Cheap location to learn to surf?

oxygen_old

Hey. I have some holidays due in work, so I was thinking of taking a week off to learn to surf. Ive gone a couple of weekends, but I would be beneficial to get like 5 or 6 lessons in a go. Can anyone recommend a cheapish surf school, I usually go to the lahinch surf school, but they are 40 euro a pop. 200-240 isnt too bad but does anyone know if anywhere is offering week long course?

Thanks a lot.

whynotwhycanti

try one of the surf schools in bundoran. Surf is good up that way also. Any price they advertise, i'd haggle with them and try and get it down. Tell them exactly what you want i.e. 5-6 days and get them to do you a deal. They'd be idiots not too and that applies to all surf schools around the country.

tedshredsonfire

+1 on the above ring around and ask for a deal. most schools will be glad of the business esepcially if its midweek or your times are flexible.

liberal

you'll only need one lesson, the rest is up to you

kodute

If you have a bit of extra cash you could fly off to portugal for a week and get in with a surf school there.
Warmer waters = less wetsuit = nicer lessons

oxygen_old

thanks guys.
kodute, I do not have the extra cash. This is a camping holiday... broke as a joke.
liberal, I think ill take your suggestion, I have been to 3 lessons, fairly well spaced apart. I think I will just take a week off and have a couple of goes myself.

oxygen_old

one last thing guys, I remember reading about an O Neills heated rash vest, but can not find anything on the internet about if for the life of me. Anybody know anything about it?

oxygen_old

Ah actually I found it, it wasnt o neills but quicksilver.
http://wetsuits.quiksilver.com/#/heat-vest/

Looks fairly cool, kinda required in Irish waters

kodute

Oh +1 on bundoran crowd, esp the Turf n Surf guys, sound out and will get you going.

oxygen wrote: »

Looks fairly cool, kinda required in Irish waters

Hardly necessary in Irish waters, even in the depths of winter.
Iceland/Canada/Alaska sure but here you need the Man-Up vest designed by the GrowAPairOfBalls company

liberal

all you need is a 5/3 westsuit and maybe a rash vest if your a be-hotch, get a nice hood instead of that heated rv, be seen be safe

Flipshot

Anybody got an explanation for the different prices of prices of surf lessons arround Ireland. Seems to vary quite a bit.

kodute

Flipshot wrote: »

Anybody got an explanation for the different prices of prices of surf lessons arround Ireland. Seems to vary quite a bit.

Supply and demand

Flipshot

Silly me i thought it might be to do with quality/service provided. Seems like a case of rip off ireland, if you can charge more, do.

tedshredsonfire

I'd guess economics lads. If you provide changing facilities, new gear, have a premises etc you will be charging more than a guy who has a van a few foamies and a suit thats not really your size but will have to do you and tells you to change at the side of the van. but like anything ask for a recomendation to see how others experianced the instructor and haggle for the best price.

oxygen_old

Im assuming all the schools are similarily kitted out, but their location is what sets the price.

For example, the school in Lahinch is one of the most expensive, but I would think that its expensive because of its location, in a popular tourist town. I have never been for a lesson in Bundoran, which is cheaper, but Im assuming its as well kitted out as Lahinch, just its not as popular a destination.

Am I wrong?

kodute

oxygen wrote: »

Im assuming all the schools are similarily kitted out, but their location is what sets the price.

For example, the school in Lahinch is one of the most expensive, but I would think that its expensive because of its location, in a popular tourist town. I have never been for a lesson in Bundoran, which is cheaper, but Im assuming its as well kitted out as Lahinch, just its not as popular a destination.

Am I wrong?

Location, overheads, turnover, etc

Lahinch has 2 places to do lessons. Lahinch Surf school and bens surf clinic. If there are enough customers for both to turn a profit then the price of either will not drop. That may not be the case in bundoran where there are 3 (not sure) surf schools and several others nearby (strandhill, rossnowlagh).
They then start to compete for the same custom and the price drops.

tedshredsonfire

I'd say Bundoran is pretty busy too not sure how many surf schools there but theres a few. AFAIk theres 5 operating from Strandhill during the summer.

Flipshot

Not sure this is the reason. I took my 2 daughters to Kerry in the summer and got charged 2 different prices in the same location and the cost didnt seem to relate to the level of service.

vanvallejo

Hey guys, a few friends and I took surf lessons at Offshore Surf School at Inch in Kerry. The lessons were cheap (€30 for 2 hours or 5 lessons for €100) and tailored to our level and the board and wetsuit rentals together for €15/hour (if you just want to surf). The surf was tops and I'd recommend these guys as they are cheaper than most surf schools on the dingle peninsula.

http://offshoresurfschool.ie/

oxygen_old

was it €30 for 2 hours, plus board and wetsuit for €15 per hour (€30 in total)
If so, sorry to say, that aint cheap buddy.

vanvallejo

Sorry, I wasn't clear. It was $30 for the 2 hour lesson WITH all the gear. The surf board and wetsuit rentals are available €15/hour if you have experience and just want to surf. From what I remember Offshore Surf School was between €10-30 quid cheaper than the other guys. They are the guys with the orange vans, you can't miss em.

oxygen_old

Ah right, thats better all right. Ill check it out, thx man