Boardsports California is awesome! They rent out all kinds of water fun -- paddleboards, windsurfing gear, kayaks, and more. Met the really nice folks here who works here, super friendly and helpful. The shop is located right on the beachfront, which makes it super convenient to get out on the water right away. Very dog friendly. Highly recommend! read more

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Wide selection of activities that you can try! Kayaking, wind surfing or even parasailing, they got the right equiptment. They even offer you free lesson if you buy the equiptment to them. For a price, they have a selections of lesson for the enthusiasts., my one note, you go online and get the best deal. They go up and beyond when it comes to service and have an impeccable knowledge focused on safety. Go to the journey and enjoy this state beach in Alameda with Boardsport. read more

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We came here on a Saturday afternoon and rented 3 SUPs. The weather was perfect. I went with my sister and niece from out of town. The service was great, the lady that checked us in was very helpful. She gave us tips on where to go and where not to go. The overall experience was great. Easy transaction and at a good location... right on the beach. I definitely recommend and will most likely rent from them again. read more

Boardsports California - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

Marc is a truly outstanding instructor and this is the best place to learn windsurfing! They are incredibly experienced and I have progressed much faster than I expected. read more

Adorable little boardsports store right on the beach with everything you need to get started on kite sailing. They sail everything from boards to suits to accessories. They also can arrange for lessons and instructors. There selection of windsurfing gear is excellent. And they can order anything you need and have it in their shop ready for you next time you come out. The staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend starting off with a string of 2-3 two hour kitesurfing lessons if you want to learn. That will give you a feel as to whether kitesurfing is right for you. I also tried a wing foil lesson - what a blast! Parking is so easy. There's a huge lot next to this place on the beach. Highly recommend! read more

Boardsports California - Signage - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

Foiling curious, I booked a lesson to e-foil. Jane impressed me with her knowledge of the tides & weather conditions and her efforts to have me go out when both were most conducive to a successful experience. Fred proved himself a competent & patient instructor. Great day on the water. read more

Boardsports California - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

Took two lessons here after I bought gear separately. Tom and Hernan were awesome, both great and really helped me feel comfortable getting independent. I recommend them both highly. All around boardsports was extremely professional and they are the perfect outfit to learn from in the bay. read more

Friendly place in Alameda. I went there to rent a windsurfer and I also bought a wetsuit and a swim cap. Boardsports California will start renting on Thursdays and Fridays this week starting May 1st 2023. read more

Jesse was my instructor. He was patient, focused, and full of useful ideas and suggestions about gear for a bigger guy. By end of 1.5 hours I stood on board, sailed kite wing downwind, then jibed and sailed back to shore. Decided on 6.0 Ozone given location and size. Now I'll SUP and skateboard with wing until ready to try foil. Jesse helped me calculate 230 pounds is 100+ kilograms, so +40 liter math means SUP foil board at 140 liters. He was full of tidbits like this...Jess is the man. read more

Boardsports California - 6.0 ozone wasp - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

Had a wing foil lesson today with my wife. Lesson was very bland. Not worth the $300.

I had my intro to Wing surfing lesson with Hernand and he was great! He was very patient and took me through the key elements of the process. Being a kitesurfer, also, he was able to introduce some of his learnings from training people on the water across a variety of disciplines. Even with very low winds, he was able to get me up and riding! I would thoroughly recommend him to anyone wishing to learn at the Alameda location. read more

I've tried to get my windsurfing gear from Boardsports for the past 8 years and the arrogance and lack there of help is the last straw. I've been windsurfing my entire life an consider myself an accomplished sailer that can sail the coast, Bay and Hood river. I can hang with the Pros, but Boardsorts seems to be above them all! Grow up and respect people! There have been times when I get some insight and help and gear I'm looking for., but it is rare. But it seems that they don't want business on-site. I will be taking my business elsewhere forever! Good ridden! read more

Had an awesome time paddleboarding for the first time! I spoke with Jessie, and had a group of 21 people who all wanted to paddleboard. Jessie was awesome enough to open up his store during the winter season and get enough paddleboards for all of us to use. We also had some kayaks to use too. He even gave gave us a great rate for all the equipment. He gave a clear and concise explanation on how to paddleboard and good tips for all of us (most of which, were first time users). I would really recommend trying this place out, it has great rates, and Alameda is beautiful on a sunny day! You can look out into the bay and see San Francisco. Parking is free in the lot and there are restrooms you can use. read more

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Knowledgeable and helpful staff. Decent selection. They let you try out the boards in calm water next to their shop.

