I’m heading down to Central Fl for spring break from March 16-24 with a couple friends who surf and we had been planning on bringing boards with us but airline restrictions and fees are making it financially impossible. (We are in college after all, that’s beer money!)
We’ll be staying in Tampa for a couple days then driving to the Atlantic coast and surfing between Melbourne and Ft. Pierce most likely.
Does anyone know of shops around there that rent real boards instead of softtops and surftechs?
I was also thinking about just buying a used board and selling it when I leave. I know people do that when they travel to Hawaii and it seems like it works.
Pretty sure Natural Art on the south end of Cocoa Bch. I don’t think you will have a hard time finding boards. If you are flying both into and out of Tampa, there are places here. PM me and I’ll give you some phone numbers to call.
This is what I love about Sways. Having people all over the world who are willing to help out.
Soulstice, we will definitely be going to Sebastian as we’re camping in Wabasso, and Ft. Pierce as well since I loved surfing there the last time I was down.
I wish I could bring my longboard down with me but it’s just not worth it for the cost. If you could help us out that would be amazing.
ChrisP, that’s a pretty crazy coincidence! Are you gonna be around the same area?
The problem with most rentals is that they’ll be soft tops at most places these days…was in Melbourne this fall looking to do the same thing and ended up buying a (real) board and bringing it back on the plane with me ($50 on Southwest). Plus it was cheaper to buy there than it would have been here…
But, if you only want to rent, if you go to Natural Art as said, or you could also try Quiet Flight a mile or so north of there - on the west split of A1A when it divides - or try Longboard House in Melbourne Beach…
If you surf Fort Pierce, ride one for me…lived/surfed there '69 - '72 on and off - when it was a free ride at North Jetty - found a stray dog there that was my best bud for 12+ years…
Have a great trip…pack a 3/2 just in case it’s cool…
Spectrum is on the North side of 192 about 1 block from A1A. The Longboard house is on the SW corner of A1A and 192. There is a new shop, Catalyst, that recently opened. They are on Ocean Avenue in Melbourne Beach just South of Indialantic. They may have rentals. There is the Goods, just north of 192 on A1A that may have boards for rent, but I’m not sure.
There are shops further north on A1A that I’m pretty sure rent boards. Ocean Sports World and Natural Art. They are just south of Cocoa Beach. I suppose Ron Jons rents boards.
I have an 8’6’ Greg Loehr sitting in my garage that I save for friends that visit. PM me if you want to ride that.
with a couple days notice, i could pull together 3 longboards, 3 shortboards, a funshape or two, a couple retro singlefins, and maybe a twin fish. just lemme know. contact info in a PM.
by the way…fort pierce is my favorite wave in Florida. it’s SUCH a great longboard wave…especially for a natural-footer like me.
and i second your feelings on the grooviness of sways. i couch-surfed my way thru SoCal last summer…and it was awesome!
Hello Rachel- If you go to Cocoa Beach there are plenty of surf shops to rent a board from, if you don’t find what you need in one just check another. They are all within a ten minute drive from each other.Tell them that you know how to surf and don’t want a tourist board. The shops mentioned previously are good bets. RonJons actually has some decent AST boards and as a bonus you can check out the East Coast Surfing Museum and drool over the genuine Simmons balsa spoon on display. Surfet Surf Shack is a women’s oriented shop , the owner Monica, will be glad to help.
You might contact Oceansports at oceansportsworld.com. They have a one bedroom apartment over the shop that they rent. If it is available it might be reasonable if you bring enough friends. The surf is right across the street and you can watch Stu Sharpe shaping custom EPS boards in their glass window shaping booth.
Be sure to go to Natural Art and talk to the owner, Debbie Dooley, a local legend. She also carries boards by Pat O'hare, another legend who has been shaping in CB since 1963. Quiet Flight usually has a big selection of short boards.
Beach access is very good all through Brevard County. Cocoa Beach and Melbourne have parking meters but there are numerous parks that are free.