Ty Gurney Surf School

What Ty Gurney Surf School does

Ty Gurney Surf School is a privately held, founder-owned surf school headquartered at 205 Lewers Street in the heart of Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii. The company delivers private and semi-private surf and stand-up paddle (SUP) lessons with a strict maximum 2:1 student-to-instructor ratio at Waikiki's Pops break, and operates with a team of approximately 10 including founder Ty Gurney, General Manager Danielle, two lead instructors, and additional certified instructors — all holding CPR, Ocean Lifeguard, and First Aid certifications. Beyond lessons, the business offers surfboard and SUP rentals (hourly/daily/weekly), Kids Surf Camps (ages 8-15) run jointly with Ohana Surf Project, birthday and event party packages, and seasonal Surf Safari Island Tours to Oahu's North Shore and East Side (September 15 – June 15). Professional photo and video coverage is provided exclusively through partner 83 East Productions, and an on-site retail shop sells equipment, wax, sunscreen, and merchandise.

The core go-to-market is direct-to-consumer targeting tourists and visitors to Waikiki, with no third-party resellers or distribution intermediaries. Pricing is unit-based per lesson (Private Surf 1-hour $135 / 2-hour $190; Semi-Private 1-hour $110 / 2-hour $155 per student), with parallel pricing for SUP, rental rates from $20-$300 depending on duration, and photo/video add-ons at $90-$115 per session. Booking is handled via FareHarbor's embedded online widget, supplemented by phone reservations and walk-in traffic at the physical shop. The company also accepts room-charge billing for guests of Ka La'i Hotel and sells discounted session packages and gift cards to drive repeat and gift purchases. Marketing relies on organic Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, the website's SEO positioning for "surf lessons Waikiki," and earned-media credibility via TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and Yelp reviews.

Underlying technology is intentionally light: the business does not operate a proprietary platform, app, or AI system, and depends on FareHarbor for transactions and 83 East for content production. The competitive positioning is built on the physical Waikiki storefront adjacent to Halekulani Hotel and 30 seconds from the beach, instructor quality and safety certifications, low student-to-instructor ratios, instruction at real lineup waves rather than beginner inside areas, a first-lesson surf guarantee, and the exclusive videography partnership — factors that translate into review-driven tourist acquisition rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Ty Gurney Surf School

Legal name

Ty Gurney Surf School

Website

https://tygurneysurfschool.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ty Gurney Surf School is a privately held, founder-owned surf school in Waikiki, Honolulu offering private and semi-private surf and SUP lessons, equipment rentals, kids camps, party packages, and seasonal island tours to tourists and visitors via direct-to-consumer bookings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Surf instruction
• Sup lessons
• Equipment rentals
• Surf camps
• Guided surf tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu, Hawaii

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, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Surf Lessons: Private and semi-private surf lessons offered in 1-hour and 2-hour formats. Private lessons: 1 student per instructor. Semi-private: 2 students per instructor. Revenue recognized at time of booking.
2. SUP Lessons: Stand up paddle board lessons offered as private (1 student) or semi-private (2 students) in 1-hour and 2-hour formats. Same instructor-to-student ratios as surf lessons.
3. Equipment Rentals: Surfboard and SUP board rentals available by the hour (up to 2 hours), day (24 hours), or week (7 days). Includes fins, leash, and optional rashguard with surfboards; paddle, fins, leash, and rashguard with SUP boards.
4. Photo and Video Services: Optional photo and video coverage for lessons and surf tours, captured by 83 East videographers. Photos and video delivered together per session. Must be booked in advance.
5. Kids Surf Camp: Multi-day surf camp programs for children ages 8-15 during school breaks and holidays. Includes 5 consecutive camp days with instruction, beach games, equipment, snacks, and full supervision.
6. Party Packages: Birthday and special event packages including surf instruction, beach games, equipment, and video/photos. Deluxe packages with cakes and drinks available by request.
7. Session Packages and Gift Cards: Discounted multi-lesson session packages and gift certificates for customer acquisition and retention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ty Gurney Surf School is a Waikiki-based water sports instruction business offering private and semi-private surf lessons and stand up paddle (SUP) lessons, equipment rentals, kids surf camps, party packages, and seasonal guided surf tours to Oahu's North Shore and East Side. All lessons include equipment and feature low student-to-instructor ratios (max 2 students per instructor), with optional professional photo and video coverage delivered through an exclusive partnership with 83 East Productions.

