I want to start to teach surfing. What should/not I do?!

[MarcTi]

Hi all, I've been surfing for 7 years now. This summer, I will have a lot of free time and would like to try teaching surfing to others and make an extra income (I can really use some!).

Do I have to get an certificate/permit? What should I consider? I live in Southern California and can really use some advise! Thank you very much.

[billie_morini]

I cannot resist teasing you, Marc.

Q. I want to teach surfing. What should I do?
A. Find students! (big SMILE)

Now for a couple of serious ideas:
1. advertise on Craigslist
2. advertise with handbills posted on old fashioned bulletin boards in sports stores and wherever
3. connect with a surf shop and work under their banner

[waikikikichan]

Being able to surf and teaching how to surf a two way different things. There's a lot of great surfers that don't have the patience or know-how to teach a first timer-newbie. "Dude, paddle hard and just stand up !"

If I was a newbie looking on Craigslist for surf lessons, what qualifications do you have over someone with 20 years experience ? With customer references. With his own board fleet, wetsuits, transportation and INSURANCE just incase someone gets hurt or drowns. ( by the way do you have a CPR / lifesaving certification ? )

[saltydog]

Being able to surf and teaching how to surf a two way different things.

So true. And this applies to anything else besides surfing.

[Big H]

See if you can catch on with a school or shop.....like the others say, teaching anything is a whole different ball of wax.

I used to be a scuba instructor; I worked for a few different companies, one contracted to a few shops and then for a couple individual shops. I was young, 22 when I first started doing it and really had very little idea about how to teach someone how to do something that I knew how to do. Since my first job was in a company with three older instructors and me, I started off (after completing the requisite trainings, certifications, etc including several first aid and lifesaving courses as well as O2 administration, CPR and even live practice of helicopter evacuations (my first ride in a helicopter) as well as insurance which for diving in 1992 was USD 400/year.)....I started off working as a dive master, which is what I had been doing for the 6 months or so leading up to my surfing instructor certification which I worked on after hours. I watched HOW the instructors taught with the various teaching theories swimming in my head that I'd recently learned in my surfing instructor certification courses. The senior instructor had been doing it for 25 years or so, and not only could he keep things light and fun, he could identify the problems each person was having and would address them in a serious but not "heavy" manner until he was satisfied that they had done an acceptable job with a new skill. Already long story cut short now, even though I had 1000+ hours underwater, worked in a variety of underwater jobs and capacities as 1st mate on two research diving vessels, month long archeological dive of 8 hours daily, I was not good at getting across the basics to a stubborn learner who was not a good swimmer and/or otherwise apprehensive about the experience. I learned but at the side of seasoned professionals until I was ok to lead classes on my own.

The other thing is that if you love to surf and think that it would be fun to have a job that allowed you to surf while you earn money, think again. I loved diving, but work is work and I spent a lot more time carrying tanks to and from boats, fixing regulators, scrubbing down said boats, replacing fin straps, etc. than I did diving, and when I was out there I was constantly buzzing around checking everyone's air supplies, buoyancy control, navigating via compass and time and estimating the point of return based on the largest air consumer in the group and how to make sure that we ran thru all the skills we were working on while still having time to look at the reef/wreck or wherever we were diving and making sure that it was "fun" and that we all wound up back at the boat when the biggest air sucker was at 500psi.

Work is work; my advice is to make pizzas or something for money/your job, then surf for FUN on your own time.

[Big H]

Had an idea....maybe rather than teaching you could be a surf buddy/guide for hire.....you go surf with already capable surfer who for whatever reason don't have a friend to surf with and want one. No teaching (no assumption of responsibility), just go with already competent surfers who want company. I am sure that there are weirder occupations in Southern California......personal shoppers, professional dog walkers......then you'd really get paid to go hang out and surf.

[oldmansurfer]

Three of my childhood friends are surf instructors. They all enjoy hanging out at the beach whether they are surfing or not and when the surf is up "It's too big for lessons today so maybe tomorrow". I think getting a job with an established surf instruction company would be the way to go. Then you can see how you like it and learn about the regulations involved in surf instruction in that area. It will be different from place to place because states and counties regulate those industries.

[billie_morini]

Being able to surf and teaching how to surf a two way different things.

So true. And this applies to anything else besides surfing.

Here's one for the ages: "Those than can, do. Those that cannot, teach."

[oldmansurfer]

Here's one for the ages: "Those than can, do. Those that cannot, teach."

That one is definitely not true for surfing. I know quite a few excellent surfers who offer or did offer surf lessons. (for instance if you look at the multistance thread youtube I posted one of those guys does surf lessons

[dtc]

I was listening to an interview with famous surfer 'wingnut', who basically earns income today by giving private lessons. He only gives them to people referred to him by another existing student, does them one on one/very small groups, goes where ever is needed or has good surf at the time and, I imagine, charges a lot.

[Tudeo]

I was listening to an interview with famous surfer 'wingnut', who basically earns income today by giving private lessons. He only gives them to people referred to him by another existing student, does them one on one/very small groups, goes where ever is needed or has good surf at the time and, I imagine, charges a lot.

Ha, you beat me to it. I listened to the Wingnut interview on Surfsimply podcast, and was thinking to post something about that when reading this discussion. It sounded like a VERY nice job.
Also in this interview Wingnut mentioned the Chinese island Hainan as his favorite spot for surfing, I'm not sure I believe that though, when I look at the map it looks too sheltered for good swell.

[jaffa1949]

Just so you know each year for quite a few years now, major contests of the world longboard circuit , both male and female have been held in Hainan . Typhoon surf can also generate good surf on the China Sea, in order to build up tourism the Chinese are building resort islands in the Sprattlies for surfing, US companies are objecting strongly

[Big H]

Looks pretty good....

[oldmansurfer]

Margo Oberg who was the womens world champion surfer several years and one of the first female big wave surfers, used to offer lessons for many years.

[Tudeo]

Looks pretty good....

I love that 2nd clip, the drone vid of the guy scoring a 10. He had to work hard to get in, but I guess it was worth it..

[MarcTi]

Being able to surf and teaching how to surf a two way different things. There's a lot of great surfers that don't have the patience or know-how to teach a first timer-newbie. "Dude, paddle hard and just stand up !"

If I was a newbie looking on Craigslist for surf lessons, what qualifications do you have over someone with 20 years experience ? With customer references. With his own board fleet, wetsuits, transportation and INSURANCE just incase someone gets hurt or drowns. ( by the way do you have a CPR / lifesaving certification ? )

Thanks Chan, can I as a person get a liability insurance or do I have to have a company?! Do you know how much it may cost for a surfing instructor?