I was out a few weekends ago in a well know break and was well powered up.
I was intentionally keeping just off the plane on the way in after taking my turn out the back of the queue trying to pick the better swells that appeared.
Several sailors, one Kite and one W/S continually overtook me fully planning, up wind , just 25m before the take-off zone. We would then find ourselves both on the wave with myself technically in the wrong and getting the a good dose of hairy eyeball.
I generally sail and surf with the mellow attitude that there are plenty of waves to go around, but this was winding me up big time.
Would like to hear peoples opinion on this situation.
If I'm getting your picture correct, it sounds like you were already trying to claim a wave, when they would claim later than you, but upwind from you.
So then it would appear that you were in their way only because you were down wind on the same wave.
If I'm getting that correct, then I understand your frustration, but you have the right of way (priority), not them.
Here in the U.S. we call that a reverse snake, as opposed to being snaked or cut off by somebody dropping in on you down wind. Both are wrong.
Generally the person up wind, or deeper on a wave, has right of way, but only if you both take off at the same time.
Otherwise it's the first person to take the wave that has the right of way no matter if you are up wind or down wind.
So actually it's not "rules verses etiquette", it's rules are etiquette.
If you want to float about and wait for the set waves you will need to be the furtherest out, once someone goes out past you and more upwind then you, you loose your turn, jibe and sail out a bit further or just float and wait for them to pass.
Every man for himself.
Its a crappy system because it disadvantages the bigger guys or those on the smallest gear as they cant go upwind very well. Set waves are like gold so I guess they are always going to be heavily contested. You can sail on the west coast of Tasmania any day of the week and not have to share the sets. :/
im guessing your talking margies and I'm here to tell you that if your off the plane and inside looking for the set waves you are the one giving everyone the proverbials . With the number of kites out these days if you don't judge your run and stay on the plane you might as well go and have a round of golf! Its unfortunate but thats what it is these days.
Yep I can see it would be frustrating if someone were to just flop around on the inside waiting for the sets, breaking everyone else’s rhythm.
This was not the case. Planing out back, semi-planing, slowing down 25m before take-off only to have someone come full tilt up wind and find themselves on the same wave. Nope, sorry that’s just bad form.. ..And it was not that busy!
so if 5 guys are stalling on the inside waiting for waves and you are out the back picking up the sets youd have to let them go untill isnside is empty?
good sportmanship would be to let the dude on the inside have the wave , a few woos and a few yeewws. and then later a couple cold ones in the carpark
Not realistic with 35 greedy koits and 25 w/surfers though ....
mate, you have no idea so go play golf. The minute you drop off the plane you are gone these days and your crying on this site is not going to change a thing.Watch the long time residents of margies, they go out the back and time their runs and on the plane get most of the set waves. Might pay to watch them for a while and learn how because they and all the kiters are not going to drop off the plane and give anyone inside a wave.
realistically, if a break is crowded, it's the first who is planning on a swell outside the break who will have the glory IMO. If I pick a set way out and ride one wave of the set and you are 20m from the break waiting for that wave good luck. 
maybe I don't understand the question? Are you planning on a set swell outside...are both of you coming on a set? If you wait At the lineup with no swell...you have to pick a set wave with nobody on it, the first who catch it clame it I guess. Someone must be on a set to claim it. Maybe I don't get it?
Rule #1 First on a wave owns it. Unless you go out the back 3km, or fall off and accidentally waterstart onto a good wave. Then it ain't yours.
The lesson here is we all do a circuit, don't gybe on the inside of anyone unless you realise you cannot claim the wave.
If you stall on the inside when everyone is planing it is bloody rude as every wave you end up picking will have somebody on it already. If everyone is planing, parking inside is damn rude.
Then rule #2
If you can't tell who picked up the wave first then upwind and/or closest to the peak has right of way. ie: the guy who can make the most of that wave. That's a rule but pretty commonsense ettiquette too I reckon
If you gybe onto a swell and can't see just downwind and to the front of you (that's our blindspot) and then halfway thru you see a dude is already on it, back off, wave him on. Don't enforce "oh now I am upwind to you, so its mine". Bullsh!t, first on it owns it.
I don't see why some have so much trouble with these basic rules and politeness. It is really easy! You can queue at the damn bank or post office but can't take turns on waves.....?
If you picked a crap wave yeah back off, slow down, pick up the next one....... unless somebody is on it.
The worst offenders for this are euro pro's at Lano and Corro, seem to think they can dog around on the inside and take every good wave. No, we are all equal, get out and pick one and stick with it. We don't have to let you drop in at last minute and yield to you, just cos you have sail numbers on.
It is so bad at times, that I deliberately allow a 'vacant' wave or two in front of me for all the mongrel drop-ins and then I still get fkd over a bit.
In the described scenario unless the guy planning upwind has sailed over the back of the swell it has to be his wave anyway.
The thing that kills me is when the wind is lite and someone turns for a wave, kooks out and let's their wave slip by and they think they have some right to the wave behind.
Select to expand quoteDungbeetle said..
Planing out back, semi-planing, slowing down 25m before take-off
lol.
This thread needs a pie chart to explain crowd-sailing.
If someone's better than you then you should give your wave up to them. Watching the good guys is the only way to learn.
That's exactly it .
If your betterer then you right of way. Unless you can sail over the back of a wave . Then it's all yours , clearly
May help 1 assess consistancy of the swell 2 how many people are out and realise if theres only one or two set waves every half hour , your a fair chance youll have increased dud runs on small one turn waves and get caught with someone else getting luckier than you : how to increase your luck / 1 if no ones out you can rig what you want,ride what combo you want and get what ever wave you want ya but if its crowed i always ride gear that increases my options i.e floatier board bigger sail and if i get it wrong that will increase the frustration/ hey huie aint alway your best friend and rhinos and dragons sometimes just dont apear on the horizon other point is theres always others experiencing the same / keep hunting the horizon theres a beast to be slayed with your name on it 
There are a few other things you can do but if your only sailing with a few people (several ? 1 kite 1 W/S )? do not gybe on top of one another , some times it pays to let a set through, as your going out to get rid of crew around you , once you done it , your often free and out the back by yourself as you've created separation I.E no one in front or behind you cos there all on the inside as your out the back now coming in ......ya,,,,,, This gives you time to hunt a rhino / vary your speed in / be up wind / and apply your rules / etiquette to slaye the fk out of it , with your fins 
but if your up wind out the back its your call to at least try to assist someone caught on the inside by letting the first wave through / now that's etiquette , but it will depend if the second and third wave is as good or better, which it often is and how many waves are in the set and if someone else is on the one bhind and if you have already slayed several dragons already , and or you just want be a **** cos you don't give a fk .........not recommended as rhino horns and dragon flames and tails (karma) will destroy
I had a session with JP up north some years back, one would not belittle his ability and the way he rides , but it was the most frustrating thing as he plodded around on 42 , 47 little board in 15 knots (think his foot was fked) begging for you to let a wave through you had to slow up stop start calling him in on the first wave , Once ok twice well hmmm three times fk off.
its all about getting into a rhythm and grove when ya charging in on rhinos / helping others get the fk out of the way often opens up the wave for you.
Now just remember KIDDIES its all about fun ............getting a gut full and feasting
Ps having 22nd March 2015 SB RIP moment 
Select to expand quoteDungbeetle said..
King of the Point, As usual, perfectly articulated.... 
No he is talking about how he lets others have waves.
Not saying you can dog around on the inside and expect to claim them.
Big difference between those two points of view.
