Proper Wakesurfing/Wakeboarding Etiquette (AZ)

I know that everyone has a right to enjoy their board sport equally!!

What is considered proper etiquette while wakesurfing? For wakeboarding we try not to powerturn. Here in Arizona we have a boating law that requires that you travel counterclockwise around the lake.

I am constantly fighting with surfers! They go around the lake backwards and I have no idea what line they are going to take so I have to keep dodging them. They follow us around the lake and throw huge rollers everywhere. They powerturn. They basically seem to have absolutely no common sense or common courtesy for their fellow boaters.

One local guy comes every Saturday, he has a Supra with tinted windows so dark that he can't see out of them so he stands to drive, usually while facing backwards looking at his rider. This guy has cut me off probably a dozen times. He drives close to my downed rider and throws huge waves a them...

I see these guys riding in places that are absolutely ridiculous, this week we saw some brain surgeon riding on top of the tower and another one riding on the swim platform...

Rant over... suggestions welcome and appreciated!

We try to wakeboard early and when it is calm on the water, and when it gets choppy we start to surf. Surf is only 10mph so you would think that it is low impact and most boaters don't have a problem with it when the tubers are out. We do not go out when the water is good for wakeboarding unless no other boat is on the water.

Otherwise, the same etiquette should apply as far as how you drive, lines, and powerturns.

Not here in AZ... In the early morning the surfers out and surf in the best water on the lake. It wouldn't be bad at all and we could easily share the water, but they drive the wrong direction and drive in small circles throwing rollers in EVERY direction. If they would just follow a straight line then we could wakeboard on the other side of the lake in the good water areas, but instead they stay in the center of the longest/best runs and throw rollers everywhere!

Here is the back of our local lake where the best water usually is. If the surfers would take long straight runs everything would be ok, but they stay smack in the middle and throw rollers everywhere...

Do they go the wrong direction because of their prop rotation? Can you surf in the a straight line?

Yes, we have tried to talk to them, but they just look at me like I'm crazy...

why don't you wait until they stop riding, go over to them and have a conversation about sharing the water. ask them if they want to ride behind your boat. ask them how long they have been in the game and they understand what a "line" is. most people are clueless when it comes to using the water properly. if that doesn't work call the marine police/coast guard and tell them what boat is going the wrong direction. if anyone gets near my rider when im driving even once it's time to tell them WTF is up. don't be so polite. try talking first, but if they cut you off or get near your rider before that pull them over and tell them two things will happen. you'll beat their a$$ for real or call the cops. their choice.

Hey there's a surfer right there in the middle of the lake.

We have tapered banks that absorb rollers. We throw our big rollers to the bank while surfing and drive as straight a line as the shoreline allows.

Originally Posted by olmoomba

Hey there's a surfer right there in the middle of the lake.

We have tapered banks that absorb rollers. We throw our big rollers to the bank while surfing and drive as straight a line as the shoreline allows.

So you can surf while driving a straight line? You don't have to be turning?

Originally Posted by SamIngram

So you can surf while driving a straight line? You don't have to be turning?

Yes to both.

When underway surfing, rollers don't affect the ride. Surfing is good because you can do it in rough water, it is low impact, and it doesn't sap you out like wakeboarding. The surfers you encounter just need to be told what is acceptable and what is not. If they don't listen, shadow them or call the water cops.

If they are powerturning while wakesurfing, wow. The weighting should make that very hard to do.

We don't really have water police... we have sheriffs who are on the water about twice a day, early in the morning and before sunset, and for only about 30 minutes at a time.

Our lake was kind of a free for all. I don't know if it is the economy or SB1070 (AZ immigration law) but this year the general traffic at the lake is about half of what it usually is - hardly any campers. I'm just glad that I can legally carry at the lake now.

We boat in Oklahoma, plenty of room until about 11:00am to do whatever (unless its windy). By carry, do you mean concealed carry?

Grand Lake has been slow this year too, I think it is the economy. The only really busy weekends have been the big three. On Grand, the water police are common, and have helicopters, fast boats, etc.