This review is about Taylor, one of the instructors at the Boardsports School. If you want to learn how to windsurf and you want a skilled and knowledgeable instructor who has a great sense of humor, is accommodating, and pleasant to work with then ask for her. She's fabulous! Learning how to windsurf could be frustrating in the beginning and it's easy to be hard on yourself but Taylor's friendly and relaxed coaching style makes it easy (fun!) to learn this sport. She is attentive, patient, and communicates in a clear and encouraging manner. Nothing ruffles her and she won't condescend to her students. She's excellent at evaluating how slowly or quickly you pick up the lessons and will adjust to your skill. You'll pick up this sport fast if you ask for Taylor! read more

We took a SUP lesson with Matt today! My daughters (10 & 8) and I had a blast! He was super patient and gave great tips for first timers. Highly recommend! read more

Rebecca and her team very very helpful and shipped my new fone 8 m to canada no hassles Thank you ill be back for more gear Tomas read more

Rebecca at Boardsports is awesome. She's been teaching 15 years. She gave Kyle some pointers and helped launch his kite. He didn't even take lessons from her but that's just how great the staff is here! She sounded legit and her teaching rigorous which is all necessary and it's too bad Kyle hadn't taken lessons here. This is a popular spot, highly recommend anyone wanting lessons to take it here w Rebecca! read more

The number one spot in Alameda to play on the bay. Learn the art of Windsurfing, kiteboarding. Standup paddle boarding. Thanks for hooking up my grandson during his visit. we love you guys! read more

Super commendation for Boardsports California, and would like to specifically recognize Jesse. I was bitten by the windsurfing bug in late July and have been keen on purchasing my own windsurfer board for the last few weeks. As a beginner getting more comfortable on the water, I was looking for a 130 L board that would address my immediate needs of continuing to work on the fundamentals, while also being potentially (hopefully) useful in the future for light wind days. In other words, navigating a tricky balance point between a board to progress on, and a board that would still be a blast to blast on at a more advanced level. After chatting with more experienced windsurfers, some time doing internet research, and remembering that this is what credit cards are for, I decided to purchase a board through Boardsports California. I called and Jesse not only picked up the phone after two rings, but also took the time to discuss my situation and listened to my needs. I felt like Jesse really listened to where I was at and what I was looking for, before suggesting a board that was not even on my radar. In the end, I am pleased to report that I am thrilled with my purchase. The board was acquired the same day that I contacted Jesse, and Jesse helped set up the board at the excellent on-the-water Boardsports location in Alameda. I could not have strapped the board down to the roof racks faster, and went straight to my favorite windsurfing spot to take it on a maiden voyage. This was last week, and after five sessions I am happy to write this review feeling honestly like I somehow made the right choice. Thank you Boardsports California for the personalized consultation services in advance of the board purchase, and for the incredible board recommendation and follow-through. I don't write many yelp reviews and this review is based on pure stoke. read more

This is the BEST place to learn & buy your kite boarding gear ever !! The Board sport team is supper friendly!! their advice is amazing !! their help (after buying the gear) is priceless !! i would not have been able to learn kite boarding so quickly without them !! highly recommended !! Thanks you Rebeckh, Jessy and the rest of the crew :) read more

I think this is probably the best place in the Bay Area to learn to kiteboard. Why? Location and Service. LOCATION Do you own your own jet ski? Or are you such an ironman that you'll be going upwind and launching rad airs on your first day? If so, then more power to you (and can I borrow that jet ski sometime?). For the rest of us, odds are that you're going to need to practice everything you were taught during your lesson, plus all the practical stuff: Rigging your kite yourself, going out on the water solo for the first time, having some wrecks, getting your kite lines tangled and sorting it out, losing your board and finding it again, etc. Do a little research and you'll find that while the Bay Area has tons of great kiteboarding locations, most of are NOT beginner friendly. In contrast, Crowne Beach in Alameda has: -- nice big launch area with reasonably consistent wind direction -- no waves, plus warmer water and sunnier weather than San Francisco -- plenty of friendly people to provide you with practical tips and good company -- a long sandy beach that extends downwind of the launch spot. I can't emphasize this enough - When you're starting out, you're going to have some days where you end up floating downwind for some reason. At Alameda, this is no big deal. You have 1.5-mile long landing area! Which brings me back to why Boardsports School in Alameda is THE BEST PLACE to learn in the Bay Area. Once you've taken some lessons (and yes, you do need lessons, bub), the best place to practice is where you learned with the people who you learned with. This way you feel more comfortable, know the rules of the beach, and have some friendly people around to help out when you're having trouble. While I expect that there are other schools that also offer great instruction, none can offer the overall experience that Alameda provides: a great location with friendly people. SERVICE From reading my review so far, you might think "Oh, you're just happy with Alameda because that's where your learned". No so - I took my first kite lessons from one of the other schools in the Bay Area (who shall remain unnamed). While the teacher there knew his stuff, the general conclusion from everybody in my class was that he was "kind of a jerk" (actually, we used a different 4 letter word a the time). After moving on in search of a good place to practice, I discovered Rebecca and the other instructors at Boardsports School. What a world of difference! The instructors at Boardsports School are knowledgeable, friendly, and always happy to answer questions. You might notice that I keep mentioning the word "friendly" - this really does make a difference. If you feel comfortable, you'll ask more questions (especially the stupid ones - there's no such thing as a stupid question) and learn faster. They'll get you set up with your gear and out riding on the water in no time. Plus, there's an informal group of locals at the beach who are always willing to chip their own advice and assistance. I've had people help me with rigging a new kite, landing my kite after I got my lines tangled, and returning my lost board to me after I lost it out during a wipeout. In conclusion, Boardsports School in Alameda is an awesome place to learn to kiteboard. Give it a shot - you'll enjoy it! read more

