Our Approach to Teaching

Here at Doug’s Water Sports we pride ourselves on teaching to the highest standard. This means providing you with everything you’ll need to become a confident and independent rider. Our lessons focus on doing everything in the safest and most informative way while also providing a fun and personalized lesson experience! We realize that learning a new water sport is a substantial investment of time and resources. That’s why our goals are your goals: we want to see you having fun on the water and being safe while doing it.

We have some of the industry’s best instructional expertise behind us and we use that to your advantage. We will walk you step-by-step through the principles of rigging, safety and riding. When you leave us you will have a solid foundation of the skills you’ll need in order to purchase gear and begin practicing your new water sport on your own!

We’re dedicated to supporting you as you continue to progress. Once you have enrolled in a lesson program, we’ll teach you the basics, guide you through your first gear purchase and give you advice for planning your first water sport adventure!

Hood River, Oregon

Hood River is a world-renowned outdoor recreation mecca! The Columbia Gorge boasts frequent windy conditions all summer long! It is the ideal place to pursue your passion for wind and water sports!

As the only sea-level passageway through the Cascade mountain range, the Columbia River Gorge forms a natural tunnel that accelerates the wind, providing an abundance of wind and varying water conditions. West winds are predominant here in the summer but the fun doesn’t stop when the wind does! You can still enjoy the glassy windless days out on the river while paddle boarding or E-foiling!

Off the water there are as many things to do as there are on the water! Hood River has world class mountain bike trails, white water kayaking/ rafting and a variety of incredible wineries, breweries and restaurants all within a short distance of downtown.

Kiteboarding Conditions in the Gorge

The Gorge is windy year-round but the best months for wind are May through September. If you are planning a vacation June through August are the most reliable months with July and August boasting the largest number of warm, windy days. 

The wind here is driven primarily by the pressure differential created when warm air rises over the eastern desert drawing cool marine air from the pacific through The Gorge. We call this a thermal and it’s what makes The Gorge so reliably windy.

On a typical day in Hood River the wind might start at 6am and blow into the night, although the opposite can also be true. Sometimes the wind only blow for a few hours in the late afternoon. Whatever the weather conditions may be, you can rest assured that our team keeps an eye on the wind at all times and will do everything in our power to get you out in the best conditions!

Hood River Event Site

Our kite school is located at the Hood River Event Site, situated just north of Interstate 84 and only a few minutes walk from downtown. Doug’s Water Sports is the first school on the right hand side as you pull into the Event Site parking lot, you can’t miss us!

The Event Site is a busy place during the height of summer and one of our goals is to help alleviate some of the congestion that occurs on the beach. We strive to help maintain a fun, safe environment that everybody can enjoy, as such we ask that everyone respects each other on and off the water. Before you head out, be sure to read the Gorge Safety Guidelines posted at the East end of the Event Site lawn. It contains essential information on navigating river traffic and using the area responsibly.

We’re ready when you are! Book a Lesson Today!