Brian's Kiteboarding, Wing Foil, Windsurf & Stand up Paddling

I spent the summer learning to kiteboard at Brian’s, and I can’t say enough good things. My friend and I went with John, and he’s incredible. It can be nerve wracking out there, and he always keeps it positive, is a natural instructor, and I always felt safe and supported. Plus, it’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. If you’re coming out to hood river, definitely give Brian’s a call and ask for John! The rest of the instructors are great, too, so you can’t go wrong. Thanks Brian’s for getting me hooked :)

Had an absolutely awesome time learning to kiteboard with the crew at Brian’s Kiteboarding, Wing Foil, Windsurfing & SUP. Johnny had me up and ripping around almost immediately, gave me some really helpful instruction, and had me cracking up the whole time. He even had me working on some jumping which I didn’t think I’d be able to do for quite a while. A+ experience from the whole crew and I will definitely be back for more lessons to keep progressing.

I had amazing lessons with Nash and Colin! The first lesson was with Nash where I successfully learned to stand on the board and accomplished that goal for that lesson. The second lesson with Colin was great too! I accomplished my goal of staying standing on the board while learning to go upwind consistently. Colin stayed longer than our lesson time to see through and make sure I definitely got it. I really appreciated that. Both Colin and Nash were great instructors. They gave very clear instructions and strategy and provided the appropriate guidance throughout the lesson. Communication with Kayla on the booking for the lessons is also very smooth. She handles the business operations well. I highly recommend Bryan’s kite school for wing foiling lessons!

Really fantastic group with great instructors. Progressed a lot with a couple lessons. Looking forward to coming back

My husband and I took semi private beginner lessons with Brian. Brian explained the theoretical concepts of sailing, tacking, sheet in, sheet out, bow and arrow position pretty well and also made us practice them on the land simulator couple of times before we went into the water. He pays great attention to details like body posture, type of hand grip and foot work. At the end of the class (total about 3 hours), I was able to tack and sail successfully. The water time was about one hour. I wish I had more water time for practice and our own individual windsurfs. We had to share the windsurfs with other students in the class which reduced how much time I had for practice.

Had my first kite boarding lesson this morning. Can't say enough good things about my instructor, John. He was patient, knowledgeable, encouraging, and had a great sense of humor. All the things that make for an awesome day. I highly recommend that if you're in the area, give it a try. The staff was helpful, professional, pleasant, and the whole process was very smooth.

Our first trip to the Gorge was September 2005 and after asking random people for recommendations for a windsurfing water start lessons, we decided to try Brian's Windsurfing. After Level 2 lesson skill review at the Hook, Brian taught us the basics on land and we then went to the water and was getting water starts in less than an hour. He is a good teacher.

I had such a great time today learning to kayak for the first time. Instructions, along with the entire process actually, were easy to understand and delivered kindly. My sons and I had a blast and quickly had the hang of things. Affordable and friendly. Very accommodating as well. Brian and his young associate were able to help us keep our belongings safely stored so we could feel comfortable. Definitely will return!

We attempted to schedule lessons with the company. We completed their "sign up"form and were very specific about the package, date, time window, experience and travel plans. All we needed was a confirmation of time and price. We did receive an email which was pleasant but in typical old school form it said "Hey - give me a call". It's time these businesses understand that when customers go to the effort to fill out your forms to schedule in a simple manner, they do not want a 3 step process or to play the voicemail back and forth game. I am rating this as we asked for a reply to their email to confirm scheduling.....nothing. If you make it hard, customers go elsewhere.

If you are a beginner, I'd recommend having lessons with the young boys instead of Bryan. I found them much more patient, friendly and they don't stick with every small detail that for a beginner just make things harder to get. At the end of the day, if this is your first time, you probably are just looking to have some fun and not to remember every name of a move and each detail. Plus, he overcomplicates on his explanation and has a bossy tone. Maybe that is good if you are an experienced guy and is looking to sharp your skills. Not sure. The young crowd do a great job with first-timers though. Happy that they saved the day. Get lessons with them.

We can't say enough great things about Brian. Great, patient instructor. Very friendly. Great and easy location to rent gear from at Hood River Event Site. We have been clients of his since 2014. He has never led us wrong and highly recommend renting and learning through his shop. Call ahead. It can get really busy. He always tries to accommodate for walk ups. Brian's is located at The Event Site as you enter the parking area, he is on the right.

