Surf Etiquette
Etiquette slips that annoy experienced surfers
Paddling through sets, leaving the water carelessly and hogging waves frustrate regulars. Here is how to spot each slip in the lineup and correct it.
The collection
Surf Etiquette
The unwritten rules of the lineup: who has priority on a wave, why dropping in causes trouble, and how to act as a visitor at an unfamiliar surf break.
Surf Etiquette
How to act as a visitor at an unfamiliar surf break
Visiting a new break goes best when you watch first, learn the hazards, ask politely at a calm moment and join the lineup gradually. These steps help you do that with respect.
Surf Etiquette
The unwritten rules of the surf lineup
The lineup runs on shared habits about who catches which wave, how to move through the water and how to share limited waves. Here is what those habits are and why they exist.
Surf Etiquette
Who has priority on a wave and how to share it
Priority on a wave goes first to the surfer already riding it, then to the one closest to the peak. Here is how position, direction, timing and snaking affect who takes a wave.
Surf Etiquette
Why dropping in on another surfer causes trouble
A drop-in means taking off ahead of a surfer who has the better claim on a wave. Learn why it is risky for both surfers and how to avoid it in the lineup.