I couldn't add a reply to this --> www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26100&SearchTerms=right+of+way previous thread as it said "sorry too old for a reply" so I thought i'd start this one up again.

After getting verbally abused today at Gerroa for something, where by my own reasoning and the laws of common sense I figured I was not in the wrong I just thought I'd seek some other opinions. Now I read the above thread and most people seem to agree with my own assesment of the right of way 'rules'.

The incident: I was coming in on a wave, had been on said wave for probably 300m after jybing out the back sometime previous. Approaching the drop zone and working my way upwind on the wave, as everyone does at Gerroa another sailor catches the wave. This sailor had been 'stalling' near the drop zone. Being a curtious sailor, no problems I think i'll give him some room. Now a combination him wanting to head down the line and me waiting for it to form up bring us probably within 10m. A bit of a spray ensues from his quarter.

Now I waited on the beach and asked the bloke what the meaning of the abuse was. Reply: " I was just calling you off the wave mate". I questioned was there not a case for common courtesy in a situation where I was clearly already on the wave and had been for some time. "you weren't surfing the wave, the rider closer to the peak has right of way". At this point it became clear that there was some form of 'hardcore' etiquette at play here and I left it at that, somewhat astonished.

In my view and under the rules of common sense, particularly during free sailing does the rider who is obviously on the wave have some right of way? Now I hadn't shot out past the bloke, jybed on the wave and come back in. I caught this wave out the back and lined it up on the way in...as I always do. In the same situation, IE i'm stalling on the inside, I always give right of way as in my view the bloke has caught the wave, it's his fair and square. Am I wrong?

yea h the wave was yours. so if you cant run him over wait for him 2 go 2 his car and when now ones looking belt him in the face with your mast extention. he wont be doing that again.

Gerroa is a beach break at the top end of 7 mile beach so there's a lot of real estate to play with, however as is always the case everyone gathers where the best waves are which probably ends up at about 2-300m stretched down the beach. I sail at Gerroa a lot and typically you sail out from the beach a few hundred metres, jybe on a wave and come back in. A lot of the time there can be two riders on a wave, however, given the length of the break they are usually quite separated.

It's against the general 'flow' of the place to stall up on the inside and wait for nice waves (the wave in question wasn't even that good). It's not a practice I'm used to at that particular spot so it could be part of the reason I'm questioning it.

At the end of the day I think surfing rules, whilst they do apply to some extent, need to be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to windsurfing. I say this because in surfing you're almost always taking off at the same time, hence the 'closest to the peak' rule makes perfect sense. This is not the case with windsurfing where it's very rare you have two people catching a wave at the same time. With that in mind there has to be some weight given to the rider who was on the wave first, within reason. Now, of course there are exceptions but generally I think if you apply common sense and courteously you'll never have a problem...and I never have until today.

Given the definitive nature that this bloke stated that the only rule/courtesy in play was 'closest to the peak' I had questioned my take on right of way, should I now just park near the drop zone, upwind, wait for a good wave and then just expect people to get off because i'm 'closest to the peak'? Personally I think that sort of behavior only comes naturally to a something that starts with W and ends in ker.

I think decrepit is right in that following the local rules is probably the best way to stay out of trouble.

Stalling probably makes sense if theres lots of people like at margaret river, where from the sounds of it there are too many sailors for the amount of waves so a queue is necessary. But what happens if say you come in on a wave, and you see someone stalling upwind, so you get off the wave only to see them leave the wave anyway, because its not good enough for them? Seems like in most situations all stallers do is hold everyone else up.

But then again I have never sailed waves before

Think the etiquette is to take the wave that's there, if there's a long queue and you don't take your turn you should loose it!!! It's luck of the draw in those conditions.

CJW, I was at Gerroa yesterday too. You are right, the guy who has the wave from furthest out the back has right of way. This applies every where that I have ever sailed. The only time this can get confusing though is if you are slightly over the back of the wave and not actually in front of it. If you are over the back you can expect to have some one else take it.

No need to question it CJW. you know the rules there and you're right. tell them to get phucked.

How's the shoulder qwerty :o ? You missed a couple of epic Gerroa days :( The bommie yesterday was awesome. After Whyner telling me how good it was last week I ventured out there. Was the only one there, half mast easy, forming perfectly...no wind hole on the inside either :D

I hope this southerly hit before dark tonight...looks huge.

Shoulder's getting better. Should be back on the water during the Xmas week (next week!). Got the next 3 weeks off so I'll be out before that ends. Plus I want to watch eyeMhardcor sail. Sounds like he rips.

and thanks for telling me how good its been. Love hearing that (detect the sarcasm).

You're all right about who has right of way, but I agree with eyeM. If you're better than the guy on the wave already, its ok to "snake" the wave off them. You don't want to let good waves get wasted by people who can't sail and can't use it to its full potential. After all, the only reason we sail is to show off our skills to other sailors or people on the beach. If you are out with good sailors, you should just let them drop in. By doing this and watching, you will learn to be a better sailor.

555, some of your best work. PML P****** Myself laughing.

lanky said...

Yousurf said...

You're all right about who has right of way, but I agree with eyeM. If you're better than the guy on the wave already, its ok to "snake" the wave off them. You don't want to let good waves get wasted by people who can't sail and can't use it to its full potential. After all, the only reason we sail is to show off our skills to other sailors or people on the beach. If you are out with good sailors, you should just let them drop in. By doing this and watching, you will learn to be a better sailor.

Are you serious? I can't tell?

I am not a pro wave sailor but it pisses me of when a better sailor drops in just cause they can. especially when it was done to me durning the finals of a local wavesailing comp.

Me thinks his tongue was very firmly planted in cheek when typing that one


here I'll Translate it into kiwi for you

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Bro

do you know all the sheep in nz are called marty --- come marty --come marty sorry 555 i got the tassie jokes larst week

iam with you mr no-one

Look, some people think that I am arrogant and stuff, but I started at the bottom of the pecking order too. Like yousurf said, the quickest way to get good is let the best guys catch the waves and watch em. Its just that I got good real quick. Like in one season I was better than anyone so people sometimes get jealous when I am catching all the waves. But thats just the rules of the waves. You can be arrogant if your good. Once you get to my level, you can just drop in on anyone. Most people understand, you guys should take note.

eyeMhardcor said...

Look, some people think that I am arrogant and stuff, but I started at the bottom of the pecking order too. Like yousurf said, the quickest way to get good is let the best guys catch the waves and watch em. Its just that I got good real quick. Like in one season I was better than anyone so people sometimes get jealous when I am catching all the waves. But thats just the rules of the waves. You can be arrogant if your good. Once you get to my level, you can just drop in on anyone. Most people understand, you guys should take note.

Get back under your bridge