Alex was a great instructor! Very helpful and had some great tips definitely recommend Alex with Brian's Watersports!

Brian has been teaching in Hood River since I arrived in 1988. I left in 2006, but I come back frequently. Everyone who is associated with windsurfing in town knows Brian. I want to honor the Yelp guidelines about writing reviews for people you know. So a disclaimer: I do know Brian, and have for 30 years, but I'm only writing about his teaching skills in this review. Brian is absolutely the best, most talented instructor out there. If you actually want to learn in the quickest possible time, go with Brian. He has developed his own methods based on decades of experience. As a professional educator, I have both seen Brian teach (lessons begin right in front of his shop and anyone can see) and heard results from his students, including my grandchildren. Not that there aren't other good instructors out there, it's just that Brian's methods are special. He uses kinesthetic awareness and crystal-clear metaphor to help the student's body understand what is necessary to learn the sport. I recommend that if you want lessons, go with Brian personally. .

Brian is an excellent instructor and helps in the community of kite boarders etc. he has a vast knowledge and is always helpful i enjoyed my lesson and would suggest him if you need a great instructor.

Brian is a good friend of mine, so i am biased. that said he has a full range of windsurfing lessons for all skill levels as well as a few rentals. check him out!

Brian's is the best, most fun and welcoming windsports school in Hood River. Brian has been teaching in Hood River since the 80's and his methods are clear and unique. He has developed an approach that is friendly and clear. Safety, especially in kiteboarding, is of the greatest importance and Brian and his staff focus on this aspect of the sport without losing any of the fun. You won't find any 'attitude' at Brian's except for a positive vibe.

Over the July holidays I took 3 lessons at Brian's, from his instructor, Mark. I'd had a little experience learning to kite previously, so I had a sense of what was needed to maintain safety, and a significant fear of the power of the wind. Mark was awesome. Super safe, attentive, went at my pace, wasn't reluctant to encourage me when he saw that I was on the verge of a breakthrough. His instruction was expert. He even knew a few different ways to approach teaching certain skills. The whole establishment is relaxed about timing which means you might start a little later than the time you arranged for, but they'll make sure you get your full lesson time, and sometimes more. I wish I could have stayed longer simply to continue to learn under Mark's instruction. Highly recommend.

Brian is an outstanding instructor. He led me (50 YO lady), my husband and two 14 YO boys--all of us 1st timers--through a gusty day where I always felt safe and supported. We had a blast! Brian taught us on land for 1 hour, including on a simulator where we stand on a board holding a sail and practice tacking and sailing. Then we went into the lagoon at the HR Event Space, where you can catch great wind and much of the lagoon is shallow. You can walk your board back to the starting area if you get blown off course (which you will, at first). Brian put in a LOT of extra time with us because he's committed to people leaving his intro lesson confident and really liking the sport. Amazing customized instruction. SUCCESS! We all could ride and tack by the end of the lesson! I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow! We want lessons with Brian again. It's wonderful fun, a great way to be outside on the water.

Had a really great time. Brian is one of a kind very hospitable and accommodating. Highly recommend renting boards from him. Thanks Brian!

My daughter and I each had a few beginner lesson's at Brian's in 2008. Summary: * For an adult needing some beginning windsurfing lessons I think that Brian's is a good option. I haven't tried them for more advanced lessons, but might consider them. Three stars for adults. * For kids needing some beginning windsurfing lessons, it will depend a lot on the kid. Two stars for kids. Arranging the lessons was easily done by phone. The staff were good about contacting me early in the day if they didn't think weather conditions were suitable for a lesson. This was nice since I live an hour away from Hood River. We had one of the hired instructors for two of the lessons and Brian for most of the third lesson. You go to their rental site, which is at the east end of the Event Site. This is where you pay and get a wetsuit if you need it. The beginner lessons started out with a session on their dry-land simulator at the same location. We spent nearly an hour each lesson with the simulator and the instructors did a good job of using it to show us the basics and allow us to practice the moves. I found this to be the most valuable part of the lesson, though my daughter stopped paying attention after a couple of minutes and got little benefit from it. When you are done with the dry-land simulator you'll drive down river about half a mile to the Hook (an "L" shaped jetty in the Columbia) for the actual sailing. This is where most of the Hood River windsurfing schools conduct their beginning lessons. Once we were on the water I found that the quantity and quality of instruction decreased. For the most part the instructors stayed on or near the shore. I wasn't having any significant problems sailing out, turning around, and sailing back. But I now know that I was doing a lot of things poorly or incorrectly that the instructors should have been pointing out and correcting. My daughter was having a lot of problems. She would up-haul her sail, drift downwind, jump off and then walk her rig upwind. Over and over. Not having paid attention to the dry-land simulation she didn't understand the basics of how to set sail or turn around. The instructors gave her some verbal instructions on what to do from the shore, but she was not understanding the instructions. Since that time, the instructors I've seen that are good with kids, stay close to the kids and talk them through each step until they've figured out the basic set sail, turn around, and set sail again.

Brian and his staff were excellent. My son had Mark as a trainer and was really knowledgeable and patient I tagged along for about an hour during dry land training just listening and trying to learn a few things, my sixteen year old son is pretty athletic and had to learn from scratch. It was a two hour lesson but extended it to three he was having such a good time. Going back in a couple days for a few more hours. My wife and older son and fiance rented SUPS for a couple of hours and had a great time. My wife and I lived in HR in the 90s and wanted our kids to try everything HR has to offer this was truly a highlight. Thanks Mark and Brian for giving us a real Hood River experience

Brian is a natural instructor. With his knowledge, humor, and experience will have you riding in a day.

Waited there for over an hour. Brian the owner didn't give us much attention. Overall It seemed that i was trying to sell something for him and not the other way around. I was Very disappointed and I left without being offered anything. Honestly, It does not seem he was prepared to offer a kitesurfing/windsurf class

Myself and a friend signed up for Brian's introductory lesson. We received practice time on land and then went out into the spit with another group of beginners. My friend and I were out in the spit for about an hour longer than the lesson, because we couldn't really figure out how to get back to the shore on our boards, we both just kept floating away. I finally made it back, and found that our entire group and the instructor had left! Brian finally wandered in and he finally got on the jetski to go get my friend, but honestly I don't even think they remembered that we were out there. I called and spoke to the instructor about this, and he stated that "Brian's family had an emergency so he had to leave and everyone else left for the day". Frankly, I think this was a complete lie. This does not explain why HE left. If anything the instructor seemed to imply that I shouldn't have been "bothered because I got more time"-which my friend and I only got more time because we spent our time not knowing how to get back to shore! I would not recommend this place for beginners. There was no one with us or watching us obviously at the very end, and while we were never in danger due to life jackets, it was definitely extremely crappy service. They also really demonstrated a "you should know this" type of attitude. Brian gave off a rather contiguous attitude as well. Would NOT recommend!

Brian's is great for learning how to windsurf, although my floppy haired instructor was a bit nerdy. The girls who work in the shop were great, except one always spelled everything wrong, and the gatorade wasn't very cold.

I am so glad I ended up at Brian's for Kiteboarding lessons! The teachers there are great, Justin and Alex are both wonderful, really focus on learning safe practices, but also recognize that a lot of learning is trying things out. This is a fine balance that they hit well! I spent most time with Justin, who was ever positive, accelerated things when I was ready and slowed down when I wasn't. I had zero experience and by the end, even though I was not fully proficient going both directions, Justin made sure I had all of the training and skills necessary to keep practicing safely on my own, and he offered tons of advice as I went through the equipment buying process well after my lessons had ended. Justin seems proud of his students, which is a sign of a great, invested teacher! Brian himself is a great teacher as well, giving me pointers and helping me out multiple times. He is ridiculously nice, generous and welcoming. He has cultivated a little, friendly community around his trailer and sometimes I would sit and hang out after lessons. I cannot speak highly enough of Brian, his team, and his operation, and I feel so lucky that I chanced upon an older couple that recommended him to me.

My thirteen year old son and I took the level one windsurfing lessons this month. Neither of us are the most athletic or coordinated. The dry land time was very helpful. My son even admits that now. We were able to windsurf the very first time out. We watched the other classes and they all were continually walking there gear back up wind. We just sailed back to where we started. That definitely made this a great experience for us. I wouldn't see anybody else for lessons. Brian is the man! In fact today we are going back out to practice. Thanks Brian!

