I reckon if my priorities changed somewhat and I was not as fit as I am now, and if I ended up riding a big tanker, there is no way I'd carry on as if I had never left and as if I was as fit, strong and capable as I was in my youth. Instead I'd sneak the odd smaller one here and there and stay out of the way. If I was a weekend warrior or even a once - twice a year surfer, there's no way I'd be carrying on expecting that my expensive board earns me the right to be in the leauge of the people who paddle every day.
Hey i just thought of a saying: Paddle every day, or stay outta the way!
Haha!
^^^
Agreed - I have kind of taken that approach with my surfing - both with my fat Fish & occassional LB... gotta realise that you no longer 'deserve' top spot in the line-up...
As much as I bag out long boards and bigger boards, here in Perth, over the summer I probably ride my mini mal and even my 9'6 more than shortboards. However when I do I am VERY careful that I don't use the mal as an opportunity to take too many. If anything, when I see a set, I call the shortboards onto them (as if they wouldn't paddle anyway) and make it clear that I am not paddling for them. I know these set waves are probably the only waves they can catch. However I'd usually be on the short board too.
I agree with the post above and nothing gives me more pleasure than paddling my mal harder and faster than SUP paddlers. It reminds me of that movie In God's Hands where he says "I'll paddle in with my own bare hands!"
. I recon a mal would paddle faster than sub 9" SUP made for surf. Imo that is 
jeez I love shortboards, paddle hard, bloody great i love em jeez , take of deep,I love em can't get enough oh bloody jeez, if only I had shortboards instead of kids, jeez I love em, forget counting sheep, I count short boards to get to sleep, fit a hundred of them in the wagon, thats the band wagon, oh **** this topics about sups not shortboards, sorry, but jeez I love em
Its easy really,only a surfer knows the feeling or should it say,only a REAL surfer knows the feeling
I'm happy now doggie
Nah...I like to do fun things on waves like you know...turning...cutbacks...NOT running people over...etc etc.
Besides...I can't be bothered going out and buying a pair of Hawaiian shorts.
or is that kite surfers
The story so far, real surfers are real surfers then again I know some real surfers that are unreal surfers and unreal surfers that are ,unreal surfers or unreal surfers that are real surfers, I think the real story is no matter what equipment you surf if you are a surfer,real or unreal you may just be an unreal surfer
Ok, I'm a kite surfer who has decided to learn surfing. So far I have nothing but good stuff to say about the SUP people I have met. Most of them are not old men, like myself, but rather viral young men who have been surfing all their lives and have just found something new. The SUP guys have given me heaps of surfing tips and can see the waves coming before moi and more often than not give me right of way.
To me a SUP is too big, too costly and not the water experience I am looking for. SUP can come when I am really old, like 70.....or maybe then I get one of those jet powered surfboards, not.
or is that kite surfers
Its suddenly dawned on me I'm safe, it looks like its only WA surfers who dislike SUPers
You know what's funny.
Shortboarders that ride SUPS that hate SUP'ers.
That's me and my mates. Hahaha. Joking, kind of.
I think that's probably why many of us have turned to racing SUP for training and downwind paddles rather than surfing them so much. Many of the people I know who do it were in the surf on SUP 3 or 4 years ago and as it has become more crowded with real wallies that ride them and create pains for everyone it also creates pain for us. Particularly in being associated with them. A good mate of mine just took it up as well, he loves it, he surfs now when he usually would go and drink beer. He hates the wallies already and will not surf if the crowd is around.
Don't get me wrong if I see a fat back bank or wide bank at a point that is perfect for the SUP and there's nobody or not many out I am straight out there. It is so much fun that anyone that bags them just can not comprehend. Think being 7 again and going across your first green wave. If the waves are good though I'd much prefer to ride a shorty, they are still a far superior surf craft IMO. I just get sick of crowds and having toys that throw open the options no matter the day is a great idea for where I live. I also paddle other stuff as well.
Moral of the story: I understand why people hate SUP but I find it so much fun that all I can do is try not to piss people off. If I told you how many times people have approached me in the surf and said 'Oh when we seen you paddle out we were all bummed but you have kind of proven us wrong'. ALSO, some guys that ride SUPS surf way better than you do on your shortboard.
