So you’ve done a few lessons or consider yourself an intermediate surfer and think you have the backline sussed. Now you find yourself in Cape Town without surf equipment and the waves are pumping…there are several options available to you. Find the description below which best suits your surfing ability (be honest with yourself and rather downplay your skill level!) and then choose the option that best suits you:

1. Beginner surfer: You have had a handful of lessons and have yet to understand how to handle a surfboard in waves, you still need an introduction to surf etiquette, rips and currents, how to ride a wave left and right etc.

• We DON”T recommend renting out equipment but rather that you take a surf lesson with a qualified instructor for you to get the most out of your experience. You could otherwise find yourself frustrated…or worse…injured. Book our ‘Experienced the Stoke’ surf lesson now and get tips from qualified coaches before venturing into the surf alone.

2. Intermediate surfer: You can paddle out on your own, ‘read’ the surf, attempt an angular take off and ride down the line. You have a good grasp of surf etiquette and an  understanding of rips and currents.

• You can rent gear from one of the beachfront shops listed below or sign up for a ‘Solo-Stoked’ private lesson to improve specific skills.

3. Advanced surfer: You surf 3-5 times a week. Your default page when you open your web browser is a surf forecasting website and your work productivity is directly proportional to the swell direction and offshore winds. Your surfboard is an extension of you but since you find yourself in Cape Town on a quick trip or were unwilling to pay the hefty board fees to bring boards on the plane-you have an idea but no gear.

• • • We recommend you hire a car for the day and rent gear from Vudu Surf if you’re based in the city or Kommetjie Surf Shop if you’re down south, and cruise the Peninsula for a spot that faces the correct direction for the prevailing swell direction and winds that day.
    • OR you sign up for our surf guiding service and based on the kind of waves and board you regularly surf, we will guide you to the best spot on the day of your booking.

Below is a list of places you can rent surf gear in Cape Town:

City:

Vudu Surf Shop offers rental options where you can drive around with the board for the day/multiple days. We only recommend this option for an advanced surfer who knows where to go and how to handle themselves in the Cape surf.

Muizenberg:

There are a plethora of stores on the beachfront but our pick is Lifestyle Surf Shop. They have a range of boards and wetsuits and as a family owned and managed business, the store assistants have a great approachable vibe. Please note that when renting you will be restricted to their store hours and surfing only Muizenberg as gear may not leave the beachfront area and is rented on an hourly basis.

Big Bay:

There are many places to rent gear along the beachfront. We don’t have any particular place we could specifically recommend however, just get down there and take a look at the quality of gear on offer before making your decision on which store to rent from. Also just remember to take store hours into consideration when planning your surf time.

Kommetjie:

Kommetjie Surf Shop is located down in the surf village of Kommetjie, 45 minutes away from the city area and on the way down to Cape Point. There are some good breaks in the area, but again only suitable for those who have an excellent level of surfing ability and a thorough understanding of surf etiquette. Don’t paddle out here if you’re still a beginner please.

Camps Bay:

If you’re staying in Camps Bay, are an advanced surfer and looking to rent equipment, we can offer board rentals delivered to your villa/hotel. Only call us if you have the experience described in the ‘advanced’ surfer section above. We do not rent to anyone without the skill level required to get themselves safely out at the city beaches (Camps Bay, Sea Point, Llandudno). These beaches ARE not friendly for beginner or intermediate surfers! Contact us should you match these criteria and we will bring the gear to you…

The Right Fit

So you’ve completed the 4-surf lesson package, know where the best surfing spots are, and now you’re ready to buy your very own surfboard.  

But before you do, it is important to consider a surfboard that is a good fit for you and your body type. Your age, weight, and fitness level should also be considered, as well as the types of waves you surf, and your overall ability. 

Your surfboard is a mirror of you, so pick the one that is appropriate for the surfer you are now, and not the one you want to become.

So before you fork out the cash, consider these tips that will help you make the right decision:

Dings and Things That Go Bump

For those just starting out, it’s best to opt for something a little more ‘off the shelf’ because it’s likely to get bashed around and ruined within seconds. While you are learning to surf, you will probably ding your board regularly if you surf often, so it’s advisable to not spend a fortune on your first board. For this reason, consider a user-friendly, foam soft-top until you are skilled enough to move up to the standard epoxy and hand-shaped boards favoured by the pros.

