im trying to get my head around exactly who has right of way waves sailing.
while sailing towards the line-up from out the back, up wind, wind from my stbd, (light sw breeze) i had to avoid some guy as he was sailing out. he too was sailing up wind (wind on port), and ended up about 2ft off his tail as we crossed after i changed direction for him. he did not budge. one of a few guys with bright orange sails today.
im getting different feedback from people. becoming a bit confused.....
Sailing rules: Coming in on a WA seabreeze you are on starboard tack so you have right of way over those coming out.
BUT traditional wave rules like Ho'okipa: if you are on a proper wave ie: riding it, not just fluffing about......... the guy heading out has right of way as he needs to get out thru the break and may need to bear away to pick up speed, or cut upwind to avoid the nasty bit in case he gets trashed.
The flip side is if the guy inside is planing out and has lots of control so he can easily go upwind or downwind , he should not enforce his right of way such that it fks up your wave ride
Now that is hard cos at most metro spots it would vary
EG1: at Dutchies the wave is 50m offshore and it is small so the guy going out will never get trashed.... he is planing and it is small and mushy
The sailor coming in should always have right of way as he is on starboard PLUS if he's on a wave he has right of way. The guy going out, having an optimal jump, well too bad for him, he gives way to those coming in
EG2: at Scarbs or that other good riding spot 
- it is a beach break and it can sometimes be hard to get out. YES the rider coming in has right of way as he is on starboard tack and is riding, but he needs to let the poor schlogger who is not yet planing hold his line or move up/down wind so he can get out
EG3: kiters rules are that heading out always has right of way as they need to get off the beach quick while flying a kite and trying to get feet onto a board at same time. Well, they tell me that anyway so correct me if I'm wrong?
But we as windsurfers can't gybe in 100mm of water and may need to avoid the reef. The inside gybe for us (when we are on starboard coming in, so have right of way) will always be hard and conflict with their "going out has right of way" rule so just stay away and be aware noobs will line you up if ur close to shore even though you have right of way under sailing rules
guy on the way out through the impact zone has right of way always, guy coming out is usually under powered or needs room to get over closeouts in front of them and the guy on the wave can usually sit on the should and give them room, pass the impact zone i guess it's port and starboard rules..
Also don't gybe onto a forming wave when someone is already on it, even if your upwind, thats just being a snake..
Ya know Mark, as much as you accuse that other guy of trolling, that really is getting old.
thanks.
hey decrep, one of the "visitors" was the reason for the question. bright orange sail and snaking, near misses and smart arse. how do i mount a gattling gun to my wave board? 
I always thought you had to give way to the sponsored riders cause they're more important than the rest of us.
for the rest of us that can never remember what starboard is just remember: "if your right hand is the one closest to the mast you have right of way."
However, you should never insist on it. Always respect others they might not be as good a sailor as you 
I think what he is getting at Mark,
is your interfering with his jumping off that wave when you are on it,cause he has right of way to charge out full speed and launch off the lip.
oops,forgot to quote....see below
Select to expand quotequote barn said
These are maritime rules, anybody turning has to give way.. If there is an injury and it goes to the courts, then it gets down to the maritime rules.
Also the guy/babe heading out, If planing has just as much right to hit the wave where they want because they want to jump off it.. Actually they have more right cause jumping is better than riding, and you normally only have one shot at a jump...
Correct me if anybody believes I'm wrong..
Sailor heading out through the break always has right of way
... And what happens if you're riding the wave, not looking at the punters coming out (who have a very clear view of where you are)?
This rule applies pretty much to every situation:
"The vessel who is more maneuverable gives way to the one that is less able to change direction".
It covers whether you give way to learners, whether you give way to swimmers, whether you give way to someone on the wave, whether you give way to someone coming out through the channel, whether you give way to big fat boats, etc.
The corollary to the one true rule is "If only one of you can see that there's going to be a collision, then that person should give way".
All the other rules you read about are just special cases of the one true rule.
Im not saying who is right or wrong.
Just think its funny how everyone has a different take on(bending) the rules so it favours their style of riding.
I just kinda figure that wavesailing started at Ho'okipa so their rules paved the way
Trouble is that at Ho'okipa, Gnaraloo whatever - a perfect DTL riding wave it makes sense. As soon as you are at a spot where the rides are lower quality, should jumping take precedence? Probably should....... but then we are in the situation of local rules and agro starts
Just to make it more confusing: Where do kiters stand?
As far as I know the general rule is motorboat gives way to sailing boat gives way to windsurfers gives way to kiters? Or are kiters on the same level as windsurfers?
(I know that commercial crafts have always right of way)
All i have known for 20+ years is person heading out has right of way if need be.
But if i am heading out and planning i will do my best to get my jump in and also get out of the way of the person riding the wave
in the case i was in, i was about 30 metres out behind the break, and we were both only doing about 10 kn at the most. WAS happily plodding along back to the line up.....
ahem
sounds good then. i will load a water pistol full of baby oil and prepare for retalliation next time.
1 squirt at the feet. problem over.
