The Surf Clinic of Hanalei

I took my first lesson with Mr. Ian in 2008 and my most recent ones were in Nov. of last year.
Every single wave I have caught since was thanks to all the great tips he gave me. Seriously! He is great, AND he helped my girlfriend, who is super scared of the ocean, to catch more waves than me! Aloha to you Hanalei Ian! And
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

This was one of our highlights of the trip! Shane was our surfing instructor and made our experience a memorable one. He made it fun and easy to get up on the board. I was nervous to go but he made you feel very comfortable out in the water. Highly recommend.

Group of 5 of us went out for lessons with Shane. Brought all the boards and rash guards and we all agreed that he gave each of us lots of individual attention. Very patient, funny and truly enjoys what he does. We loved him so much, we booked him twice! If we’re ever in Hanalei again, we will definitely be back!

Couldn’t be happier with Shane! He’s such a great instructor had me up quick even on the trade waves! He’s so fun and even though he’s a legit pro he treats you like an equal!-and he is so patient, fun and encouraging! Even lets you split surf upon request! Haha –he’s the best! Mean no disrespect to other instructors they’re prob just as great but wouldn’t trade my experience! Thanks Shane!
«IF IT AINT SHANE IT WONT BE THE SAME»

My partner and I took 4 lessons with Ian. He is awesome. My partner has surfed many times before but I am a total beginner. I struggled to just get up on the board during the first lesson but by the last lesson, I was getting up on my own and having a blast. Ian is an expert surfer and provides illustrative instructions about both the mechanics of surfing and understanding the surf. And he puts safety at the highest priority. If you want to learn to surf or improve your surfing skills, there is no better person to do it with than Ian!

Ian is fantastic! He taught my kids (ages 12 and 9) surf safety, «reading» the beach and waves, and had them up and riding the board. They responded well to his laid back attitude and positive encouragement. We would highly recommend him for adults or kids wanting to learn.

Ian Vernon is a great teacher! This was my first time surfing, and Ian took me step by step on as many steps as I was able to. I’m a teacher of private music students myself and I felt very comfortable under his guidance. If you’re trying surfing for the first time, give him a ring — you’ll be happy you did.

Ian is fabulous, he had the whole family up on boards in one day.
Great Lesson!

Ian gave us surf lessons when we were in Kauai, and what a great experience it was! My husband hadn’t been on a real board for about 20 years and our son was just a little 9-​year-​old kekei with sand behind his ears and lots of passion for boogie boarding the waves. This is where I would normally say how patient and kind he was as an instructor – and he surely was!! – but I am more compelled to share that he was simply an excellent instructor. My husband and son were able to ride the Hanalei waves with confidence – my son on the first try and my husband on the second try – because Ian shared his knowledge so darned effectively. He focused on safety, and as a Mom I loved that about him. He was so upbeat and informative too. He was like your best friend’s cool brother who you finally got to spend the afternoon at the beach with, and lucky you, he taught you to surf! Prices are competitve. Instruction is thoughtful and personal. We highly recommend Ian! (PS — I wasn’t on a board because I ripped my knee up two days before and was on crutches. Someday, though.)

We’ve had surfing lessons from Ian Vernon at the Surf Clinic of Hanalei each time we visited Kauai. He has radically improved our surfing skills, despite the fact that we don’t (yet) surf at home. He’s got a great eye for what you’re doing right and wrong. Ian is particularly good at helping you resolve what you’re doing wrong by building on what you’re doing right. This makes working through difficulties a much more positive experience.
One important thing about the Surf Clinic is the time they spend on teaching you to understand and read the water. Surfing is exhausting if you spend all your time fighting the ocean to get out or pick the wrong zone to wait for waves.
We love the Surf Clinic.

Ian is the bomb! He is a life-​long surfer, mellow, laid-​back and kind. Lives right in Hanalei and if he isn’t teaching surfing, he is out surfing himself. His colleages are all really nice too, although I haven’t taken lessons with them. Good price for several hours in the water. Easy to get his contact information from the BackDoor surf shop in Hanalei.
He teaches the kids’ surfing clubs at the local schools and we’ve seen how great he is with the kids.