The Gorge
The gorge is windsurfing meca. You should go.
This site can't cover The Gorge in its entirety, but instead will give some tips and pointers from the perspective of WA boarsailors.
What Is It?
"The Gorge" is the Columbia River Gorge, which follows the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington. The main sailing areas are 30 minutes from Portland to 2 hours east of Portland.
WA Sailor Gallery
Matt Krus at Maryhill
Matt Krus at Roosevelt
Skill Level
The only problem with The Gorge is, in general, it isn't the easiest place to learn. Most of the sailing is on the river, and the wind flows along the river. On a west wind, the current pushing you west and the wind pushing you east cancel out. But still, as a beginner, you can get pushed down river. And when the wind is from the east, you need to be skilled to stay upwind. There are also giant barges and other boating traffic. The barges will not move out of your way, so you need to beware. And of course there is the wind and the swell. The Gorge can nuke.
That said, many people learn to sail there, so you can too. And there are places to sail The Gorge that are more beginning to intermediate friendly. See below.
Hood River Waterfront
Hood River is the biggest town in the middle of The Gorge, has tons of gear shops, restaurants, breweries, hotels, etc. It is also home to some of the best beginner launches.
Novice Launches
- The Hook - The Hook is totally protected and sheltered from the strongest winds. There are also boards and instructors right there.
- The Event Site - The Event Site has an area that is also quite protected and suitable for begginners and has instructors and rental gear.
Intermediate Launches
It's probably best to learn from dedicated Gorge sites but here are two places to start you off.
- Waterfront Park - This is just a little west of the Event Site and is very forgiving in a westerly. The wind is a bit sheltered closer to shore and if things go awry and the wind pushes you downwind towards the east, you can climb out at many points, all the way to the Event Site. On an easteryly, you'd float to the hook. Just stay close to the south shore.
- The Event Site - A really nice launch with lots of good sailors to watch. Stay close to the south shore and you have plenty of room to drift east or west without risk.
Resources
Gear Shops
There are many and I haven't met anyone who wasn't helpful. That said, here are my pointers to get you started.