General Etiquettes of Surfing for best experience

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The rules of surfing or Surf Etiquettes are being followed since decades. Ensuring proper respect among surfers has been a necessity as it is crucial to avoid any trouble. These are preliminary guidelines for safety of both oneself and other surfers. There are primarily five rules followed throughout the globe by surfers. They are as follows:

1. Do not Drop:

Dropping in is the condition when one surfer starts surfing in front of another surfer. Never Drop in. This creates a dangerous condition where they might collide resulting both falling off from the pads. Dropping into another surfer ruins the wave of the surfer. If you drop into someone’s line accidentally, apologize quickly while padding away. If someone drops on you make sure that he or she knows you are there by making a sound. If they don’t get away, there is no way to solve. It is better not to lose cool and enjoy surfing other way.

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2. The Right-of-way is for the Surfer closets to the peak:

If two surfers are paddling for the same wave on boards of different sizes. The surfer closest to the peak has the right of way irrespective of the size or condition to stand up. Even if the person far from the peak is on a longboard and can stand up before the one close to the peak, the latter should not overtake. The surfer closest to the peak always have the right to make the way forward. However, they can ride on the same wave as long as they are not distracting each other. This rule become more relevant on crowded surfing waters.

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3. A riding surfer has the first right to the way against paddling surfers:

Don’t paddle up to the line of a surfer riding a wave. If you accidentally come on their way, take a channel to the outside and paddle parallel to the beach. To paddle away, first come out of the wave when they break. The paddling surfer always yields to the one riding the wave. It means, do not paddle in line or in front of a riding surfer.

4. Don’t leave your board

If you see a big set of waves coming and you are getting scared, don’t decide to leave the board and swim away. Deserting your board might harm other surfers in disastrous ways. Always control your board properly and learn to paddle away instead from the line. Bare surfboards can incur dangerous damage to other surfboards as well as other surfers, as they are heavy, sharp and large.

5. Don’t be a Snake

Being a snake means, someone is paddling closer to you to gain a right-of-way on a breaking wave where you are. Don’t be a snake and avoid such surfers who does it. It is considered as a rude behavior. If you are into it accidentally, don’t try to paddle out immediately. Rather wait for the wave to break in. When the wave breaks you can be in a position to catch the wave properly again.

It is necessary to follow these surf etiquettes to avoid any accidents or bad experience while surfing. Surfing is an adventurous sport and it is always advisable to play it safely.