Malibu Makos Surf Club

What Malibu Makos Surf Club does

Malibu Makos Surf Club is a private surf school and camp operator founded in 1991 by Tom Corliss and headquartered at Zuma Beach in Malibu, California. The company delivers professional surf instruction and ocean safety education to children ages 5-17, adults, families, schools, and private groups, operating exclusively as the only licensed, permitted, and insured surf operator at Zuma Beach under authorization from the LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors. Core offerings include the Kids Surf Camp (multi-day packages at $749-$3,960 plus drop-in passes at $130-$165), Premium Surf Sessions ($2,070-$3,600 for 5-day extended packages with 3:1 instructor ratios), Surf Saturdays ($99 per weekly session, May-September), Private and Group Surf Lessons, Malibu Ocean Academy (K-12 school programs), the Pepperdine University PE surf class (since 2003), and Makos Beach Club private events.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with online and phone booking, supplemented by institutional contracts (Pepperdine, local schools) and event-based corporate revenue. All equipment (surfboards, wetsuits, bodyboards) is included in pricing, and certified ocean lifeguards supervise all sessions. Distribution is regional, drawing customers from Malibu, the LA Westside, and—via a Pacific Platinum Services shuttle partnership at $30/day—the San Fernando Valley and Conejo Valley. Marketing relies on organic social media, an extensive ocean safety blog, earned media coverage (Today Show, MTV, LA Times), and strong word-of-mouth referrals from multi-generational family relationships built over 35+ years. The company is founder-owned with no disclosed institutional funding and is supported by a small team of certified ocean lifeguards, professional surfers, and credentialed watermen including a Camp Director who coaches both Pepperdine and Malibu High School surf teams.

Name

Malibu Makos Surf Club

Legal name

Malibu Makos Surf Club

Website

https://malibumakos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Malibu Makos Surf Club is a private, founder-led surf school founded in 1991 that delivers surf instruction and ocean safety education to children, families, adults, and institutions at Zuma Beach in Malibu as the only LA County-permitted surf operator at that location.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ), Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

Keywords

• Surf instruction
• Kids surf camp
• Ocean safety education
• Private surf lessons
• Premium surf sessions

Headquarters

HQ city

Malibu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Kids Surf Camp Programs: Day passes and multi-day camp packages for kids ages 5-17 at Zuma Beach, combining surf instruction, ocean safety education, and beach activities.
2. Premium Surf Sessions: Semi-private surf experiences with extended 4-hour sessions and 3:1 or better student-to-instructor ratio, sold as weekly packages.
3. Surf Saturdays: Weekly 4-hour surf sessions at Zuma Beach for all ages and skill levels, sold as individual session passes.
4. Private and Group Surf Lessons: One-on-one or group surf lessons for individuals, families, and groups with flexible 1-hour or 90-minute durations.
5. Private Events and Beach Parties: Customized private beach events and corporate functions for groups of 20+ with surf instruction, equipment, and event coordination.
6. School and Institutional Programs: Contracted PE surf classes for universities like Pepperdine, and structured ocean safety programs for elementary and middle schools through Malibu Ocean Academy.
7. Private Lifeguard Services: Providing qualified ocean and pool lifeguards for private events, available year-round.
8. Transportation Services: Optional luxury shuttle transportation from surrounding communities to surf camp for additional daily fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Malibu Makos Surf Club operates a licensed surf school and summer camp at Zuma Beach in Malibu, California, providing professional surf instruction, ocean safety education, and beach programs for kids ages 5-17, families, adults, schools, and private groups. Programs include multi-day kids surf camps, private and group lessons, premium semi-private sessions, weekly Surf Saturdays, school/university curricula, and private beach events with equipment and certified lifeguards included.

Product overview

Malibu Makos Surf Club operates as a multi-service surf school and camp operator offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered around surf instruction and ocean safety education at Zuma Beach in Malibu, California. The core offering consists of Kids Surf Camp (ages 5-17), Surf Saturdays, Private Surf Lessons, Group Surf Lessons (for 9+ participants), and Premium Surf Sessions (extended semi-private lessons). Additional programs include Malibu Ocean Academy (school-based programs), Pepperdine University Surf Class, Makos Beach Club private events, Private Lifeguard Service, and optional Transportation Service. All programs are delivered at Zuma Beach and are permitted and licensed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, with the company operating since 1991. The company provides all equipment (surfboards, wetsuits, bodyboards) and emphasizes certified ocean lifeguard supervision and ocean safety education across all offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Malibu Kids Surf Camp

