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Stand-Up Paddle Bozos Get Our Own Sticker

SUP-Bozo-cu Big Bill Barber showed up at the last Sebonac Inlet windsurfing session sporting this “No SUP Bozo” sticker on his pickup truck.   I make it a point to agree with Bill on everything at all times, so given that I had just pulled up with a SUP board on my van’s roof (and the certainty that whatever qualifies one as an SUP bozo I must surely be doing) I inquired delicately.  Bill takes his surfing quite seriously.

Happily it turns out that SUPing does not automatically confer bozo status…hogging waves, plowing through areas where regular surfers are down in the water, and letting a runaway SUP board threaten the lives of everyone else in the water get you that ticket.   Given that I keep my distance from surfers anyway, and that there are enough decent spots to paddle so we’re all reasonably spread out, I am (so far) not an actual SUP bozo.   A clown, on the other hand…

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15 responses to “Stand-Up Paddle Bozos Get Our Own Sticker”

  1. Joe "Bozo" Rouse Avatar
    Joe “Bozo” Rouse

    I love that sticker. Thank God it’s not a janitor. The local surf gods hate SUP surfers, they call them janitors. I’ve pushed a broom in my time, so I don’t care what I’m called and yes, I have been called a Bozo.

    Reply
  2. Bunty Avatar
    Bunty

    Well I’ve ended up on ‘Bozo’ beach in Cabarete after breaking a mast on the reef – a bloody long walk back up the beach! So I suppose I qualify as a ‘Bozo’ in another way too!! Let’s face it I think we have all been a Bozo at one time or another.

    Reply
  3. TonyWind Avatar
    TonyWind

    Love that stance!! 😉

    Reply
  4. scott kielt Avatar
    scott kielt

    I dont care what you use to ride waves,the whole point is to have fun. people who only use surfboards & put others down for beinf bozos are narrow minded bozos themselves.RIDE ON MY BROTHERS & carve it up with whatever youve got!!!

    Reply
  5. Mac Avatar
    Mac

    There’s zero aloha spirit in that sticker. Its the equivalent of the “windsurfing’s been cancelled” stickers…it only incites needless rivalry on the water. I’m with Scott…ride on and carve on whatever floats your boat (board in this case)…but don’t put others down for it.

    Reply
  6. My name is Bozo Joe Avatar
    My name is Bozo Joe

    Mac, you have to understand that a lot of the animosity toward SUP surfers stems from the fact that a lot of them are kooks(newbies). When you have guys who drop in on you or don’t use a leash with their board (have you been hit by an errant board?), you are going to have a lot of pissed off stick surfers.
    You also have those people who just hate the other. Locals versus outsiders, Kamaaina versus Malihini, stick surfers versus all other surfers, keelboat sailors versus dinghy sailors, dems versus repubs and on and on it goes.
    The bottom line is, don’t be a Bozo on the waves. The sticker can be applied to every water sport….I REALLY HATE POWER BOATS! 😉

    Reply
  7. John Hulse Avatar
    John Hulse

    I find it ironic that this sticker ruffles your feathers so much.Aren’t you the Bozo who has a “if it were easy they’d call it Kiteboarding” sticker on his van! Think about it? John Hulse

    Reply
  8. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    John, this sticker ruffles my feathers not at all…I was amused, and also used it to launch a conversation with Bill about SUP, what constitutes bad SUP behavior etc. I think if you reread what I wrote you’ll see I’m not bothered by it in the slightest. You’re right about my having a “if it were easy they’d call it kitesurfing” sticker on the van (the Wolf has one too)…those were the all-in-fun responses to the “windsurfing has been cancelled” stickers from a couple years back.
    The only people on the water I don’t like being around are recreational jetskiers. The percentage of bozos in that crowd, in my opinion, is quite high.

    Reply
  9. John Hulse Avatar
    John Hulse

    That’s what I dislike about blogs is the sarcasim doesn’t come through…………

    Reply
  10. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    That’s so very true, John! I hope to bring this all to a dramatic conclusion in a new post tomorrow…stay tuned.

    Reply
  11. Jeff, aka PeconicJeff Avatar
    Jeff, aka PeconicJeff

    To be technical, the bozo sticker doesn’t show a wave hog or surf code violator – he is a bozo simply because he SUPs.
    While I enjoy the humor of these stickers, I dislike the machoism and animosity they create by essentially saying “You guys suck!” and “We’re better than you!”. Where’s the aloha spirit in that? Let’s all share the waves and give plenty of room and respect for each other. And if a newbie drops in on you, paddle over afterwards and introduce yourself, point out what they did and give some tips. A little humility can go a long way.

    Reply
  12. scott kielt Avatar
    scott kielt

    jeff im with you on that one but from my experience that will never happen.it would probably go like this,”hey you m….er f….er im gonna kick you ass for taking off on me”.yeah thats why i love windsurfing so much, none of that b.s.!totally different vibe.

    Reply
  13. Mac Avatar
    Mac

    “The sticker can be applied to every water sport”
    No it can’t – then take the paddle off the sticker.

    Reply
  14. Susi King Avatar
    Susi King

    I just think that the sticker is very funny-no matter if you ride the waves on a surfboard,kiteboard,windsurfboard or a toilett door…Tolerance is the key word and there is nothing wrong comment on somethin in a funny way….

    Reply
  15. marty j Avatar
    marty j

    Love all board sports love the sticker would put it on my sup

    Reply

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