And never ever come over the back of the wave somebody is clearly riding. Ever.

Combined with the normal (no waves) scenario of overtaking vessel must keep clear, B was wrong both ways.

Hello, I'm new here and I'm usually doing other things but lately I'm interested in surfing and electric. I want to ask you have any opinion about them?

my favourite rule is don't be a C__T, simple.

christy said..
Hello, I bought an electric surfboard. This is https://awakeboards.com/, I'd love to hear your views on it.

Hello Christy, well I checked your site and the product you are shamelessly trying to sell in the middle of a discussion that has nothing to do with it, and I would say that 35kgs for a surfboard is a tad bit much nowadays. Even for a surfboard that does all the work for your lazy flabby ass. But I think that as a giant dildo , this product might have some potential for you. Why don't you try this function on you and come back here to report to us with the results of your findings ?

stehsegler said..
Sailing right of way rules generally don't apply when we are talking breaking surf.

As a general rule:

- sailor on the way out should go wide, especially on waves were the sailor coming in might not be able to go straight
- sailor on wave coming in should give way to sailor going out, especially in bigger waves
- sailor waiting the longest, furthest out, furthest up wind gets the wave
- don't get on a wave that already has a sailor on it
- try to avoid parking for a wave, although that's sometimes unavoidable

Here in the US your second rule is exactly opposite of what we do as a rule.
The person on the wave has the right of way over anyone going out, those going out should first look to make sure they won't be impeding anyone on a wave, before they launch, it's easy to do. Safety is a huge reason why, "especially in bigger waves", many times the safest thing for someone on a big wave, is to go with the wave, and not alter their course to avoid somebody going out, and may not even have the time to do it safely for both.
Also it's very disrespectful to the guy on the wave, people going out shouldn't have the right to ruin somebody's wave.
It also conflicts with your own first rule.

Madge said..

Mastbender said..

stehsegler said..
Sailing right of way rules generally don't apply when we are talking breaking surf.

As a general rule:

- sailor on the way out should go wide, especially on waves were the sailor coming in might not be able to go straight
- sailor on wave coming in should give way to sailor going out, especially in bigger waves
- sailor waiting the longest, furthest out, furthest up wind gets the wave
- don't get on a wave that already has a sailor on it
- try to avoid parking for a wave, although that's sometimes unavoidable

Here in the US your second rule is exactly opposite of what we do as a rule.
The person on the wave has the right of way over anyone going out, those going out should first look to make sure they won't be impeding anyone on a wave, before they launch, it's easy to do. Safety is a huge reason why, "especially in bigger waves", many times the safest thing for someone on a big wave, is to go with the wave, and not alter their course to avoid somebody going out, and may not even have the time to do it safely for both.
Also it's very disrespectful to the guy on the wave, people going out shouldn't have the right to ruin somebody's wave.
It also conflicts with your own first rule.

So if I'm dogging out in a 5 knot rip and not planning, then I should give way to someone who has full control and is able to move out of the way quickly..........??? Surely that rule in the US only works in planning conditions.

That would have been a bad choice to try "dogging out" thru the surf if you see somebody going for a wave, which goes back to my point of paying attention before launching. If the wind is that light, or you rigged a sail that's too small, then you have to pay even more attention to what's going on outside. Only you have full control of when you launch.

Mastbender said..

Madge said..

Mastbender said..

stehsegler said..
Sailing right of way rules generally don't apply when we are talking breaking surf.

As a general rule:

- sailor on the way out should go wide, especially on waves were the sailor coming in might not be able to go straight
- sailor on wave coming in should give way to sailor going out, especially in bigger waves
- sailor waiting the longest, furthest out, furthest up wind gets the wave
- don't get on a wave that already has a sailor on it
- try to avoid parking for a wave, although that's sometimes unavoidable

Here in the US your second rule is exactly opposite of what we do as a rule.
The person on the wave has the right of way over anyone going out, those going out should first look to make sure they won't be impeding anyone on a wave, before they launch, it's easy to do. Safety is a huge reason why, "especially in bigger waves", many times the safest thing for someone on a big wave, is to go with the wave, and not alter their course to avoid somebody going out, and may not even have the time to do it safely for both.
Also it's very disrespectful to the guy on the wave, people going out shouldn't have the right to ruin somebody's wave.
It also conflicts with your own first rule.

So if I'm dogging out in a 5 knot rip and not planning, then I should give way to someone who has full control and is able to move out of the way quickly..........??? Surely that rule in the US only works in planning conditions.

That would have been a bad choice to try "dogging out" thru the surf if you see somebody going for a wave, which goes back to my point of paying attention before launching. If the wind is that light, or you rigged a sail that's too small, then you have to pay even more attention to what's going on outside. Only you have full control of when you launch.

Nah that 100% incorrect. For the reasons stated by others.

Most conditions we sail it's slow getting out and power on the wave. Nothing to do with sail size. Everyone is in the same position.

it may take a couple of minutes to get through the break, by which time tens of wave may have been caught. The riders of these wave always give way to the guy who can't.

obviously everyone should give as much space as practical to a wave rider. And if planning out steer clear.
unless your a kitter, cut straight in front and boost.

DunkO said..

Mastbender said..

Madge said..

Mastbender said..

stehsegler said..
Sailing right of way rules generally don't apply when we are talking breaking surf.

As a general rule:

- sailor on the way out should go wide, especially on waves were the sailor coming in might not be able to go straight
- sailor on wave coming in should give way to sailor going out, especially in bigger waves
- sailor waiting the longest, furthest out, furthest up wind gets the wave
- don't get on a wave that already has a sailor on it
- try to avoid parking for a wave, although that's sometimes unavoidable

Here in the US your second rule is exactly opposite of what we do as a rule.
The person on the wave has the right of way over anyone going out, those going out should first look to make sure they won't be impeding anyone on a wave, before they launch, it's easy to do. Safety is a huge reason why, "especially in bigger waves", many times the safest thing for someone on a big wave, is to go with the wave, and not alter their course to avoid somebody going out, and may not even have the time to do it safely for both.
Also it's very disrespectful to the guy on the wave, people going out shouldn't have the right to ruin somebody's wave.
It also conflicts with your own first rule.

So if I'm dogging out in a 5 knot rip and not planning, then I should give way to someone who has full control and is able to move out of the way quickly..........??? Surely that rule in the US only works in planning conditions.

That would have been a bad choice to try "dogging out" thru the surf if you see somebody going for a wave, which goes back to my point of paying attention before launching. If the wind is that light, or you rigged a sail that's too small, then you have to pay even more attention to what's going on outside. Only you have full control of when you launch.

Nah that 100% incorrect. For the reasons stated by others.

Most conditions we sail it's slow getting out and power on the wave. Nothing to do with sail size. Everyone is in the same position.

it may take a couple of minutes to get through the break, by which time tens of wave may have been caught. The riders of these wave always give way to the guy who can't.

obviously everyone should give as much space as practical to a wave rider. And if planning out steer clear.
unless your a kitter, cut straight in front and boost.

Not 100% incorrect, but I do agree with the situation you described, my answer was more with the situation to where you have to always be paying attention because people are close together, with less time to make decisions, like a very busy popular spot, a beach break (not an outside reef), on a good day. Rules on those days, at those places, are a lot more important, and those are the ones we use, they aren't mine, they're ours, and I follow them.