personally i give way to whoever is on a wave, but who is to give way (officially)when i am riding downwind along a wave and some dude is coming out from the beach direction? and what if they are coming from behind towards the beach? these guys are not riding waves just riding straight in and out and they really get annoying as they never move and just stare dumbly as we nearly collide.
why ride a surfboard in the surf and NOT surf the waves?
The dude (or girl) on a wave should definately have right of way, always. Be it kite, sailboard or surfboard. only exeption is if someone is grovelling in the impact zone but its not that difficult to go around and give them a bit of room. Guys that ruin waves being riden because there just to lazy to get out of the way should be burnt at the stake.
here we go again.
IMO the person coming 'out' from the beach gives way while u continue wave riding, he should pass downwind of you and keep his kite low. we all do this at our local and have no dramas except wen a few 'old mates' ride just straight in and out and eff the whole system up - I really dont understand the logic.
If I am behind someone who is on a wave I will stall and back off to give them enough room to whip their kite around or tack back out to sea if no one else is behind me.
Who evers on a wave has total right of way IMO
There is only one rule, don't ruin somebody else's day.
This decomposes into sub-rules 1 and 2.
1. Don't hit anybody.
2. Don't get hit.
Under sub-rule 1 the more manouverable rider on the wave gives way to the less manouverable rider going out. ie. Go round them.
If you have to keep going around the rider/s going out then they are in violation of sub-rule 2 and the master rule of ruining everybody else's day ... and they are arseholes.
If this happens you may use the extreme measures of:
1. Give them the stink eye.
2. Yell something unintelligible in their general direction.
The master rule comes into play when hot chicks are in the lineup because that makes everybody's day.
thats what i thought, and yes they got the stink eye. Dudes on caloundra bar take some notes please
Totally agree guy or girl on wave has ROW. A question I would like to ask is should the person going out
1. go downwind with kite low of the person on wave who is riding down the line and is also heading downwind thereby having a chance of collision
OR
2. go upwind with kite high so person riding on wave who is riding down the line has unlimited room downwind with no chance of collision
I have seen #2 work quite well in small surf.
I think # 1 is more practicle in large surf because of persons not wanting to be at the impact zone whilst heading out,especially if riding strapless. That is why windsurfers use this way of passing.
Just realized I answered my own question, oh well 
Select to expand quote
a girl on a wave always has right of way over a guy on a wave. always.
especially when they are going right on a left , and left on a right!
Right..i hope that has left no doubts for anyone in their right mind
As far as the person tacking back out going downwind of the person on the wave that's not always the best option ..it depends on direction of wind to wave ...if its cross or cross off the tack is usually high so it's way better to head upwind of the kiter on the wave since they and their kite are heading straight downwind.
The prob with many of the golden rules above (particularly in shabby beach breaks like Perf) is that there is not a recogniseable wave/section.
Rather, if there is a series of shabby interconnected closeouts that, depending on your perspective, anyone with kite power, can keep skipping out of a closeout to the next shabby section and claim ROW (from their view) from someone in that section already lining it up. 
If you expect to blast directly downwind and claim every bit of closeout on a +4km downwinder you just aint got handle on sharing crowded areas (and probably need to extract ya head from your self infatuated freckle). 
If it's head high n toobing get excited. If it's 1 foot and mushy, have splash, muck around and enjoy the fun.
Give n take and get some perspective sometimes. 
My view is at busy surf locations if you are not waveriding then simply dont overcrowd a spot by being there. If you are going straight through the break, turning around and coming straight back in time after time and maybe doing some spinny flippy drangly crap then better to go somewhere that is more suitable for that style of riding.
When you are in the waves the plan is to wait your turn, get one, actually attempt to ride the wave down the line and then head back out giving way to anybody else on a wave , even if it means getting smashed in the impact zone, just get out of the way!. You will gain respect this way. And give out a few laughs..
If your heading out and think your about to get in the way, a good option is to simply turn around and go back in.
Wise words from herbyburger and coreyb.
@pugwash only if your first onto a wave and closest to the peak.
