Kiteboard Lessons Near Hood River
Operating 7 days a week | June 1st to September 4th
Kiteboard Lessons Near Hood River
Kiteboard Lessons Near Hood River away from the crowds in the best beginner spot on the Columbia River just 12 minutes drive East from Hood River on the Washington side.
Undoubtedly Lyle, Washington’s sand bar is one of the best spots in the Gorge to learn to kiteboard, and it’s home to our little shop which overlooks the wild and scenic Klickitat River! When you kitesurf in the Gorge in Lyle you will experience some of the best, most consistent winds the Gorge has to offer, with shallow water, wide open spaces for riding, fewer crowds, and a huge sandbar for setting up your kite. Not only are the conditions at this spot perfect for beginners, but the Lyle Sandbar is surrounded by breathtaking views of the famous Columbia River Gorge.
Currently, the Lyle sandbar is only legally accessible by watercraft. You will meet us at our shop, and we will taxi you to the sandbar in our dinghy from the boat launch. We are located at 34 State Street (Hwy 14) in Lyle, Washington on the river side of the building on the basement floor. If you are coming from Oregon west of Lyle, be sure to have cash on hand when crossing the bridge from Hood River to White Salmon for the toll. The charge is $2 each way. We’re approximately 12 minutes drive East of Hood River, 1.5 hours from Portland OR and about 4 hours from Seattle and Spokane Washington.
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Note: Our booking calendar does not represent our actual schedule for the season. The booking calendar is available so you can select your preferred start date. We will contact you to confirm your preferred date and time once you have completed your booking on our system. Your booking will be confirmed with an invitation from our Google calendar to your email.
Highest recommendation for SA Kites, both for kiteboarding lessons and purchasing gear. They run a great business with an awesome sense of community. Everyone there is helpful and excited to make you better.Three of us each took 5 lessons in Lyle as complete beginners. We made a ton of progress and had a lot of fun. Afterward, we felt safe and competent enough to go out on our own; we have since been kiting together and having a great time. We worked with several instructions, all of whom were excellent, and primarily with Dale, Edwin, and Tanner. Erika was super helpful and organized working with our schedules and wind conditions.For gear, Dale gave us competitively priced quotes for new and gently used gear that got us started quickly and easily. As beginners, we’ve had a lot of questions, all of which have been answered thoroughly.Overall, the team at SAK has been a valuable resource for getting us into a new sport and a joy to be around; I can’t recommend them highly enough.
This place is amazing! Flat water, huge sand bar, no consequences with onshore wind, great instructors, no crowds! Instructors were amazing and gear was top notch! Skip the event center in Hood River and take your lessons here! You won’t regret it!!!!
Had four classes with SA Kite Boarding and it was awesome. The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable, patient and like to see the students progress. Would suggest this company and instructors to anyone who is thinking of taking classes. Edwin was my primary instructor and he is a class act. Very professional, awesome humor and technically proficient in all aspects. Good work team, I’ll be back for sure.
Great experience for a trio of first timers. Erika was excellent in communicating and explaining the classes and setting us up for success. Dale, Edwin, and Kathy were awesome getting all of us boarding in both directions. Will be coming back. Location was much less busy than up in Hood River. Nice sand bar.
These guys are the real deal!! Super friendly staff and solid instructors. I was impressed with how much progress I was able to make during the session; they neither slack nor push beyond your limit and the session is tailored to your skill level and what you need to focus on. I highly recommend them & definitely going back whenever I’m around the area.
Just finished 3 days of instruction with SA Kite in Lyle. We had limited time in the area and they were great about working us in the schedule to get as much time on the water as possible. It was nice to have different instructors to be exposed to a variety of techniques and tricks. Edwin, Tanner, Dale and Erika were great!
Spent three sessions under the expert tutelage of Dale. Outstanding, attentive, safe, and appropriately calibrated to my skill and needs. I’m already booked again to return at the end of summer, 2022.Definite quantum leap in my learning curve, and so enjoyed the time I spent with Dale and Erika. Do not miss this opportunity with these experts.
I had an awesome two days with Dale. This was my 8th time out kitesurfing but my first in Tampa with SAK. Dale was the best of the 4 instructors I have had. He had me confidently riding upwind and working on turns by the end of our second day. In addition to the excellent instruction, I appreciated the time spent on kite set up/take down and on safety. Amazing location, looking forward to coming back.