Service: I had a really bad experience with this school. They don't give enough attention for beginners, only want to sell you stuff and Jane is really rude. I don't remember the last time that I saw a terrible service like this. Prices: I bought my kiteboard online for 25% less than the price that they give me. I don't recommend. Try to find another Kite School in the Bay Area if you want good service. read more

I returned for part 2 of the kitesurfing course last weekend. My instructor, Sam, was just great. Given the number of things that can, and sometimes did, go wrong, I was seriously impressed by how calm, cool, and collected he was throughout. As an instructor, he liked to use various mnemonic devices to impart key bits of information. And by impart, I mean saying it, singing it, making me say it, and challenging me to repeat it when much else was going on. If you know anything about learning, you'll know that that's a pretty effective teaching strategy and a week later, I can still hear/see him chanting some of those mantras. Kiteboarding has a steep learning curve, and some of us take a bit longer than others. As one of those folks, I want to mention how effective Jane is at giving guidance on how to build skills. I was happy to purchase gear from her as well. As I anticipated in my previous review, she was very fair. Just as important, she obviously knows that newbies need a lot of guidance on gear selection. I really appreciated not having to do a compare and contrast of 20 alternatives. read more

Top notch staff with a great selection of SUP boards, windsurfing gear and kite gear. Authentic beach feel without all the 'bros'

Great way to spend the afternoon. Lovely location, great boats, great service. I'm coming back for sure. Lots of other things to rent for fun on the water. read more

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I recently bought an adult kick scooter (Xooter Street) and found it so fun and addicting that I decided to invest in a full set of quality protective gear. After a lengthy google search, I decided on the brand Pro-Tec based on style and price. I first called Zumiez but they didn't have in stock any of the items I mentioned. I then called Boardsports California and talked with a super nice lady named Rebecca. She checked and said she had the stuff I listed so I made an appointment to drop by their SF location. When I met her, she was just as friendly and helpful in person as she had been over the phone. I saw she had already laid out the gear I was looking for, each item presented wiith several different sizes for me to try on. I've never had a personal wardrobe shopper experience before but I'm sure this was what it must feel like! She insisted I try on everything to make sure the fit was perfect while offering advice on how to adjust all the various straps and buckles. Not once did she ever make me feel rushed or that I was keeping her from attending to other matters. Also, there was absolutely zero pressure to buy, which is always appreciated. I ended up purchasing a full matching set of really comfortable knee & elbow pads, helmet, and wrist guards. TLDR: Great gear, great customer service, great experience! read more

The most fun I had since I learned to snow ski... My cousin and his 2 kids came out from Colorado for spring break. Since it has been raining most of last week and this, we only had Monday to try and make an appointment for a group lesson - ages 8, 13, 46 and 48. Rebecca was able to fit us in weather permitting...called on Monday and it was a go for 11:30 at Alameda. The beach was all ours and the weather was overcast and appx hi 60's. Rebecca was super patient teaching such a wide range of ages and agility. They provide the equi[ment and wetsuits. We first learned the basics of weather, equipment and balancing on land. Quickly we took to the water to balance on just the board no mast, then we all managed to get sailing using the mast/sail. We all had a fantastic time and would highly recommend this school and Rebecca. Now I'm ready for the 2 day course read more

