Here are a few pictures I found in the photo galleries:
Please don't take offence if it's you or your picture.
The first two, OK, they're waves but the SUPer has caught them well before a shortboard could ever catch them. What if the guy on the shoulder paddled back the other way and went to catch the wave where it actually becomes a wave? Would he be dropping in? What if one of the three guys sitting paddled across a few metres and went to take that wave as a left? Would they be snaking or would the SUP be dropping in?
The third one, the guys are riding a swell before it's even a wave. What should the surfers on the inside do? Are they allowed to paddle for the wave and call the ski and SUPer off? Because it's not even a wave yet, and it looks like a righthander. Or should it belong to the people riding the swell?
The fourth one, it's also not a wave but the SUPer's "riding" it. The guy on the shortboard's given it up, but IMHO he's got right of way. I.e. if there were two guys on shortboards paddling and one was paddling ridiculously way out of position before it broke and claimed it you'd just ignore him and call him off. But that's a bit hard to do to a SUP, because they can ride swell before it becomes a wave and because they're already standing, so they're always "riding" the wave before anyone else as soon as they catch the swell/wave's momentum.
I'm curious to hear what you guys think? I'll post my (obviously biased) ideas later.
Technically speaking the first guy to get up and ride the swell has right of way - especially if you are on the inside (pic 1). But out of respect of the fact that you have an advantage being on a SUP I'd normally let the later "drop-in" have the wave - but I measure out that respect in lieu of the actions of the "drop-in". Sometimes the "drop-in" feels he has statutory rights to dropping in because I'm on SUP, in which case I start upholding the original rule on a one for you and one for me basis.
If a guy can take off closer to the breaking part of the wave - I just kick out.
Above seems to work in places with more defined take off spots - when waves don't seem to have a defined peak (pic 3) which happens in places here we generally accept party waves as long as you give room to the guy behind you.
I agree with PeterP and would add that the number of waves you are paddling into also comes into effect. If you are catching every wave there is, then it stands to reason that there is no other option for a less advantages rider to catch a wave other then to paddle into a wave that the SUP'er is on already. However if you are respectful of the other riders and allow some of the prime choice wave through, then in turn you should have right of way for those waves you are already riding.
Haven't mals been doing this for years? They were half the reason I nearly gave up surfing. Common sense again should prevail but often doesn't and in an ideal world mals and sups would be taking off no further out than the rest of the crew. Obviously cause they can't handle late drops as well and paddle twice as quick they sit further out.
Generally the guy on the inside has right of way but that may be difficult to enforce with a 12 kg SUP dropping down the face. Personally I would always be looking to my inside and would pull out straight away if I see someone taking off inside.
From reading the other topic I would say you and Doggie mainly surf with giant tanker like SUPs which I guess are still the majority and would see a lot of this. The smaller sub 9 foot lightweight SUPs allow you to sit with or even 'in' from the pack and take off as late as a shortboard. You can also move around in the lineup very nimbly.
If it is crowded (which I generally avoid) I will sit as deep but closer to shore than the crew and get the medium ones - I don't like sitting out the back and making myself too obvious. Avoiding crowded lineups is the trick
Most of the time I search out breaks with as few people as possible thats the advantage of owning a sup!
The smaller sups 9 ft and shorter sit in where the short boarders sit to take off anyway and we work in rotation as a rule. When I ride my 9.4 for example my ankles are lapping water most of the time, so I have little or no paddle advantage over anyone.
If I am riding a longer board and take off earlier I will pull off a wave if I see a short boarder / longborder go for it as I understand the advantage I have.
At certain breaks like PRK where it is a total free for all then the rules change and you need compete to get wave then you do what you need to do. I still have a view of what is a fair share of the waves and work to that as far as wave count goes.
I treat all at the line up they way I wish to be treated and in 90% of the cases it works fine.
Phill.
with in reason, i just tell um take the waves you wont, but give me the call early. i can aways get plenty of waves- it's no big deal
Exactly what I do Lacey, if there are just a few guys there I always have a chat (that is unless they pretend I'm not there....what is that!?) and just tell them to take whatever they want. Usually you still get heaps. But then I never surf where it's really crowded point break, find I'd actually rather not surf than get caught up in all the agro crap. If it's too bad I just go for a distance paddle out the back on my wave board and enjoy the morning.
Love the wounded shortboard riders whinge always comes up. Go out any crowded spot and see how many set waves the top of the pecking order give away lol.
Each day on it's merits. I have days when it is all happy share around with 10 to 15 various surf craft. Other days 2 or 3 and it is dog eat dog as no respect is given. Eg paddling my local on my own from dawn a couple of blow ins come out paddle straight to the inside full of stink eye no hellos and proceed to hassle for every wave. For ****s sake there are 3 of us out!! You end missing the best waves as you get too deep or put out of position. But they will not listen.
"The Snake" definetly a grey area for the Sup when you are taking off 15 or 20m further out but it really just comes down to how many waves you are getting and letting through and if move around so you are not coming through the same pack of short boarders , you'll find the stink eye is pretty rare and the Snake doesn't become an issue.
On the other hand though if a short boarder leaves a crowded peak and paddles over to where a group of Sups are surfing the scrapes ...don't even think to give me a side ways glance.
Rob
RULES RULES RULES @#$%^.
What ever happened to "the person with the biggest stick WINS".
...Hang on i will now remove my foot from my mouth.
HAHA thats a oldie and i'm the one getting droped in on, no complants from me though as thats what surfing with mates is about and something most short boarders have forgotten. Its all about fun!!!!
Jacko
Jacko, Ive shared heaps of waves with mates ect on small waves, once its over head high I recon you taking a great risk imo. Guess its up to the group surfing.
Legion: "The first two, OK, they're waves but the SUPer has caught them well before a shortboard could ever catch them. What if the guy on the shoulder paddled back the other way and went to catch the wave where it actually becomes a wave? Would he be dropping in? What if one of the three guys sitting paddled across a few metres and went to take that wave as a left? Would they be snaking or would the SUP be dropping in?"
This situation is not always as simple as this. If any surfer (no matter what they are riding) keeps on paddling onto the inside (or out the back) and thinks that this automatically gives them priority on a wave they are mistaken and shouldn't get surprised if someone fades or snakes them.
As we have a definate advantage on a SUP to get almost any wave we want to it does not mean that we should. SUP wave hogs are causing a lot of animosity out there and it will only get worse as more people take up the sport (especially those without a strong surfing background).
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Remember this that is what surfing is about, seriously who cares if someone drops in. i'm sure there are bigger things to worry about in life. Go and hang out in the hospital and see whats important and what's not. I say just be happy you can be out there at all!!!
Jacko
Usually kick out, unless I clearly got the wave further out and was first on. Or stay on the shoulder if it was a set wave to get out of the way for the other waves coming through.
Frustrating thing I find is when mals out picking waves off well before the shorter boards and they don't share around, meanwhile giving you the eye cause you are getting waves, usually out on the shoulder. So your conscience gets to you and you start to let more waves through and nobody takes them 
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Hmm, this topic's been most enlightening to me. I didn't expect the answers I got.