The Longer, The Better

Every surfer should ideally start out on a longboard. Learning how to surf can be a frustrating process, and the frustration is only compounded when trying to learn on the wrong board. A longboard provides novice surfers with ample surface area that will catch waves with ease and feel stable on the takeoff. 

When our students ask us which board to buy, we generally recommend that the longer the board, the better. A board that will provide flotation and allows for easy paddling, and stands at least a foot taller than you, should be considered. 

Volume

Many people make the mistake of buying a surfboard that is too small (in length and volume) for their level of proficiency. 

The most important feature you should look for when buying your first surfboard is volume. A board with a larger volume is more buoyant, and therefore floats and paddles with relative ease. Choose a board that you can surf in rookie conditions, i.e mushy, onshore waves to waist-high offshore waves. For the first 3-6 months, you really shouldn’t worry about turning or doing manoeuvres anyway, so focus on catching as many waves as possible, improving your confidence and board control, and learn how to ‘turtle-roll’. 

A good average size board for a novice surfer would be around 7 feet long and 19-21 inches wide and at least 2-3 inches thick.

Making Headway

Once you have mastered the art of riding an unbroken wave to the left and the right, it might be time to move on to the next suitable board. 

If you started on a longboard, consider a minimal (7.4 – 8.0ft). If you started out on a minimal, consider progressing to a hybrid/funboard (6.10-7.2ft). These boards usually have a wide nose, making it easy to get into the flatter, softer waves and once you’re on your feet, they are more responsive and manoeuvrable than a longboard. 

Funboards are a good cross between a long and shortboard. They are easier to turn than a longboard but are much more buoyant than a shortboard making it fairly easy to catch a wave.

Short and Sweet

Once you have mastered the minimal/hybrid, you may be ready for the next step to a shortboard (6.10ft or shorter). Usually recognized for having a pointed nose and three fins, the shortboard packs a punch with its ability to cut through waves seamlessly with tight turns and vertical mobility.  

Whilst a shortboard makes it easier to duck and dive in bigger surf, it requires a lot more stamina to gain enough speed to get into the breaks. 

By the time you are ready to move on to a shortboard, your paddle fitness should be at an advanced level, or you might end up frustrated not being able to get into the action. 

If it Feels Right, it is Right

Buying a surfboard is really down to personal choice. This is only a guide and the progression that we at Stoked School of Surf have followed naturally.

Some of you may feel that longboarding is the kind of surfing you enjoy most and rather than moving onto a shorter board, you may opt to progress your longboarding style i.e. learn to ‘sidestep’ and ‘hang ten’. 

Whilst some of you may want to surf in more critical parts of the wave, pulling off big turns and floaters, others might want to progress to a shorter board with a lot more flexibility.  We would recommend that the day your board starts to feel unresponsive, sluggish and is no longer ‘working’ for you, it may be time to upgrade to a new board.

All Shapes and Sizes

Before you buy your first board, head down to a beach where you can hire boards and test several lengths and volumes. Once you have decided on what it is that you want, we recommend forming a good relationship with a local shaper who can guide you to choose the correct board as your surfing progresses. 

Spend time chatting to your shaper, discussing what kind of waves you like to surf, showing him pictures or even better, video footage of how you surf so that he/she can understand what board you need. 

Finding the board that ‘works’ for you can make a substantial difference to your surfing. So before you make that investment, make sure you have been correctly advised.

Thanks to Dave of DVG Shapes for letting us take photos in his factory.

I have always been hesitant to write a blog post about sharks and surfing in South Africa due to how controversial the issue has become of late. However, in light of the recent shark attack in Muizenberg (the first attack there in 11 years), which took place on Friday 1st August 2014, I feel compelled to put some thoughts and facts on ‘paper’.

The international media has in my opinion, instilled an irrational fear of sharks into the minds of many visitors to South Africa. Read this article on the Shark Savers website for similar sentiments. We are often faced with the question ‘so what about sharks?’ when we get enquiries for surf lessons. There seems to be this misconception that by putting your big toe into the ocean in South Africa, a shark is going to come and hunt you down (Jaws theme music and visions of a Great White mouth wide open come into play).

The TRUTH is: there ARE sharks in the waters of South Africa. The FACT is: they are NOT prowling the ocean in search of humans. It has been said that shark attacks on humans are generally mistaken identity. If we had to consider the sheer number of ocean users on any given day vs. the number of shark-human interactions the statistics are considerably low when compared to your chances of being crushed by a vending machine, or even having a coconut fall on your head. See the info graphic below below: