This is a regional read for the whole San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast — global wave model checked against nearby live buoys and a coastal wave model. Mornings lean toward light winds (86% of the morning windows with data). Confidence reads "rough estimate" for every day shown — treat this as a trend, not a plan.
Board ranges below are each board's full min→max spectrum from the Quivr catalog — the same chart the app draws — and "fits" counts how many of this week's half-day windows a board's wave and power windows overlap. Nothing here is a guess about a particular beach.
Estimates come from a global ocean wave model sampled offshore and translated into ranges. Actual size varies from beach to beach along this stretch; sheltered spots run smaller. Reads describe the whole coast, not one break — check wind and tide at your spot before paddling out. Reads are refreshed weekly on this page and several times a day in the Quivr app, which also matches each day against the boards in your own quiver. Notes on this week's data: The main swell comes from a direction this coast is largely shielded from. Size is a rough guess and likely smaller than open-ocean numbers suggest. Most of the wave energy is local wind chop rather than swell — expect a disorganised, weak surface.
Day by day: Sep 21–27, 2026
Morning is 6am–noon, afternoon is noon–7pm local. Words come straight from the regional read; "No data" means the wave model had no hours for that window.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Sep 21 | Knee- to waist-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to waist-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Rough estimate |
| Tue Sep 22 | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light cross-shore wind | Knee- to head-high · mellow, not much push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Rough estimate |
| Wed Sep 23 | Waist- to head-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to head-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Trend only |
| Thu Sep 24 | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light cross-shore wind | Trend only |
| Fri Sep 25 | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light cross-shore wind | Trend only |
| Sat Sep 26 | Waist- to head-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to head-high · mellow, not much push · light onshore wind | Trend only |
| Sun Sep 27 | Knee- to chest-high · mellow, not much push · light wind | Knee- to head-high · mellow, not much push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Trend only |
Boards that fit the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast this week
| Board | Fits | Wave size | Power | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aipa Titan Glider | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
| Bing BN LIGHTWEIGHT | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
| Bing Classic 3-Stringer | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
| TC Surfboards Regulator | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
| Almond Surfboards Andy's Arrowhead | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Beginner-friendly to advanced |
| DHD Phoenix Flight EPS | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft | Intermediate to advanced |
| Lost / Mayhem Bean Bag | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → head-high | Soft | Intermediate to advanced |
The picks, in order
1. Aipa Titan Glider
Aipa Titan Glider runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A longboard with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Titan Glider offers a unique blend of traditional Hawaiian design and modern performance, making it ideal for surfers seeking a majestic ride.
Category: Longboard · Sting tail · Catalog ability: intermediate
2. Bing BN LIGHTWEIGHT
Bing BN LIGHTWEIGHT runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A longboard with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The BN Lightweight is a nimble longboard designed for noseriding, providing a lightweight feel without sacrificing speed.
Category: Longboard · Reverse tail · Catalog ability: intermediate
3. Bing Classic 3-Stringer
Bing Classic 3-Stringer runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A longboard with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Bing Classic 3-Stringer is a refined longboard that excels in trim speed, making it ideal for a variety of wave sizes, including larger and faster surf.
Category: Longboard · Catalog ability: intermediate
4. TC Surfboards Regulator
TC Surfboards Regulator runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A midlength with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Regulator is a versatile midlength board that excels in a variety of conditions, making it suitable for both shortboarders and longboarders looking for performance.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: intermediate
5. Almond Surfboards Andy's Arrowhead
Almond Surfboards Andy's Arrowhead runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A midlength with a beginner-friendly to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Andy's Arrowhead offers a retro speed approach that excels in critical wave conditions.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: intermediate · 5.0★ from 1 Quivr rating
6. DHD Phoenix Flight EPS
DHD Phoenix Flight EPS runs knee-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A small-wave shortboard with an intermediate to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Phoenix Flight is designed for small to medium waves, offering a playful and dynamic ride.
Category: Small-wave shortboard · Catalog ability: intermediate
7. Lost / Mayhem Bean Bag
Lost / Mayhem Bean Bag runs knee-high to head-high; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its soft power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A small-wave shortboard with an intermediate to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Bean Bag is designed for maximum lift and stability in tiny surf, allowing for aggressive surfing even on the smallest waves.
Category: Small-wave shortboard · Wide tail · Catalog ability: intermediate · 4.0★ from 2 Quivr ratings
Best fit by shape this week
One board per shape, chosen by how many of this week's 14 windows its wave and power windows overlap. Only shapes that overlap at least half the week are listed.
| Shape | Board | Fits | Wave size | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortboard | TC Surfboards Regulator | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft |
| Groveler | DHD Phoenix Flight EPS | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft |
| Fish | TC Surfboards Uhu | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft |
| Twin fin | McTavish Super Stock Mid Twin | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Moderate |
| Midlength | TC Surfboards Regulator | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft |
| Longboard | Aipa Titan Glider | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → overhead | Soft |
| Step-up | Chemistry Surfboards Zen 4.1 | 14 of 14 windows | Waist-high → overhead | Soft |
What this week asks of a board on the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast
The week spreads from knee-high to head-high, so a single board with a wide wave window covers more sessions than a specialist. If you own two boards, split them: one for the smallest windows and one for the head-high ones.
Most windows read "mellow, not much push" for push. A board's power midpoint tells you where it will feel alive: mellower boards on the softer windows, firmer boards when the push is there. The table shows each board's own midpoint so the call is yours.
Already own one of these?
Add it to your quiver in Quivr and the Home tab does this matching for you — every day, against your own boards, for the coast you pick. If none of your boards overlap a window, it says so rather than forcing a pick.
Shopping instead? Open two of the picks above in Compare and read the low end of the wave-size range first — on a knee-high week that decides whether a board gets used.
Compare these picks head to head
Live Quivr comparison pages for pairs in this list — same spectra, side by side:
FAQ
How big will the surf be on the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast this week?
Across Sep 21–27, 2026 the regional read runs knee-high to head-high. The most size shows Wed Sep 23 morning, waist- to head-high (trend only); the smallest window is Mon Sep 21 morning, knee- to waist-high. Confidence reads "rough estimate" for every day shown — treat this as a trend, not a plan. Sheltered beaches along this stretch run smaller than the read.
Which surfboards fit the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast this week?
Titan Glider, BN LIGHTWEIGHT, Classic 3-Stringer overlap the most of this week's 14 surf windows on catalog wave-size and power spectra; the shapes that fit best are longboard, midlength and small-wave shortboard. Open any of them in Quivr to see the full range chart and compare two side by side.
Which day has the most size on the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast?
Wed Sep 23 morning, waist- to head-high (trend only). Size builds Tue and eases Thu. Mornings lean toward light winds (86% of the morning windows with data).
Does this apply to my exact spot?
No single spot is named or predicted here. The read describes the San Mateo & Santa Cruz County coast as a whole — a stretch of coast facing roughly the same direction. Estimates come from a global ocean wave model sampled offshore and translated into ranges. Actual size varies from beach to beach along this stretch; sheltered spots run smaller. Reads describe the whole coast, not one break — check wind and tide at your spot before paddling out.
How often is this page updated?
Every week, with the same seven-day regional read the Quivr app shows on its Home tab. The app refreshes several times a day and also tells you which board in your own quiver fits each day.