Quantifiable outcome

• 3:1 or better student-to-instructor ratio for personalized attention and safety
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pepperdine UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Malibu Makos has been contracted since 2003 to teach Introduction to Surfing PE classes (PE 157.01-04) at Pepperdine University. Classes meet once weekly for 15 weeks at Zuma Beach with all equipment provided. The course focuses on surf fundamentals and ocean safety education.
• Texas Surf CampsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Texas Surf Camps to share love for surfing and the ocean with everyone across Texas, the nation, and the world while having the most fun in the safest environment.
• Duke's MalibuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDuke's Malibu honors surf legend Duke Kahanamoku. Malibu Makos has a sponsorship relationship with the iconic Malibu restaurant.
• LA County LifeguardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalibu Makos works closely with Los Angeles County Lifeguards. The company operates at Zuma Beach under LA County permits and maintains professional relationships with county lifeguard services.
• Pacific Platinum ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive luxury transportation provider for Malibu Makos surf camp. Provides roundtrip shuttle service from Encino, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and Thousand Oaks.
• Malibu Brewing CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFresh made-to-order lunches provided for surf camp participants, delivered daily at lunchtime. Located just across the street from Zuma Beach.
• LA County Fire DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalibu Makos maintains relationship with LA County Fire Department which oversees LA County Lifeguards. The company has worked with county fire/lifeguard services for water safety support.
• Local Schools and OrganizationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports and partners with local schools including Juan Cabrillo Elementary, Webster Elementary, Point Dume Elementary, Our Lady of Malibu, Lanai Road Elementary, Malibu High School, and others. Also supports Children's Lifesaving Foundation, Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, and Malibu Boardriders Club.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Surf: Multi-location surf camp operator (San Diego and other SoCal beaches) offering week-long overnight and day camps for ages 10-17. Direct peer — same youth-focused surf camp format, similar target demographic, same Southern California market.
• Learn To Surf USA: San Diego-based surf school offering private, group, and summer surf camps for kids and adults. Direct peer — comparable kids/family camp product, comparable lesson format, comparable Southern California beach instruction market.
• Aqua Surf School: Los Angeles-based surf school offering group and private lessons at multiple LA-area beaches. Direct peer — same metro, same surf-instruction product, overlapping family/tourist/corporate customer base, with broader beach coverage than Malibu Makos.
• Surf Diva: Encinitas, California-based surf school founded in 1996 offering group and private lessons, surf camps, and women's-focused programming. Direct peer — same Southern California surf instruction model, similar target customer (families, beginners, women), similar pricing tier and camp structure.

Regional players

• Safari Surf School: Oahu, Hawaii-based surf school offering group and private lessons, kids camps, and beginner packages. Regional peer — same surf instruction/camp business model, but operates in Hawaii rather than Southern California; comparable product, different geography.
• Wavelines Surf School: Ventura/Santa Barbara area surf school offering private lessons, group lessons, and kids surf camps at Southern California beaches. Regional peer — comparable product mix and SoCal beach instruction model, but operating north of Malibu with different geographic catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Quiksilver: Global surf brand headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, with deep roots in the Malibu surf scene. Broad incumbent — adjacent in the surf ecosystem (apparel, events, schools sponsorship), with overlapping brand culture and customer base but not direct competition in instruction.
• Rip Curl: Global surf apparel, equipment, and accessories brand with strong roots in the Southern California and Malibu surf community. Broad incumbent — operates in the broader surf ecosystem with overlapping customer base (Malibu surf families), but competes in apparel/equipment retail rather than instruction services.

Others

• Surfline: Surf forecasting, media, and content platform based in Huntington Beach, California. Ecosystem peer — same surf culture/market, complementary to surf school operations, and a likely content/distribution partner rather than a competitor.

Emerging players

• Catalina Sea Camp: Marine adventure camp on Catalina Island offering ocean sports programming (including snorkeling, kayaking, sailing) for youth ages 8-17. Emerging peer — adjacent marine-ocean camp product for similar youth demographic; overlaps with Makos on ocean-safety education and adventure programming but not directly competitive on surf instruction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/malibumakos1
• Facebookfacebook.com/malibumakossurfclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/malibumakos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/malibu-makos-surf-camp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Malibu Makos Surf Club