Absolutely amazing experience! Owners were super friendly and helpful, the instructor was a blast and was very good. I had done beginner lesson two years ago and did a back-to-back lesson this time. I was up, riding upwind and was starting to get smoother transitions by the end. Great place, highly recommended.
I really enjoyed learning to kiteboard with SA Kitesurf. Dale is an awesome instructor! Highly recommend.
Dale is a great guy and great teacher with a laid back personality. Had a great time learning to get up and ride.After going out with another teacher from another school, I realized that Dale is in it for the money.
Took lessons with SA Kitesurf in Lyle, WA and had an incredible experience. The instructors are very experienced, patient, and they are very safety oriented. Dale and Erika were incredibly helpful and easy to work with. An absolutely beautiful location in the Columbia Gorge. I had Tanner for my first lesson and he went above and beyond in his guidance and feedback. You guys rock!!! I’d highly recommend them to anyone wanting to get into the sport.
Highlights from Our 2022 Season
All our lessons are certified by the International Kiteboarding Organization which means you are receiving the best and safest possible kiteboarding instruction available. We do not recommend taking lessons from instructors who are not certified as they have not been through the proper training to be able to teach all the kiteboarding skills correctly. The levels below shows the IKO set teaching standards that all our experienced instructors follow. Once you have completed your course you will receive an IKO member card which will allow you to rent kiteboarding equipment from any IKO affiliated center in the world.
Weather Forecast
Take a look at the weather forecast and determine what days you may be available to do lesson. In the Gorge we typically need around 15kt+ to be able to fly a kite, so look for higher wind periods in the day and book through our online booking system accordingly. If you’re not sure, just give us call and we’ll be happy to help you book over the phone.
FAQ's
Most frequent questions and answers
You should be at least 12 years of age to learn to kiteboard, and you are never too old. In regard to fitness, people of all shapes and sizes kiteboard. Strength (especially in the core), flexibility, and endurance will help you to progress more quickly in the sport, but are not prerequisites for learning. In fact, kiteboarding is a great way to get into shape! The only physical requirement is the ability to swim. Beyond that, we match the appropriate kite to your size and the wind conditions. In a nutshell, with the same wind speed, the bigger the person, the bigger the kite, the smaller the person, the smaller the kite. Don’t worry, you’re not going to fly away. You’ll be perfectly safe as long as you listen to your instructor.
Yes! We provide all the latest equipment including, kites, harnesses, floatation vests, wetsuits, shoes and kiteboards for all your kiteboarding lessons. We also provide two way radio communication so that you stay connected to your instructor at all times and either a boat or a jet ski to transport you upwind when you get to the water start stage. We do recommend bringing your own wetsuit and water shoes if you have your own.
We do provide wetsuits but we recommend bringing your own as sizing can be an issue for some people. Also, water shoes (if you own them), hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and water. We provide the rest!
IKO, International Kiteboarding Organization, is the world’s largest kiteboard training organization. To become an IKO affiliated center, kiteboarding schools must meet high standards of set criteria that ensure their commitment to quality and safety. IKO instructors are trained to teach using IKO’s safe, progressive method which helps you to reach your goals faster and with confidence. We do not recommend taking lessons from your kiteboarding friends or schools without certified instructors.
That all depends on you! Each person’s kiteboarding progression is different. If you excel at the sport, we will not hold you back, and if you need more time to feel comfortable, we will not push you. On average it takes about 6 hours to stand up on the board and ride a short distance. We recommend 12.5 hours, however, to increase your confidence, ensure safety and become fully independent.
The IKO progression is as follows: In your first lesson you will learn kite setup, safety and begin to master your kite control. In your second lesson you will begin to use the power of the kite to pull your body through the water and learn the body dragging technique. In your third lesson you will put the board on your feet and attempt your first water starts. Most people can only ride in one direction at this point and don’t necessarily feel confident to go out on their own. After 12 hours of training you should be riding in both directions and will fully understand safety and self-rescue techniques to avoid emergency situations.
Short on time? We can combine two lessons into one day and fast track you to the board!
Private lessons consist of one student, one instructor, and one kite. Semi-Private lessons consist of two students, one instructor, and two kites. Group lessons consist of two students, one instructor, and one kite. Group lessons cost less than private lessons, so bring your friends, family members, or partners! A maximum of three people on a discovery lesson. All equipment is provided for your kiteboarding course.
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