Surfers in Carlsbad frequently deal with issues with their surfboards: cracked fiberglass, dents and damaged boards can happen after long sessions in the water. Junior Fisher Rosete has turned that common problem into his own surfboard repair business, helping local surfers to get back in the water faster.
As someone who has surfed for years, Rosete understood the frustration of constantly needing repairs. Instead of continuing to pay others to fix his own boards, he decided to learn the skill himself and eventually began repairing boards for people around the community.
“I’d say being self-reliant, getting to know the skill and being able to turn it into being able to help other people,” Rosete said. “In my experience, I had to keep paying to get my boards fixed, but I noticed it was a pretty simple process, so I’m self taught and was able to become self-efficient.”
As Rosete’s experience grew, more friends and classmates began bringing him their damaged boards. Many surfers appreciated both the quality of his repairs, and the affordability compared to larger repair shops.
“[Fixing your board is] just kind of a thing that you don’t always wanna do on your own,” junior Isaiah Wheyland said. “It’s just kind of hard, you can mess up doing repairs really easily. I just trust him, he’s the best that I know.”
Although the business has continued to grow, balancing repairs alongside school and other responsibilities has remained difficult. As a high school student managing academics and after-school activities, Rosete has had to learn how to manage both his time and the expectations of customers.
“I’d say getting boards back to people in a certain time frame would be my biggest challenge because I have had to balance after-school sports, schoolwork, and just daily activities,” Rosete said. “Sometimes it can be hard to find time in my day to start working on boards.”
Despite those challenges, customers said Rosete consistently delivers reliable repairs and strong customer service. Friends who have brought him boards said his dedication and flexibility are part of what keeps them returning.
“My experience with Fisher was fantastic,” Wheyland said. “He did a great job fixing my boards and he doesn’t overcharge, he does what he does and he does it at a good price.”
Rosete’s work has also continued spreading through word of mouth among local surfers. Junior Wyatt Cole said Rosete’s reputation and attention to detail have helped establish trust within the community.
“I first went to Fisher because he’s one of my best buddies, and I’ve known him for forever and he’s always been good at fixing things,” Cole said. “When he started his board fixing business, he barely charged me and still did a really good job.”
While Rosete continues improving his skills through experience, customers said the quality of his repairs already rivals more established businesses. Many students believe that supporting a local student-run business makes the experience even more meaningful.
“I would 100% recommend that others go to him,” Cole said. “I think that he’s trying to start a local business, so if you have a ding in your board and you want a really good fix, definitely go to Fisher.”
