Surfin Fire

What Surfin Fire does

Surfin Fire, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned surf school operating under the legal entity Surfin Fire, Inc. in California, founded in 1997 by Jon Peterson (JP), a 36-year veteran of the Encinitas Fire Department. The company delivers in-person surf instruction at two permitted beach locations — Stone Steps in Leucadia (Encinitas) and Oceanside Pier — and serves a geographically concentrated customer base across North County San Diego (Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Vista, San Elijo, San Marcos, Poway, Cardiff by the Sea, Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach, and Fallbrook). The core product portfolio includes private and group surf lessons (year-round, pay-as-you-go), seasonal summer surf camps (12 sessions in 2026 across age tiers 5-17 and adult), the recurring Carlsbad Surf Club monthly membership (3-5 sessions per month with contest coaching), corporate events and team building, surf tours, and premium tow-in/step-off instruction. The company has no proprietary technology platform; its core asset is a safety-first curriculum and a staff of 30 instructors drawn from firefighters, lifeguards, and EMTs.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, supplemented by a formal preferred-provider referral channel into luxury resort chains (Park Hyatt, Four Seasons, Sheraton, Hilton, and La Costa) whose concierge staff route guests to Surfin Fire. Pricing is intentionally not publicly disclosed and is delivered only through a registration form or phone booking, which constrains price transparency but enables premium per-lesson and per-camp pricing to be set flexibly. Community involvement — including the founder's volunteer coaching of the Carlsbad High School Girls Surf Team through the Interscholastic Surfing Federation (ISF), the Waverider Surf Club for middle schoolers, school fundraising donations, and partnership with TERI INC for adaptive surf camps — functions as a long-tail brand-building and customer-acquisition motion rather than a fee-generating line.

The firm is small (11-50 employees), founder-operated with no external investors or parent company, and generates revenue primarily through a mix of one-time lesson fees, seasonal camp registrations, a single recurring subscription product, and custom corporate bookings. The sustainable differentiators are the founder's safety credentials and the multi-decade resort-channel relationships; the limiting factor is the geographic constraint of delivering all services in-person at two Southern California beaches.

Name

Surfin Fire

Legal name

Surfin Fire, Inc.

Website

https://surfinfire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Surfin Fire is a family-owned surf school founded in 1997 in North County San Diego, offering private and group lessons, summer camps, a monthly surf club, and corporate events at two permitted beach locations. It serves individual consumers, resort guests, and competitive surfers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ), Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK)

Keywords

• Surf school instruction
• Summer surf camps
• Private surfing lessons
• Group surf lessons
• Surf club membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Surf Lessons (Private and Group): One-on-one and small group surf instruction sold per lesson. Private lessons available year-round, daily. Group lessons cover all skill levels from beginner to intermediate. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed on website.
2. Summer Surf Camps: Multi-day surf camp sessions offered during summer break. Multiple sessions available (typically 12 sessions per summer). Pricing varies by camp type (Grommet, Teen, Adult, Kiddie/Rippersnapper) and duration. Full pricing requires registration form inquiry.
3. Carlsbad Surf Club Membership: Monthly membership program with 3-5 surf sessions per month at Stone Steps Leucadia. Includes coaching, conditioning, and contest preparation. Club fee cannot be prorated after initial start date.
4. Corporate Events and Team Building: Customized surf experiences for corporate groups, team building events, and surf parties. Tailored to organizational needs.
5. Surf Tours and Expeditions: Surfing expeditions and tours offered as premium adventure experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Surfin Fire is an in-person surf school that delivers private and group surfing lessons, seasonal summer surf camps for ages 5+, a monthly Carlsbad Surf Club for ongoing coaching and contest preparation, corporate team-building and surf party events, and premium surf tours and expeditions. All instruction takes place at two fully insured and city-permitted beach locations — Stone Steps Leucadia (Encinitas) and Oceanside Pier — in North County San Diego, with all equipment (wetsuits, boards) provided and a 3:1 instructor-to-student ratio in camps.

