Long Beach Windsurf & Kayak Center

Jeff the owner has been in the business and is a windsurfer himself. ie. both a practitioner and retailer who knows what he is talking about. I went to his store this year after stopping windsurfing in 1999. I had moved to Japan and gear went into storage. He is at the little beach in the Long Beach boat harbour beach area and does private lessons for beginners and a number of people who windsurfs are there in the afternoons.
Check out the store for stand up paddle boards/​wind surf equipment and kayaks. I know the big box retailers like Sports Chalet and even REI has some equipment. but guarantee they wont have a teacher like Jeff to help you out with the right equipment and enthusiasm for the sport.
This place is like the A16 for backpacking/​hiking for Watersports. Support your local store that provides information and adivse.

I have dealt with this store for several years. I have known Jeff, the owner, for a long time and he has always treated me fairly.
He sells very good products and stands behind them. He has a great knowledge of the water sports industry.
Recently I was going on vacation and needed a Thule Kayak rack. Jeff did not have it in stock but said if I could find it somewhere else he would be happy to put it together. I found the rack and not only did he assemble it – he also put it on my car.
Jeff is also very personable as is his wife who also works there.

They are a Hobie shop. Full stop. Little selection, push you to pedal drive which is not kayaking at all. Had not time to talk to us although we were more than winning to spend $ there. Did hard sell or nothing.
Pffft… we went elsewhere where we received excellent information broad selection of many brands & price points with zero hard sell.

I was about to buy a kayak from this place because my girlfriend was in town and the weather was perfect.
However the owner called parking enforcement on my car parked out front of store for more then the allotted hour. (Can’t strap a kayak on the roof before going to lunch)
I asked the officer why he enforced so tough on a sunday (1 hour and 8 minutes… no meter). He told me the business owner called and complained. And sure enough the owner was just sitting in his shop just smirking, meanwhile I accepted a $ 49 ticket and saved $ 800 by not getting a kayak.
NOT BUYING ANYTHING from a crooked small minded business owner.

I went there with my girlfriend yesterday after a ton of researches and we decided that we’re going to buy a Hobie Mirage Oasis. We marked all of the available Hobie dealers near by and stopped by everyone of them.
We arrived at this store at 11.35 AM and was greeted by a strong odor of urine and a sign that says they open at 12.00 on Friday. Well… at least they’re still in business in spite of how the store looks. It’s just less than half an hour so we decided to just sit in the car and wait. A woman showed up in jogging clothes finally at 12.25 and let us in.
We waited for her to settle her stuff down and told her to take her time; trust me I know how to be nice because you often connect better with people especially when you do a business. We stated that we want to buy a Hobie Mirage Oasis next week then was immediately asked for a deposit without even telling us how much is the full price. All the while I was smiling throughout the conversation, without even a smirk was returned my way. So after I asked for the price and just out of my curiosity if they have any promotion, we were given some very ambiguous answers.
First she said that «the price is very competitive» so there’s not much they can do so… «No free stuff». Some other people should have taken that as a minor insult by now but I kept calm thinking that might be just the way she is. Other dealers often give you allowance based on the price you pay, so you could spend that on their in-​house merchandises. It doesn’t hurt to ask. We’re not a kind of people who just go around throwing our $ 3,000 savings on some random places. This is a big purchase for us and I believe for many other people too.
Then she said if we pay with cash then she could probably give us a small discount that’s from what’s to be charged by the credit card company. But since we’re not one of their «regular customers», she mentioned, she can’t do much for us… Well… If I’m one of your regular customer then I wouldn’t be buying my first kayak today. This was to be my starting point to become ‘your regular customer’. I wouldn’t start collecting kayak accessories for a year so I could become a regular customer and then finally I could buy a kayak with all the good deals!
Next I asked about the price she charges for Hobie Trax 2 Cart, she sighed and grabbed a catalog while saying «You should take one of these so you can look it up on your own». We do have that catalog but the reason I asked is that I want to know if she would charge at a different price or not, but she acted like we’re too stupid to read the catalog and wasting her time.
After that she started to ask for the deposit again and when she saw that we’re backing off then she said «That is all I can give you right now but it might be different when you’re ready to make a purchase» Well… No, thanks. We’ve heard enough so I told her after she once again asked for the deposit (for the forth or fifth time I can’t recall) that we actually have a better price elsewhere and for once in the whole conversation she looked interested.
$ 2,849 for the Hobie Mirage Oasis. 15% off $ 195 Trax 2 Cart. I stated.
«Well… We can’t compete with that» She said. «That’s fine» I replied while turning around
«Where is it?» «What store?» She yelled «Well… I can’t tell you» Honestly, at this moment I wouldn’t buy from this store even if she gave me the same price.
«Well… We can’t compete with that if you don’t tell me which store it is». I still insisted «I know… That’s fine» I turned around and walk out the door while she was making a nonverbal remark hoping that would make me feel insulted further. I don’t have to tell you at this point that that moment would be the last time I ever stepped my feet into that pitiful store.
We ended up going back to another store which I have mentioned the price earlier where we got a great deal and we put the deposit down, friendly staffs and honest people. They would get off from the chair and walk half the store to describe a particular product, how to use it, what’s their experience on using those items, giving recommendations and diligently answering every question clearly. That’s the spirit! Not a lot of smile, just a grin now and then but you can always feel that they care by the action. Sadly this Long Beach Windsurf & Kayak Center staff doesn’t seem to realize that she just missed $ 3,000 that she could seriously put into dusting up the store.
PS. I don’t know other staffs in that store but judging from the good reviews people gave (him?), it was unfortunate that I never get to meet a nicer person.