Brian's Kiteboarding lessons are not worth the money. I took several lesson before even getting in the water. They had me fly a big inflatable kite on the sandbar, which had me really scared of getting dragged across the sand, when I saw some other lessons in the water, i decided to check out some other schools. Go with Cascade Kiteboarding I had a much better experience with them.

For a quick summary to describe the Day of Errors... Disorganized and Disappointed... Would NOT recommend Brian or this company for kiteboarding beginner lessons. For a full summary of the 3.5 hours of errors by Brian the instructor and lackluster company, read on. The company was easy to contact over the phone to schedule 2-3 days in advance for what I thought would be 1-on-1 kite boarding lesson for 2 people. We arrived 20 minutes early to complete the usual obligatory waiver, informed that our instructor would be arriving at 10 AM, and that we could watch a training video. (1) We did not watch a training video because the DVD player was broken. (2) Even though we had made the reservation in advance and arrived 20 minutes early another group of 2 was taken before us by 2 instructors and what appeared to be 1-on-1 kite boarding lessons. Their instruction began at 10 AM as expected. (3) Brian, the owner?, arrived late, briefly introduced himself as OUR instructor. Meaning single instructor for 2 people. Since we were beginners we went along, but after experiencing the need to have as much hands on time on the kite I would recommend that all beginner lessons SHOULD BE 1-on-1 to maximize time working with the kite and instructor. (4) Brian began micromanaging the number of kites, wet suits, helmets, and misc. gear of all the other groups after he arrived late. NO PREPARATION AT ALL. (5) It appeared the company didn't have enough kites for the groups, so Brian got on his bike possibly asking around for another kite? We were left standing without any directions for 20 minutes as the other groups were being prepped. (6) When Brian did return he told us to listen to the instructors of another group who were just finishing up the explanation of the wind window and going to a simulator. He did not return with a kite and looked confused about equipment. (7) Brian's daughter who made the reservation over the phone and handled the sign-in and payments, left and came back to the dock with a brand new kite, tags and all still on the kite bag. (New equipment, somewhat promising?...) (8) Brian began a poor explanation of the wind window which he frustratingly quit explaining and moved into fitting us with gear to use a "simulator." The level of explanation degraded as it went along. For example, using I'm assuming kiteboarding lingo, "red, blue, push, pull, up sheet, down sheet" to describe movements without the reason of why you do the movement and how it affects the kite. (9) Similar to the disorganization of number of kites, the helmets, wet suits, trunks, and trunks were disorganized for our group of 2. (10) When we finally hit the beach he gave us directions on launching the kite, but not assisting with landing... which we were taught at the end. He explained after the fact why standing down wind was dangerous when catching a kite. (11) 1 instructor and 2 students should clearly state that each student would have HALF the time using the kite for kite control practice, wind window practice, and so on. (12) I was told we would be able to get onto the board and practice today but since "the wind was weak" and we shared the kite we only got up to body dragging in the water 1 time each. If there are 10-15 other kite boarders actively boarding and in the air, how can the wind be too weak... (13) The poor instruction carried over from the simulator carried over into the water. There was a continuation of overbearing, non-purposeful directions - "red, blue, more red!, more blue!, too much!, let go!, don't let go!...push, pull, up sheet, down sheet" - as we practiced working the kite through the wind window in different clock positions. (14) One hilarious explanation to hold the bar for kite boarding was, "hold it like chopsticks," then looks to me and gesturing like I should know, since I am Asian. Lol Way to relate. (15) In terms of price, Brian charged $150 for the 3.5 hour lesson for each of us. Since we were travelling from Salem he promised that we could come back and have 1 additional hour free with a regular priced 1-on-1 private lessons when the wind was better... I will n.o.t. be taking you up on that. I think I would need a FREE half day 1-on-1 kite boarding lesson from a different instructor for my friend and I who I could speak to about expectations, FREE equipment rental with 1 day advanced notice that equipment has been prepared beforehand, and FREE SUP rental for my gf to justify driving 4 hours roundtrip from Salem for the company to redeem itself.