Surfing Lessons

Instructor: Doug Yartz

Lesson for One Student
$85 for 1-1/2 hr lesson

Multiple Lesson Packages for One Student
Pricing to be determined

Concurrent Lesson for Three Students or more
$75 per student in one 1-1/2 hr lesson session

Preparing for a Successful Lesson

• Make sure you have enough energy by eating a meal bar before surfing. It will give you energy without filling you up.
• Make sure you have adequate protection against the elements:
  • If it is sunny
    • Wear waterproof sunblock. Make sure you wash and dry your face completely and then put on the sunblock at least 1/2 hour before you surf.
  • If you aren't wearing a wetsuit
    • Consider wearing a rash guard if your skin is delicate and will get irritated rubbing against the surfboard
    • Make sure there isn't a lot of wax on the rails of your surfboard. The Hawaiians call it "Haole Rash" when the wax of your surfboard rubs the skin off of your thighs.
  • If it is cold
    • Make sure you have a quality wetsuit that will keep you warm. Beware of wetsuits that do not have one side of all seams glued and taped.
    • Consider wearing booties and gloves. Some people even have to wear hoods to keep warm, but usually it is not that cold in Santa Barbara.
    • If your wetsuit is damp, sprinkle baby powder on the inside of the wetsuit so the wetsuit is easier to put on.
  • If there is a lot of tar on the beach, bring vegetable oil and paper towels to clean the tar off of yourself

Transportation to Lesson
Most lessons are at Campus Point at UCSB. Park at Lot 6 by the Marine Sciences Building.

Where to Park

• Never park in spots marked "A" or "S" unless you have a UCSB "A" or "S" parking permit
• Monday through Friday before 5 pm, park in paid meter spots only.
• Monday through Friday after 5 PM and all day on weekends - Park in any spot that isn't marked "A" or "S".
  • Parking fees. You can buy a parking pass from the vending machine in the parking lot. The vending machine accepts cash or ATM. Park first, note your space number, buy your pass from the vending machine. Make sure you leave your parking pass on your dashboard
    • Parking is $2 per day
    • $10 per month

Practicing on Your Own - Surfing Tips for Beginning Surfers from Nat the Stokemom

• Be Safe
• Go out with a friend. Do not surf alone.
• Check out the surf conditions before you go out. If the waves are too big, do not go out.
• Beware of surfing after it rains. Bacteria counts are usually higher after rainstorms because of runoff from creeks.
• If you find yourself being pounded by a really big set of waves and cannot paddle in, paddle out just far enough to keep from being destroyed by waves, but try to keep in sight of other people. Paddle in as soon as there is a lull.
• If it is high tide, be careful when surfing near the cliffs.
• Familiarize yourself with any other hazards: submerged rocks, dangerous surfers, stinging jellyfish, unhappy sea mammals, killer seaweed. Try to avoid them!
• If there are rocks in the water, do not surf too far in or jump off your board. Rocks can damage your surfboard, break bones, twist knees and ankles.
• Catching the Wave. In order to catch a wave, you must get your board to go as fast as the wave. If anything creates friction with the water or "drag", it makes it much harder for you to catch a wave. Some tips for avoiding drag:
  • Watch the nose of your board. If the nose of your board is sticking way up out of the water, move forward slightly on your board until the nose of your board is just above the water surface. If the nose of your board is submerged, move back slightly on your board until the nose of your board is just above the water surface.
  • Keep your feet out of the water when paddling for waves. If you are too tall to keep your feet on the board, then bend your knees and keep your feet up out of the way when paddling.
  • When popping up, do not grab the rails of your board.
  • The 20 feet of kelp attached to your leash is a real dragger. Take the kelp off of your leash.
  • If you are paddling deep and not fast enough, your arms will create drag in the water and you will probably end up with aching shoulders! Try paddling with longer, shallower and faster strokes if you aren't catching waves trying to paddle deep.
• Standing Up
  • If you have paddled for a wave and you can't get up off of your knees, stop focusing on your knees. Think about 2 steps to standing: pop up into a crouch and stand up.
  • If you can't stand up on the green waves, practice standing up on whitewater waves until you get the feel of popping up and can pop up quickly and consistently
  • If the wave is too steep, there is nothing wrong with waiting for a less steep wave. If you decide to go for a steeper wave, get up fast and get up closer to the tail of your board to avoid making your board dive (AKA pearling)
  • Tuck in your tush and bend your knees if you find that you keep getting off balanced and falling off one side of the board. Keep your center of gravity over the board and you won't fall off.
• It is your responsibility to keep from hitting other surfers and making sure you are safe. Surfers are not like the Roadrunner...they cannot stop or turn INSTANTLY just because you decide to jump in their way. Some tips:
  • Wear a leash. It will save you from swimming after your board and will save innocent bystanders from being hit by your board when you lose it in the waves.
  • Do not throw yourself into a wave in front of a surfer already on the wave. It is OK to throw yourself into the wave after the surfer passes you and you are sure they are a safe enough distance away so if they cutback you won't get hurt.
  • If you fall off of your board, try not to let it bounce around uncontrolled as it may hurt someone or damage another surfer's board.
  • You can control your surfboard by shifting your weight. Go around things that are in your way.
• Wiping out. Just in case it happens to you:
  • Be careful of your own board. It can fly up in the air and hit you. Protect your head with your arms.
  • Watch out for other surfers that may not see you and run you over with their board
  • Watch out for waves that can pummel you.
• After Surfing
  • Check your surfboard and other equipment for damage. If your surfboard has a ding and is soaking up water, it will need repair.
  • Take a shower after surfing
  • Rinse your wetsuit in clear cold water