Love this place and Jeff is my go to guy. Purchased my third pair of blades here and they are fantastic!

Good Store. Prices were resonable. They actually have some SUP Boards that I am looking into. I drive by this place all the time and totally forgot to check them out thinking that they didn’t carry some good stuff. They sell you what you need, and don’t push stuff on you. Tell them what you are looking for and they will steer you in the right direction.

Got windsurfing lessons from Jeff (as knowledgeable and experienced as you can get), and I continue to stop by just to say hello. I’ll call to check conditions sometimes, and he makes suggestions on weather and riding. Even when I tried to buy certain items, he only sold me what I needed, and never pushed anything on me. This guy is genuinely interested in seeing you succeed and enjoy whatever recreational endeavor you choose to pursue. I’m sold!

Just a follow-​up to my earlier rave review. I purchased a used Hobie Adventure Island. The price was very reasonable. Although well taken care of it was well-​used, and I expected to have to have some upgrades and repairs done, as I sail it hard (in the open ocean) and often (two-​four times a week). Jeff has spent hours, literally, working on various little problems I’ve had with it – nothing major, just replacing/​repairing worn parts, etc. – and I can’t get him to charge me! He says it’s «all part of the service.» Not anywhere else I’ve been. Jeff will do everything he can to keep you on the water (or the street, if you’re skating); someone with deep knowledge and personal experience with everything he sells. He will match you with the board, boat, SUP, or skates that are right for you, and help you get the most out of them.

I kayak with open water swimmers between catalina island and palos verdes, starting at midnight and sometimes lasting up to 15 hours. I had a problem with a kayak I bought on Craigslist (I did NOT do my homework) and Jeff took what could have been a dire situation and turned it around completely. He knew exactly what he was doing, knew what had to be fixed and he stuck with it until the last detail was finished. Now II have one more kayak that is 5 star and will be seaworthy long after I’m gone!
Thanks LB Windsurf and Kayak Center!

1. Not open enough. They are closed Monday and Tuesday.
2. Not really willing to make any deals.
3. Not trustworthy. Throws competitors under the bus.
4. Pushes last years models and makes no real deals on them.

The Cliffs Notes: Cheap rentals, fine kayaks, pleasant staff, CASH.ONLY.
The Tolstoy: Two girlfriends and I rented kayaks to paddle around in a few Saturdays ago. We’re hoping to take a kayaking trip next spring and, since two of the three of us had never even been in a kayak before, we thought it would be a good idea to practice. They had plenty of kayaks at 10:30 when we got there, and at 12:30 when we got back. They also have plenty of auxiliary equipment — paddles, life jackets — so there’s no worry you won’t out on the water.
Unlike some other places we read about, you pay by the hour AFTER you get back. The rate was like $ 8/​hr and it’s prorated for partials (meaning if you go out for 2 hours and 15 min, you only pay 2 x $ 8 + 0.25 x $ 8).
The equipment seemed to be in good repair; all the water that ended up in my kayak was there because of me. They give you a water proof map of the areas, showing where you can — and cannot — go in a kayak. We went all the way up into the wildlife area. It’s not that big, but motor boats aren’t allowed so it’s really pleasant for first timers.
This is a cash-​only establishment. I repeat, CASH ONLY. If you live off of plastic like I do, hit the bank first. I don’t think there’s a convenient ATM. Bring money.
You’d be smart to take a bottle of water with you. (We were not smart.) There’s a beach-​side food shack that may or may not be affiliated (also cash only!); the food’s not good, but it’s readily available and that can be important.
All in all, this is a great place to rent kayaks from for a first timer. Easy to get to, plenty of street and beach parking, good rates, all-​inclusive equipment rentals, in an area that’s easy to paddle around. Worth visiting again.

the prices of Long Beach Windsurf are much higher than other stores in San Pedro, and lessons for windsurfing is basic not worth the money.

I used to work here so maybe I have some bias, but I think this is a great little specialty shop. The staff is very helpful and extremely knowledgeable (especially the managers). The shop has been around since the beginning of windsurfing and expanded to do kayaks and inline skates as well. The older man has windsurfed/​sailed/​competed for decades and personally knows many (if not most) of the pros.
They do 1-​on-​1 windsurf lessons at Alamitos Bay, where every single customer (in the 2 years I worked there) was able to master the basics in one 4-​hour lesson. They try to do lessons when the wind is right so you don’t have trouble on a windless or stormy day, so if they call to reschedule on account of weather, that’s a good thing, trust me.
What I liked working there was that we didn’t push certain products just to make money but because they were the best. If you do more research you’ll find out how much people love North Sails, Ocean Kayaks, and Hobie Kayaks. That’s what they sell and when they see room for improvement, they bug the sales reps, the engineers and everyone they know from the companies to fix it or add something or whatever. I remember so many tests on kayaks and skates and whatnot to see what was wrong if a customer complained. It’s fun because it’s not just to serve the one customer but because we (me and my boss, anyway) really like figuring things out.
Anyway, they really know their stuff, the prices are fair, and they have great customer loyalty. Many locals know the staff by first name and if they don’t come in the store to visit, we see them on the water on our days off.