Originally Posted by rockrig

By carry, do you mean concealed carry?

Yes.... two of us carry all the time. It's the desert and people get kind of funny when no one else is around...

Originally Posted by SamIngram

Yes.... two of us carry all the time. It's the desert and people get kind of funny when no one else is around...

Makes total sense, we carry here as well.

Sam, i totally forgot about getting that flyer made like I said I would, school started up again and have been super busy.

Yes, you can surf in a straight line. In fact in makes surfing better. If the boat is not weighted well or heavy enough turning in to the wake makes it a bit cleaner but my kids can stay in the pocket even if I turn away from them some to avoid a boat. (I can't)
No reason that they could not follow the same direction as the wakeboard boats. They are going half the speed though. Power turns while you are wake surfing fit into the horrible driver category.
I never surf on glass.

Oh, and the boating laws and right of way requirements apply to all whether you are towing, surfing or fishing.

Sam-Out of morbid curiousity,ask this same question in the wakesurf forum.

i would just not let them ride if they are dicks. get there early and block the ramp when they get there or ride right behind them when they surf and go tubing in circles around them. call 911 and say some crazy boater keeps cutting you off and almost hitting your downed rider. do whatever it takes since diplomacy has not worked. let the air out of the tires when they are out every time and they will stop coming back.

For me, counterclockwise would work great for everybody. I'm goofy, so that would put our wave right into shore so there really wouldn't be much impact. But the regular surfers would throw a roller right out into the middle of the lake. Yuck. Personally, if it were me and I were surfing regular, I'd head a little north of where you highlighted to where that island is, and go counterclockwise around that. Then you'd just throw your wave into the island.

i don't always carry, but i love reserving the right to with my permit. so many unexpected psycho's in the world.

I can't imagine powerturning while surfing. I guess I am just paranoid about taking a huge roller over the bow.

But yes, you can surf in a straight line. I think many have the misconceived notion that you have to keep the boat in a steady turn in order to keep the rider in the pocket. We sometimes surf at the end of the day, but if we encounter someone wakeboarding, we will let them pass and get a ways ahead of us.

I think all the same rules apply and we treat surfing the same as wakeboarding. NO POWER TURNS!! In fact I can't see how you could power turn without taking water while surfing with all the uneven weight. Our lake is also counter clockwise and I see all kinds of people going the wrong way. actually typically the surf boats seem to be the few that are actually driving correctly on our lake. Many times it's the brand new wakeboats, pulling wakeboarders, that are power turning all over the place and driving like asses on our lake. Really all you can do without creating issues is be the example of good driving on your lake. The sad fact is most people are ignorant of proper boating etiquette. There should be a licensing process to drive a boat.

There is a licensing process in Canada, but it does not include anything on etiquette or watersports other than those items covered by national or international law.

Rig up some prop foulers. Whale wars style.

I'm wondering if they are surfing in the middle when pulling a port side rider because they think they are helping you out when you are going the same direction that they are? If you were looking at the back of the boat, the roller would be going left and not much going right so you could have nice water on the right side of them. I don't know that this is what they are thinking, just throwing it out there.

I am just going to say the obvious and tell you to come back later, or find a new place to ride. The obviously dont care what you say about it. If you get there before them, run your line and do whatever to stay away. It is public water, right? Some people dont get diplomacy or care about anyone else on the water but themselves. Or maybe you can be like some of ther other tough guys in this thread and bring a gun and pull it on them if you dont like what they are doing :rolls eyes: Seriously guys, what the hell is wrong with you if you really think that way.

I surf and the peeps on your lake are dumasses.

Tell them to get some more ballast and they won't have to constant turn to get a bigger wave. Tell them in competitions there is no turning. Tell them power turns will take water in their vents and eventually short their blower. Clockwise or counter makes no difference, just go straight.

Slight chop is fine surfing. Leave the glass to wakeboarders and slalom skiiers. Surf infront of tubers and watch them get airborn.

They fall into the bad boater category. Obviously we surf and wake, and used to ski.