Dawn Patrol:

Last week I was pondering the question, “When does a surfboard become a boat?” and the general interaction of surfers and alternative wave craft riders in the same lineup.

It was apropos of the recent proliferation of stand-up paddleboards. I found I wasn’t the only one considering the subject. The Newport Beach Lifeguards had talked about paddleboards in the surf but weren’t contemplating any action. But when I dropped in on the Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol I learned that the U.S. Coast Guard had determined that “outside the narrow limits of a designated surfing or bathing area” stand-up paddleboards are vessels and though they are exempt from registration (“CF” numbers) because they aren’t mechanically powered, a Personal Flotation Device must be carried for each person aboard. The Coast Guard decided the paddle was the differentiator -- so with a paddle in your hand you’re on a boat and if you toss it you’re on a surfboard. Some of the paddlers I spoke with dismissed this as “ridiculous” and mentioned that the Coast Guard had tried the same thing years before with windsurfers and failed. That ruling isn’t likely to affect wave riding paddlers, but for the many who paddle offshore or in Newport Harbor, it could. The Harbor Patrol is already in an “educational” phase and they’re informing paddlers about the PFD requirement.

They say that eventually they will enforce the regulation by issuing citations. The awareness campaign seems to be working because last weekend I noticed several bay paddlers with a boat cushion or life vest lying on the nose of the board

Local rules can be more restrictive, and the state of California also has an opinion on paddleboards. In the state beaches, notably Doheny and San Onofre, paddle craft are effectively banned from the surf with the exception of the San-O area south of “Dogpatch”. They have to keep 50 feet away from any “bathers” who include those on surfboards. So, yeah on an un-crowded day paddlers may be able to ride, but they can’t legally compete for waves with surfers.

I talked with State Parks lifeguard Ennio Rocca who is a paddleboard racer and wave rider.

He said a big reason for the rule was the outcry was from surfers and beachgoers concerned about the increased injuries from lost boards. Paddlers normally don’t use leashes and with so many beginners in the water, increased by rental boards, people were watching their kids get plowed over by heavy 12-foot boards washing in.

The California Harbors and Navigation Code is even more restrictive, so it gets down to who decides to enforce restrictions.

The conclusion? With stand-up paddling growing so quickly I have to think there will be more questions than answers for the near future. But there seems to be some consensus regarding my original question — paddle in hand equals boater, and boats should keep away from surfers.

JOHN BURTON’S surf column appears Fridays.