Gorge Foil Academy
Your premiere location for hydrofoil instruction in the Columbia River Gorge
Learn to fly in one of the best locations for hydrofoiling on the planet!
The Gorge Foil Academy is a high-end hydrofoil coaching school based in the Columbia River Gorge—one of the best foiling playgrounds in the world. We specialize in personalized, progression-focused instruction using the industry’s best gear, helping riders unlock their potential in hydrofoil, wingfoil, and parawing disciplines. Whether you’re refining technique or pushing into new territory, our coaching is built around performance, safety, and stoke, all set against the iconic wind and water of the Gorge
❊ SHRED SESSIONS
Gorge Foil Lessons : Wingfoil, Parawing, DW SUP, & Tow
Up-Level Your Winging
Tired of being stuck at your plateau? Time to up-level your winging skills. Learn to tack, jibe, ride with power, rip swell to bits, and become a more complete and efficient rider. This crash course into all things wing is designed to quickly elevate your riding.
Parawing Mastery
Learn the new amazing sport of parawing with our complete deep dive. Work on ground handling, stowing technique, waterstarts, and upwind efficiency. Just because it looks easy, does not mean its true. Let’s make the learning progression easier together.
Tow Foil Progression
Want to learn to hydrofoil? Need to fine tune your deep waterstart? Want to ride your new foil and get your setup dialed? All is possible when we just focus on the foiling part of our sports. Come ride behind the jetski, get whipped into bumps, and learn to be a master behind the boat.
DW SUP Foil & Bump Reading
Learn to paddle up in one of the world’s best DW locations. Perfect bumps, long runs, and consistent conditions make The Gorge the perfect place to dial in your bump reading and DW SUP skills. Learn good habits and get your setup dialed.
❊ Testimonials
Spreading the stoke, one student at a time
If you are looking to take your wind sport riding to the next level - Brandon is your guy! I am a decent intermediate winger and engaged Brandon for some on water coaching to help me improve my swell riding technique. He was absolutely awesome! We followed each other around on a big swell day and he showed me how to read swell patterns and how and when to move from one swell to the next and did some videoing too, which was super helpful to watch. He also gave me great tips on my foil setup and the pros and cons of different foil options. Brandon is super knowledgeable, an incredible waterman, and a super stoked fun guy to learn from. Highly recommend him!”
— Keith C.
“
I received instruction from Brandon both on the water during sessions as well as off the water during informal beach coaching and classroom style tech talks. In all cases, Brandon's love of foil and wind sports was extremely motivating. He has a wealth of knowledge and a passion to share it. . While this was formal instruction, Brandon's infectious energy and affable personality made it feel like I was out with the Waterman friend we all wish we had. Even a week after the camp now, the echoes of Brandon's voice "Dude - you're cruuuushing it!!" still make me smile I'm hoping I get another opportunity soon to connect with Brandon to work on my next set of goals!
— Mathew C.
“
Brandon's skill and focus as a world-class athlete are truly off the scale. He combines that with the warmth, intelligence, kindness, humor and approachability of a friend. This makes him an exceptional coach - in both what he offers and how he does that. As a 62 year old experienced kite surfer, I immediately noticed Brandon's ability to ask great questions, listen carefully, and then identify the smallest number of things that actually matter to try something new and learn something fast. He names the essential moves and shifts that unlock rapid progress, even in skills or conditions that feel complex or intimidating. His instruction is safety-oriented, precise, practical, and immediately actionable. His demeanor is positive, energetic, and encouraging. Just as importantly, he stays patient and non-judgmental - staying committed to supporting your success at a pace that works for you. Being around him made me feel capable and not only improved my skills; it expanded my confidence and appetite to keep riding for years to come.
— Tom. M
“
❊ FAQs
You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers
-
We teach in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge from a jet ski. You can expect to meet your instructor at the lesson location, board the ski and head out into the water for a ton of fun. Most lessons are in 3 hour blocks, so be ready for an extended session out on the Columbia.
-
If you have any specific gear you would like to use and/or dial in, bring it. You should also bring appropriate neoprene/water wear for the duration of the lesson. Booties are optional. You might also want to bring a water bottle and a small snack.
-
We use the best gear in the industry to facilitate your learning. You do not need to bring any watersports gear unless you specifically want to use certain things.
-
Our instructors are CPR and First Aid trained. We also have a complete med kit on the ski that can handle most minor injuries. We also require that students wear a helmet of some kind to help prevent unnecessary injuries.
-
We will do our best to finish the lesson at the scheduled time, however we know this is windsports. In the case of no wind, we will reschedule to the next available wind window. Refunds if no accommodations for your schedule are possible.
Premiere Gorge Foiling
