Captain Kirk’s Inc.

First things first, Dan is a First-​Rate instructor, gracious, and awesome guy.
He was my instructor and he was super knowledgable and encouraging. I got 2 lessons and after couple of weeks I bought my equipments from them.
All in all I had a great experience and recommend Captainkirks to anyone.

I saw the Kite Boarding Groupon and decided to give it a try. Before I invested in a 100 $ Groupon I did my research and I would recommend anyone who gets into Kite Surfing do the same, as it is kind high upfront cost and price.
If you’re interested in Kite Boarding, be prepared to spend about $ 600 on lessons, a $ 150 on a trainer kite, then about $ 3000 on your actual surf kite, harness, wetsuit, helmet, and board.
The first lesson covered by the groupon was just flight school, which I’ll be honest was very useful, but a little boring and little frustrating how little time you get with the kite when you are splitting it with 3 other people. When I filled out the paperwork for this lesson I ended up paying for the next two lessons, which they apparently didn’t
The second class however was amazing. I had a private lesson with Daniel and we spent about 2 hours on the land covering all the maneuvers with a 12 Meter Kite, followed by some body drags.
I was hooked from that point on. I went back to the shop and bought a 12 Meter Cabrinha Switch Blade, a Dakine Harness, and a wet suit. Their prices were cheaper than I have seen online.
The third lesson was getting on the board, which was explained very well.
They would get 5 stars except they kept losing my paper work that said I had paid and I had to repeatedly show them my receipt to prove I already paid for lesson, Found out later they was because of a typo in the computer and some one put down a wrong spelling of my name.

I went down to captain kirks for the first time today looking for a kite board. Daniel hooked me up with a great board with a great price. So I can say honestly that I had a very positive experience and I will be back. Keep up the great work Daniel.

This review is for the kiteboarding lessons offered by Captain Kirk’s in La Ventana.
The instructor, John, was about as unpatronizing, chill and helpful as they come. The lessons are $ 95 per hour. He starts new kiters out on actual kites, as opposed to trainer kites, which I really appreciated because I was body-​dragging out in the water within 90 minutes.
However, I did run into billing issues with the eponymous Kirk. When initially asking about the lessons, Kirk said that I can pay cash or card. The evening before leaving La Ventana, as I am meeting with Kirk to pay him for the accrued hours of lesson time, I tell him that I am paying with card. He responded by stating that if I pay with my card, it will be an extra 20%. In front of Kirk, my partner and I come to the conclusion that it is impossible for us to withdraw money from the single ATM machine (it was closed and would remain so until later the following day) in La Ventana before we have to leave the following morning to catch our flight. Kirk offered a compromise that consisted of leaving my license and credit card with him while I travel to La Paz by bus, withdraw money, come back to La Ventana (by bus), then stay another night in La Ventana since the only bus that leaves the city does so in the morning. Finding the compromise unfeasible, I forked over the extra 20%.

If I could give this place zero stars I would. I got the Groupon for this place because I wanted to try kiteboarding. They offer promotional discounts and it seems reasonable, but they are not up front with you. You may pay $ 100 or $ 200 to take the first class and it is an absolute joke.
I showed up at Seal Beach to meet the instructor, and not only was he 30 min late but I gave the shop a call and they were being super defensive and aggressive when I tried to ask them why.
The first «lesson» is a complete joke. I was hoping to get in the water and try a little surfing but the first thing the instructor said was «there’s no way your getting in the water.» Why would I pay $ 100 or more to not get in and try it. All we got was a lecture for 2 hours about how dangerous Kitesurfing is. Are you kidding me? I went skydiving and I got a shorter talk than this! This is just a scam to get people to take a series of classes with them. DO NOT GO WITH THIS COMPANY! You dont need to pay some idiot $ 100/​hr to chill by the beach, to talk about kitesurfing (…and killing seals, little children, and dolphins with the kite). Completely ridiculous!

This review reflects the store’s policies (or lack thereof), NOT the instructor or the integrity of their equipment, programs, etc.
I have been going to Captn’ Kirk’s for 20+ years now… they are an amazing place. THE place to go for windsurfing (and now kitesurfing, of course).
But, there are a few things that, if you will allow me to give a little perspective as an open-​minded consumer, are «bombing» this business… because they could be much more consumer friendly, ESPECIALLY if they are running Groupons, and they are getting more «average» or «mainstream» people (and not just hardcore wind-​junkies)!
1. Have a website with all info. about kitesurfing lesson– where to meet, etc.
2. Don’t make people drive TO THE LOCATION OF THE STORE IN SAN PEDRO to pay the $ 9 tax and sign the waiver forms, only to drive back the way they came, 30 minutes backwards, to the site of the actual lesson. Waste of time and money, and frustrating with traffic!!!
Again, instructor is best ever! I had Daniel. His integrity is terrific, and he is an ASSET to this business!

Rented stand up paddle boards for a family day at Naples in Long Beach. Kirk and his crew were great. Really accommodating and made the experience super easy. Thanks for the great service and we’re happy to support a local business in San Pedro! Thanks, guys!

What a ripoff. This place tries to sell you something the minute you walk in, mostly figuring out how much money you will spend, don’t care if you have experience. If your new to the sport of SUP or kiting, stay away from this place, not sure I would buy from them with experience either. Even when I went back to return a $ 10 item that broke the same day I bought it, they refused a replacement.
There are so many great SUP and kiting centers in Long Beach or Santa Monica who will take the time to educate you on what is best.
Never again!

Took my first SUP lesson from Dan. Loved it so much I made another lesson appointment. Then, I had to reschedule because I got pretty banged up the first time but had already paid for my lesson. Called Captain Kirk got the lesson rescheduled no problem. What I really like is that the lesson was fun, Dan was receptive to me and my husband. We had different levels of comfort in the water and Dan quickly figured that out and adapted to us. The equipment Captain Kirk uses for SUP is in good condition, easy to use and they have the instructor bring it to the beach. I think that makes it convenient, fun, relaxing and kinda a no brainer. I am hooked and have another lesson planned.