Product overview

Ty Gurney Surf School is a Waikiki-based surf school offering a comprehensive portfolio of water sports instruction and rentals. The core offerings center on private and semi-private surf lessons and stand up paddle (SUP) lessons, with instruction at Pops break in Waikiki. The company also operates equipment rentals (surfboards 6'6" to 12' and SUP boards), kids programs (Surf Camp and Party Packages), photo/video coverage add-on through 83 East, and Surf Safari Island Tours to the North Shore and East Side. Session Packages offer bundled discounts for multiple lessons, and Gift Cards provide a gifting option. All lessons include equipment, are customized to skill level, and feature low student-to-instructor ratios of no more than 2 students per instructor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Surf Lessons One-on-one surf instruction with one student per instructor, offered in 1-hour ($135) and 2-hour ($190) sessions. Includes surfboard and rashguard, with personalized skill-level instruction at Waikiki's Pops break.
• Semi-Private Surf Lessons Surf instruction with 2 students per instructor, offered in 1-hour ($110 per student) and 2-hour ($155 per student) sessions. Includes surfboard and rashguard, ideal for learning alongside a family member, friend, or colleague.
• Private SUP Lessons One-on-one stand up paddle instruction with one student per instructor, offered in 1-hour ($135) and 2-hour ($190) sessions. Includes SUP board, paddle, and rashguard, with introductory land lesson and water safety training.
• Semi-Private SUP Lessons Stand up paddle instruction with 2 students per instructor, offered in 1-hour ($110 per student) and 2-hour ($155 per student) sessions. Requires exactly 2 students to book and includes SUP board, paddle, and rashguard.
• Surfboard Rentals Surfboard rentals with boards ranging from 6'6\" to 12' in fiberglass, epoxy, and soft top models. Rates: $20 up to 2 hours, $50 per day, $250 per week. All rentals include fins, leash, and optional rashguard.
• SUP Rentals Stand up paddle board rentals, minimum 12' in length with full deck pads and built-in carry handles. Rates: $25 up to 2 hours, $60 per day, $300 per week. Includes paddle, fins, leash, and optional rashguard.
• Photo and Video Coverage Professional in-water surf videography and photography services captured by 83 East videographers during lessons and surf tours. 1-hour session: $90; 2-hour session: $115; add $25 per additional surfer. Delivered via secure download link.
• Kid's Surf Camp Multi-day surf camp for children ages 8-15, running 5 consecutive days from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Includes surf instruction for all abilities, beach games, equipment, drinks, snacks, and full instructor supervision. Held at Kapiolani Beach Park.
• Party Packages Surf birthday party packages including approximately 1-hour surf instruction, 1 hour of beach games, equipment, supervision, and a Ty Gurney Surf School t-shirt for the guest of honor. Deluxe packages with cakes and drinks available by request.
• Surf Safari Island Tours Full-day guided surf tours to Oahu's best East Side or North Shore locations, available seasonally September 15 to June 15. Includes transportation to prime surf spots around the island with professional instructors.
• Session Packages Discounted bundles for booking multiple lessons at once, including options like the Romantic Sunset Surf Package.
• Gift Cards Gift certificates and gift cards available for purchase, allowing recipients to book any lesson or experience offered by the school.

Quantifiable outcome

• Max 2 students per instructor ensures individual attention and more wave time per student
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 83 East ProductionscoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive video and photography partner for Ty Gurney Surf School. 83 East videographers specialize in shooting from the water to capture every wave and moment. Videographers ride alongside students during lessons to capture professional-quality footage. Provides photo and video delivery via secure download link after sessions.
• Ka La'i HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHotel partnership allowing guests to room charge surf lessons. Provides convenient payment option for hotel guests without credit cards or cash.
• Ohana Surf ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operation of Kids Surf Camp with Ohana Surf Project instructors providing supervision and instruction for camp programs.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline booking platform provider for lesson reservations, session packages, and gift cards. Embedded booking widget handles all online transactions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hans Hedemann Surf School: Long-established Waikiki surf school offering private and group surf lessons, SUP, and rentals directly competing for the same Waikiki tourist customers with overlapping product structure and pricing.
• Gone Surfing Hawaii: Waikiki surf school offering group and private lessons at beginner-friendly breaks, directly competing for first-time tourist surfers in the same catchment area.
• Rainbow Watersports Adventures: Waikiki-based water-sports operator offering surfing, SUP, kayaking, and snorkeling tours. Comparable product mix and direct overlap on SUP lessons, targeting the same tourist market in Waikiki.
• Waikiki Beach Services: Long-running Waikiki beach concession offering surf lessons, canoe rentals, and beach equipment; comparable Waikiki location, similar tourist customer base, and overlapping lesson and rental offerings.
• Hawaiian Fire Surf School: Waikiki-based surf school providing private lessons, group lessons, and beach services with comparable target market (tourists in Waikiki) and similar product mix including beach set-up and surfboard rentals.
• Surf Hawaii Surf School: Waikiki surf school offering lessons, rentals, and camps for tourists and locals with overlapping product portfolio (lessons, rentals, youth programs) targeting the same Waikiki visitor segment.
• North Shore Surf Girls: Oahu-based surf school specializing in women's lessons and surf camps; comparable instructional product but with a defined demographic niche, serving many of the same Oahu visitors Ty Gurney targets.

Others

• FareHarbor: Online booking platform used by Ty Gurney Surf School and many other tour/activity operators in Hawaii; an enabling technology partner rather than a competitor, but a useful ecosystem peer for understanding Waikiki activity-booking dynamics.

Regional players

• Surf N Sea: Haleiwa/North Shore Oahu surf school and rental operation with comparable lesson, rental, and camp offerings; serves the same Oahu visitors Ty Gurney targets during their North Shore tours but operates in a different geographic segment.
• Maui Surf Lessons: Maui-based surf school offering lessons at beginner-friendly breaks with comparable instructional product model; not in Ty Gurney's Waikiki catchment but adjacent Hawaiian island market with the same tourist-driven demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TyGurneySurf
• Facebookfacebook.com/tygurneysurf
• Instagraminstagram.com/tygurneysurf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ty-gurney-surf-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ty Gurney Surf School