FAQ

This is new to you, otherwise you wouldn’t be here! You’ve got questions and this is where you will find most answers. If there should still be any questions left, don’t hesitate to just call us.

Plus, we answer the phone.

General

HOW TO CHOOSE A SURF SCHOOL
OK, this is a public service announcement because we don’t want to see people chasing their surfboard 🏃, and then leaving our area thinking that THAT is a Surf Lesson. It makes us SICK 🤢 to our stomachs to see what surf lessons have been reduced to, but there is a company RIGHT NEXT TO US 🤷‍♂️ literally that takes your money and will tell you that you don’t need a Surf Leash as a beginner or never-ever. 🤦‍♀️ This is absolutely ruthless & should be a crime. 🔪 It’s gotta be like fraud or darn close to it. This is like the carnival trick so you can’t get the toy. They also steal our customers regularly, just read that in our reviews from our prior customers trying to warn you as well.
Surf School owners that don’t provide Surf leashes for their customers or only when they DEMAND them are pretty much carnival operators. 🎡 It’s a sneaky trick to make you 50 times as tired 😴 as you need to be chasing your own surfboard after EVERY SINGLE WAVE. A leash is about 8 feet long and 30 bucks retail. And then dodging the unleashed surfboard of the person surfing behind you? Are you serious? 🤕 Surf School operators use this trick to stuff more people into a short-staffed “teach in groups only surf lesson”, thus HINDERING and TAKING FROM your short amount of energy & time. And regardless of this PSA we will see it ALL SUMMER LONG as this page gets very few views. Just don’t get caught in their trap. ❌
You only have about 🕘 90 minutes of energy on your first time out surfing as your muscles 💪 are brand new to this, and if you want to chase your surfboard the ENTIRE time then go with those guys. You’re in a pack of 15 people with missles that you will be jumping over and on later. 🤕 The owner answering the phone may tell you you don’t know what foot 👣 is the correct foot yet so why do you need a leash?… but trust and believe you are now entering into a real life squid 🐙 game if you do not demand a safety surf leash. No offense, but ESPECIALLY YOU need one. Seriously. 💯
You’ve only got ✌️ 2 feet if it’s not one foot, it’s the other one. That takes all of about two minutes to figure out. If you don’t get a safety surf leash, then we pray for you to at least receive a helmet. You’ll need it. 🙏😩
This “company” also has been kicked out of Avila Beach and showed up in Pismo Beach with a new sticker on their surf truck. (see below).
This “company” also uses surf instructors that not only do not surf, but cannot swim. 🤐 This is absolutely ruthless. Ask any Pismo Beach Lifeguard about “Coach Chris who LIVES in the Parking Lot”. He has had to be rescued from his own surf lesson by the lifeguards more than once because he CANNOT SWIM and absolutely does NOT surf. This is crazy that the city lets this go on.
This “company” also has FOUR websites with different local area names to GEOTARGET & catch tourists using search phrase catchers to funnel to their ONE phone number to one fraudlent business. This is not 4 companies…This is just box truck with no storefront that got kicked out of Avila Beach. We cannot endorse any group that blatently thinks so little of YOU, our client and takes from your experience rather than enhancing it with the BASICS of needed surf equipment & certified instructors to teach this skillset.
Non-locals would NOT know these things, because exactly that, you don’t watch these things that we locals watch in astonishment EVERY DAY. The company owner doesn’t care about this what we’re telling you because just that, it’s tourism. There’s more of you tomorrow.
A informed public is an educated public. Don’t get taken for a ride by these jerks. 🤓
If you don’t go with us, that’s totally cool! 😎 Just choose surf instruction that is SAFE above all else! This is the ocean. It’s NO joke. You and your loved ones DESERVE a safety surf leash, without it….it’s a quick way to end your vacation. You AND your children and EVERYONE in the water around you are worth it. ❤️
THAT’S a guarantee. 💯
DO YOU PROVIDE SAFETY SURF LEASHES IN YOUR SURF LESSONS/SURF CAMPS?

You’re darn right we do. It’s a really good question to ask because it’s the equivalent of driving a car with no brakes. Some surf schools nearby don’t bother with surf leashes. That’s straight crazy. You don’t ski down a mountain without ski brakes, do you? We here at Sandbar Surf School use surf leashes. Because we surf and surfers use surf leashes. So unless you want to be chasing your surfboard all lesson (because you WILL be falling off) go with a surf school that has leashes. Seriously. We’re thinking of you in advance.

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE IN A GROUP LESSON

Anywhere from 2 to 4 students per instructor! If you have a group larger than 5, we will add an instructor to keep the student/instructor ratio to 3/4 per instructor. But we usually overstaff. You’re worth it and your children are too. If for some rare reason you got a group lesson and no one else is in that group, you WILL be charged for a private lesson. (Sorry, just how it’s gotta be.)

Do I need my own gear?

If you have your own, you’re more than welcome to bring it and use it. Otherwise, we do provide all the gear you need: surfboards, surf leashes, wetsuits and rash-guards for any size and any skill level.

What should I bring with me?

Every student should bring a bathing suit to wear under your wetsuit that we provide. Bring a big smile, plenty of sun screen, water to keep you hydrated, and a towel. We’ve got the rest!

How can I pay for my lesson or merchandise?

Payment can be made online, over the phone or through our website. But because fees & stuff are monsters these days and we are not a huge company, we have alternate forms of payment now, so give us a call 805-835-7873 to arrange. No cash or checks can be collected in the parking lot or on the beach. Just give us a call and we’ll getcha handled.

Classes

Meeting point

Students meet their instructor 15 minutes prior to the start of the class by the front door of the Sea Venture Hotel in the beach parking lot at 110 Park Avenue in Pismo Beach. Look for the BIG White Box Truck, that’s us! You’ll most likely see us unpacking surfboards from the truck for your lesson and jamming out to some music.

At the end of the class, the students will be back at the same meeting point. Past this time, parents/guardians are responsible for their kids.

Instructors will wait 15 minutes for a late student, and then will head to the beach to start the class. If a student arrives after the start of the class, the instructor might not be able to let him crash (for safety reasons, the other students cannot be left without supervision).

Look for the BIG white box truck that is mostly white (right now as we’re getting our new logos together) but look on our door and there are magnets that say “SANDBAR SURF” as there are a few imitators in our parking lot you don’t want to get confused with.

Booking/payment

Booking/payment has to be done at least 24 hours prior to the class

Booking can only be done by someone 18 years old or older

Payment can be done by credit card if using our online registration center. If you want to pay taxes and fees. If you don’t want to pay taxes or fees we have alternate methods of payment so just give us a call at (805) 835-7873.

No booking/payment can be done at the beach. Unless you speak to Jonny lol. He may jump you in the class if we’ve got room.

Cancellation

In case of difficult/hazardous conditions (storm, pollution, beach closure…), the instructor can decide to cancel a class. In that case, we will re-schedule the class to a later date. We’ll totally refund you if you have a class on a stormy day. Those are boo-boo conditions to learn in.

If a student cannot make it to a class, as long as we have a 24 hour’s notice, we will issue a class-credit and will reschedule the class. Jonny is easy to get ahold of in the case of emergencies or needing to switch or move dates/times around. However, if you stay up too late the night before and drink to many “lemonades” and want to cancel the morning of…No diggity. If you no-call, no-show on us…again, no diggity. Every day is a special project so we have to staff for your safety in advance.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Stay connected with the Sandbar Surf Crew. We share highlights, special deals, ongoing prizes and awards as well as something special just for you.

Sandbar Surf School

© Sandbar Surf School. All rights reserved.

Design by IJH