Product overview

Surfin Fire is a surf school offering a portfolio of instructional products centered around surfing education. The core offerings include Private/Group Surf Lessons and Summer Surf Camps at Stone Steps Leucadia (Encinitas) and Oceanside Pier locations, supplemented by the Carlsbad Surf Club for ongoing monthly training. Additional offerings include Corporate Events/Team Building, Surf Tours & Expeditions, and Premium Tow-In/Step-Off Surfing for advanced surfers. Year-round professional surf coaching supports competitive surfers preparing for NSSA, WSA, ISF, and club boardriders competitions. The company is owned and operated by Jon Peterson (JP), a veteran Encinitas firefighter and competitive surfer, with instruction provided by a staff of 30 surf instructors including firefighters, lifeguards, and EMTs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Surf Lessons One-on-one or small-group surfing instruction offering personalized curriculum tailored to individual ability levels from beginner through advanced; available year-round at all skill levels, includes full wetsuit and board selection and in-water instructor guidance.
• Summer Surf Camp Seasonal multi-session day camp program for children, teens, and adults (ages 5+) at Stone Steps Leucadia, with 3:1 instructor-to-student ratio, age-tiered sessions (Kiddie/Rippersnapper 5-7, Grommet 8-12, Teen 13-17, Adult 18+), ocean awareness curriculum, surf fundamentals, team-building activities, and equipment provided.
• Carlsbad Surf Club Monthly membership program delivering 3-5 supervised surf sessions per month at Stone Steps Leucadia for novice through expert surfers, including coaching for contest preparation, heat management, wave selection, and conditioning, with stated alignment to SSS, NSSA, WSA, and club boardriders competitions.
• Group Surf Lessons Small group surf instruction covering fundamentals through intermediate techniques for all skill levels, available by phone booking and tailored to shared ability.
• Corporate Events & Team Building Customized surf lessons and team-building programs for corporate groups, resorts, and private gatherings, including surf instruction and team-oriented activities at business and beach locations.
• Surf Tours & Expeditions Guided surfing excursions and tours offering wave riding experiences at various coastal locations in the San Diego North County region for visitors seeking premium adventure experiences.
• Year-Round Professional Surf Coaching & Competitive Coaching Year-round professional surf coaching and contest preparation for competitive surfers, including training for NSSA, WSA, ISF, and club boardriders competitions.
• Tow-In and Step-Off Surfing (Premium) Premium advanced surfing instruction using tow-in and step-off techniques for experienced surfers seeking high-end wave-riding experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Success rate in teaching students to surf their first waves - company guarantees high level of success

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Billabong Surf CampsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBillabong Surf Camps is listed as the sponsor of Surfin Fire. This is a sponsorship/marketing relationship that provides brand credibility through association with the Billabong brand in the surf industry.
• Park HyattminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPark Hyatt resort is listed as part of the resort industry that Surfin Fire services as a preferred provider. Surf lessons are offered as an amenity to hotel guests.
• Four SeasonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFour Seasons resort is listed as a resort industry partner. Surfin Fire has instructed Anthem BC and BS guests staying at Four Seasons with positive feedback received.
• Sheraton HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSheraton Hotels listed as part of the resort industry partner network receiving preferred provider status for surf lessons.
• Hilton HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHilton Hotels listed as part of the resort industry partner network. Surf lessons provided as guest amenity.
• Interscholastic Surfing Federation (ISF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Jon Peterson serves as ISF coach, volunteering time to coach the Carlsbad High School Girls Team. Surfin Fire programs support ISF competition series and interscholastic surfing.
• Carlsbad High SchoolcoreOthersJon Peterson volunteers as coach for the Carlsbad High School Girls Surf Team through ISF program. Founder supports public education through surf programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Surf School: San Diego-based surf school providing lessons, summer camps, and corporate team building at local beaches. Comparable on instructional product mix and corporate events vertical; overlaps Surfin Fire's resort and corporate GTM.
• Surf Diva: Encinitas-based surf school offering private lessons, group lessons, and surf camps for women, teens, kids, and couples. Directly comparable: same geography (North County San Diego), same product (lessons + camps), same target audience (beginners through intermediate), and same resort/referral-driven GTM.
• La Jolla Surf School: Surf school operating in La Jolla and broader San Diego offering lessons and camps. Comparable product (lessons, beginner instruction, beach-based delivery) and overlapping luxury tourism clientele in the San Diego coastal corridor.
• California Surf Academy: Southern California surf school offering private and group lessons, camps, and competitive coaching. Comparable on year-round instruction, competitive surf prep, and youth camp programming.
• San Diego Surf School: Local surf school in San Diego offering lessons for all skill levels, beginner through advanced. Directly comparable on product (private + group lessons, beginner focus) and the same Southern California beach market.
• Surf With Amigas: Encinitas-based surf school focused on women's and girls' surf instruction, including camps. Comparable on instructional product, geography, and target demographic for camps and beginner programming.
• CampSurf (formerly San Diego Surf Camp): Multi-location youth surf camp operator serving Southern California. Highly comparable on the structured multi-day summer camp product, age-tiered programming (Grommet/Teen), and parent-driven booking journey.
• Wavehuggers: San Diego surf school offering lessons, camps, and group experiences for all ages. Directly comparable product mix (lessons, camps, beginner focus) and overlapping service area across San Diego County beaches.

Others

• Billabong Surf Camps: Billabong is a global surf apparel brand whose Billabong Surf Camps program is the named sponsor of Surfin Fire. Comparable as a surf-school brand platform and ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor; relevant for understanding the surf school sponsorship and brand ecosystem Surfin Fire operates within.

Regional players

• Magic Carpet Ride Surf Lessons: Southern California surf school based in a different part of the coast, offering lessons and camps. Comparable product (private/group lessons, youth camps) but operating in a different geography from Surfin Fire's North County focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/surfinfire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surfin-fire-surf-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surfin Fire