Rideable Art and Coastal Confidence: Cristi Kavanaugh of KavPar Boardsports

At 38 years old, Cristi Kavanaugh caught her very first wave and quickly fell in love with the craft and sport of surfing. Years later, she’s still chasing that same spark, not just for herself, but for the entire St. Simons Island community through her business. Through KavPar Boardsports, Cristi has built a culture rooted in confidence, creativity, and connection to the water.

This episode of Retire Southern is recorded at Cristi’s home overlooking the Bloody Marsh at Fort Frederica, offering a glimpse into her beautiful coastal lifestyle as she looks toward the opening of her first brick-and-mortar shop in just a few weeks.

The Return of the Womp Off Competition

Cristi’s called St. Simons home for 26 years. She grew up fishing offshore with her father, later joining the charter fishing business after college. But once she began raising her four kids, days-long trips offshore became harder to balance. Surfing became a way to stay connected to the water with more flexibility. Cristi became inspired to learn the craft from the inside out and even shape her own surf boards. 

As they’ve gotten older, her children took an interest in skimboarding, leading Cristi to get involved in an annual community competition called Womp Off. First started in 2006 by the locally beloved Southern Soul Barbeque, the contest took several years off after a devastating fire, after which the community rallied to rebuild the restaurant into the St. Simons icon it is today.

Cristi helped revive the competition in 2021, which now takes place the weekend before Memorial Day each year. Skimboarders of all ages are welcome to compete in their age brackets, with one overall winner crowned and their pictures placed at Frosties and Ocean Motion in Frederica Station, plus a large trophy. Last year there were 65 competitors between the ages of 7 and 50+, connecting generations over a shared love for the sport.

Gould’s Inlet Surf Camps and Custom Skim Boards

“The cool thing about this is watching kids leave camp with their confidence at an all-time high — they’re changed forever.”

This past summer, Cristi launched KavPar Surf and Skim Camps at Gould’s Inlet with the intention of helping boost safety and confidence for young learners. Over three-hour sessions, kids split their time between professional surf instruction and skimboarding lessons led by local champions. Shy beginners leave with sand in their hair, salt on their skin, and a new sense of confidence that lingers long after.

That same spirit infuses the creation of custom skimboards. After Cristi shapes and seals each board, the kids can use acrylic paint to add their own designs. She then glasses the artwork under fiberglass, preserving it for years to come. The result is “rideable art,” a board that isn’t just equipment but a personal expression of creativity, boosting their confidence in making something uniquely their own. KavPar Boardsports will open its first store on Skylane Road near the St. Simons Island Airport later this Fall.

Bringing Joy and Water Safety to St. Simons

For Cristi, the through line is joy: getting kids outside, sharing the thrill of board sports, and building a community culture that values skill-building, confidence, and the beauty of the island. From camps and competitions and the annual Flow paddle event raising money for swim lessons, everything Cristi touches circles back to bringing locals and visitors together around water safety and fun. 

Cristi laughs that laundry is the one thing she refuses to do, but otherwise she’s game: surfing, skimboarding, teaching, and building a culture that brings her island community closer together. To hear the full story, listen to her episode on the Retire Southern Podcast.