Avoid The Crowds in Hood River
Our kiteboarding school, nestled near the Klickitat Bridge in Lyle, Washington, is renowned as the premier beginner-friendly location in the Gorge. We offer a secure and enjoyable learning environment for kiteboarding and wing foiling enthusiasts at all skill levels.
Between the beautiful Klickitat and Columbia Rivers, our shop is your portal to the world of kiteboarding and wing foiling adventures. Our IKO certified instructors are committed to your safety and progression whether you’re starting from scratch or aiming to enhance your abilities.
The Lyle sandbar stands out for its optimal beginner conditions. The shallow waters and vast open area provide plenty of safe space for practice, away from the busy sandbar in Hood River, which is typically crowded during the summer season.
For those travelling from Oregon, getting to us is easy. Remember to carry cash for the toll when crossing the bridge from Hood River to White Salmon, which is $3.50 each way.
Our kiteboarding and wing foiling school is only 1.5-hour drive from Portland, Oregon. If you’re coming from Seattle or Spokane, Washington, we’re just about a 4-hour drive away.
Come see us at our kiteboarding and wing foil school in Lyle, Washington by booking your preferred start dates online today.
Take the chance to discover kiteboarding and winging at one of the most scenic and novice-friendly locations in the Columbia River Gorge. We’re excited to greet you in our corner of kiteboarding and Wing foil heaven in Lyle, Washington!
Whether you’re a complete beginner or eager to take your skills to the next level, we have the perfect course for you. All our single lessons are $350 for 2.5 hours, if you book our 3-lesson package, you can save $25 and if you book our 5-lesson package, can save $50. We do have 7.5% Washington sales tax added to the cost, but we have factored this in to remain competitive with other schools in the area.
If you’re a total beginner and just want to try it out, we recommend booking the 2.5 hour Discovery lesson. If you’re eager to get on the board to try your first water starts we recommend the 5 hour Let’s Ride Course. To become more proficient and to learn all the skills needed to kiteboard we recommend our 7.5 hours Get Independent course or the 12.5 Confident Rider course for more upwind riding training. If you have already had a few lessons before and you want to get to the next stage of your progression we recommend the 2.5 hours Next Level Rider lesson. You can book as many lessons as you think you will need for the season.
We also offer private and group options, so if you have a friend that would like to join you, just add them as a buddy as you go through the online booking process.
If you have any questions about our lessons and booking, please call or email us.
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.
Note: Our booking calendar does not reflect our actual schedule for the season. Use it to select your preferred start date, complete the booking and we’ll send you a google calendar invite confirming your date, time and where to meet. If you schedule a lesson on a day there is no wind, we will reschedule for the next best available time. If you are unable to be available we can either hold a credit for the next time you visit or we can issue a full refund less $25 per 2.5 hours booked.
Searching Availability…
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.
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.
Here’s an excellent resource for learning to kiteboard and a great way to get started right now on your progression to become a proficient and confident kiteboarder. Just send us your email and we’ll send it to you.