Just had an amazing morning taking a Paddle-Boarding lesson. I signed up on Thursday and was told I was the only one who had registered and they have a 3-person minimum. Got 2 of my friends to join me and they totally accommodated our group...even letting us start at 10 instead of 9 so we could sleep in a little more! Our instructor, Sunshin (I'm probably horribly misspelling that) was great. He was super friendly, helpful, and fun. Very laidback and chill environment to learn something new. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my Sunday morning! Will definitely be going back and renting equipment from them! read more

Jane was nice enough to reschedule us when the weather was not ideal (windy and super gloomy). Tristan was a great instructor who helped us (two first-time paddleboarders). He gave us a lot of advice and also heckled us a little ("Ya keep looking down at the nose if you want to fall in"). We will definitely rent paddleboards from them in the future! read more

Boardsports California - Beautiful day! - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

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The folks at Boardsports are so great that I am writing a yelp review, something I never do. So great. So helpful. So knowledgeable. So patient. So friendly. And that was just asking about kiteboarding. By the time it came to buy lessons and gear I was a rock solid fan - I didn't even check prices anywhere else because the service I received was really that good. I have been mostly at the Alameda location and after launch there a couple times, it is obvious that the area is safe and friendly mostly because of their presence. Give them business, because this is the kind of service and support that all local shops should be providing. I can't say enough good things about them. read more

Best experience ever. Staff is great, equipment is too notch, couldn't ask for more.

Perhaps not my first choice to buy windsurf gear (I mainly use my sailing club's gear, which I get to choose), but it's the only place in the East Bay. The location on Crown Beach is pretty sweet though, and in a pinch, they have a bunch of stuff (although the much larger store is in San Mateo), and the staff are nice. They had the windsurfing harness I was after, so that was cool. I wouldn't learn here - and this is no doubt huge bias on my part, since I teach windsurfing myself at Cal Sailing Club - since it's pretty expensive. Maybe if I ever wanted to learn kitesurfing (possible, but unlikely). I hear too they sometimes have deals hiding in the back of the shop; didn't get a chance to take a look. read more

I needed a SUP ASAP as mine sold before I could order another in time for my trip. Rebecca and the entire staff at Boardsports California had a Naish Mana GT, sock, and rail tape ready to go in a day! I am so amazed at the awesomeness of this shop! So cool and they carry some amazing products! I will now be doing all my SUP, and accessory shopping through them! read more

Boardsports California - Naish GT Mana - Kiteboarding Near Me - Alameda, California

I found my kiteboard beach. I made more progress last weekend than I did in multiple sessions last summer at a different kiteboarding school on the Bay. Rebecca was super-helpful with advice, and has an excellent encouraging teaching style - just light years ahead of my past experience at other schools. By the second day I was up and riding in both directions (I probably would have been up the first day if it hadn't been so gusty from the storm winds last Saturday). Rebecca has also been very helpful with equipment advice as I'm currently shopping for a snowkite. With shallow sandy waters and mostly onshore winds Alameda Beach is the perfect location for learning, and evidently also attracts the more experienced riders too. read more

Saturday lessons. I was in Hawaii looking at kite board lessons and they had the best places in the world to learn listed. "Alameda Ca?" I said. "That place is just down the street from my house!" If you ever wanted to learn to kite board or wind surf, the lack of waves, generous winds, and local instructors are the way to go. They even offer 2-5 day summer camps for adult or kids. Great exercise but so much fun! read more

What can you say about an addiction where the pusher makes you pay for your first hit? Dreams of a new life in a VAN [full of gear] DOWN BY THE [Sacramento] RIVER [Delta]. Lost weekends from which one returns exhausted, battered, and barely able to remain upright on land. License to wear a rubber suit in public. Can I even begin to say how much I love this place? read more

I've lost or left 3 items at the beach while kiteboarding over the years: a harness, board, and control bar. All three times Boardsports found them and even recovered my board from someone who found it washed ashore at Bay Farm Island. My name wasn't even on it so that was super cool. Always write your name and number using permanent marker! read more

Jane, the owner, personally contacted me to address my concerns. She obviously cares about customer service. Jane also checked my gear out and made some helpful suggestions. She won my business back. read more

Had my first kiteboarding lesson here and it was great!! I would definitely recommend this spot to beginners. Our trainer Sumner was amazing. He had great training skills, was very patient and knowledgeable. He was also very quick on his feet when an emergency situation arose on the beach, which made me feel safe within our lesson. The rest of the staff at the shack were friendly and enthusiastic. I can tell they are all passionate about this sport. We got noting but kind words and encouragement from the shack crew. My only suggestion for the beginner lesson is be well rested and well fed because it takes a lot of energy. read more