GREAT SHOP… with an UNBELIEVABLE PRIVATE KITE RESORT IN BAJA!!!
Please note that bad reviews here are from people who don’t realize that the first kite lesson is ALWAYS on the beach, and the other bad reviews are from the people that wish to complain about and/​or argue this essential step. The most important aspect to kiting is safety, unless you really like ER’s!
SHOP:
Kirk and Tom are incredibly knowledgeable with over 30 years of combined wind sport experience. They had the exact board I’ve wanted for over a year at an incredibly discounted low price, and Tom spent a couple hours with me at the shop dialing in the stance, and sharing his experience on the same board, great tips, thanks Tom! While I was there I saw great prices on many less than a year old used kites in great condition. If you want a quality shop that won’t steer you wrong, and one that will listen to your needs and preferences and sell you the RIGHT gear for your goals, then look no further!!! Great location too and close to Belmont for new kiter lessons…
LA VENTANA PRIVATE KITE RESORT IN BAJA:
I can’t say enough about this place, UNREAL!!! It’s simply PARADISE!!! I’ve traveled all over the western hemisphere surfing and kiting, and this was truly THE BEST VACATION EVER!!! Completely worry free with ease of comfort, not to mention the most solid wind I’d ever experienced! 5 days straight 20 – 30 plus knots, and you have to add 5 to that just to compare to LA wind because the wind there is so much stronger and «full». The house was amazing, steps down to the beach, where Kirk has a huge amount of varied boards and kites to try out, tons of gear, best part, LEAVE YOUR KITE GEAR down at the beach, super safe location with no fear of theft. Perfect side-​on wind direction with waves to play some days. Home cooked breakfast provided every morning in the club house to sit and chat with Kirk and Kitty, their awesome staff instructors, John and Adam, and the other kiters, so friendly and welcoming you feel like one of the family the first day. Not to mention we had the most amazing and inexpensive privately cooked dinners every night, thank you so much Cynthia and Gladys!!! Also it looked like a really great place to learn to kite, they teach off the back of jet ski that follows you so you have lots of time to get it down before they pull you back up wind, no walking miles up the beach. All in all just an absolutely amazing spot, with an amazing operation, thanks again Kirk and Kitty, see you all next year!!! …If not sooner!;)

Great experience kiteboarding for the first time. Spoke with Kirk on phone and he setup 1^st kiteboarding lesson with Bill. Bill is super knowledgeable and very patient. Starts lesson with safety instructions, then practice with trainer kite, and ended lesson with the big kite. Bill walked me through everything from setting up gear to flying. This was super helpful to me since I have no kiteboarding experience. It was well worth the $ 99.00 special they are currently offering!

Complete case of Bait and Switch. I bought a Groupon to go Kiteboarding, when we arrived the first thing the instructor said was, «You won’t be going in the water today.» I am so upset that I spent $ 199 to fly a kite. Is that a joke?
Later, the owner, Kirk called me. He ended up yelling at me on the phone and ended up hanging up. The picture in the Groupon showed a kiteboarder on the water.
Do not go here to Kiteboard, you will spend $ 200 learning how to fly a kite.

Okay, I’m a bit confused at all the bad reviews for this place. The rating on Unilocal made me hesitant but since San Pedro is so close and the Groupon deal was pretty sweet, I booked for me and my little brother to come and learn a 2 hour lesson. Our experience was pretty fair.
I called on Monday to book for that Saturday and was informed that they had a class that was waiting for more people and that I should expect to be there at about 8:30 AM at the store. We drove there in the morning (if you’re coming from the SP bridge, you’ll see the store right away when you get off the exit on your right). It’s a pain if you miss the store because you can’t left turn after pulling a U-​turn up ahead.
Anyways, Amy was our instructor. She had us sign some waivers then asked for $ 3 fee for each person. (For tax? I can’t remember). I told her they should really mention this ahead of time on the phone– I was lucky I had some cash, I’m usually a plastic only girl! She said she’d tell her boss. We helped load some boards into the back of her pick up and then we waited around for the last pair that never showed up.
Our group of 4 (two girl friends and us) headed over to Cabrillo beach with her, a short 5 minute drive up. We followed behind in our cars and when we reached the beach, helped carry the boards down to the sand. (The beach charges parking and our entire 2 hour stay was $ 2 for each car. Once again, bring cash.)
She spent about 5 – 10 minutes going over some basics– how to mount the boards, make sure to get the fin clear of the sand when you go in, where to stand, positioning yourself, how to hold your paddle, methods to turn, etc. After that we just all grabbed a board and paddle and pushed off into the water.
It was really trial by error– I’m probably the most unbalanced person around and I fell 5 times total. Everyone fell at least once (except my brother who spent half his time cruising on his butt and knees.) But it’s pretty easy to climb back on the board and the water isn’t that cold. Amy stayed on her board at a pretty close distance. I noticed one of the other girls was wearing a life preserver but neither of us had been offered one when we arrived at the store earlier.
We stayed on the water, going around the beach basically in a large figure eight. There’s not much to see in Cabrillo beach except sand and rocks so that was a bit disappointing. The water was calm enough for even me to stay upright in some areas though, so I did enjoy the work out. Amy gave us some general advice when we were struggling but otherwise just let us paddle around until 10:15. That’s when she said we could take some pictures if we had our cameras or just finish and head towards the shore.
The experience was fun and the price wasn’t too bad with Groupon. I did feel it was a bit unfair that we didn’t actually have 2 hours IN the water and that the time included checking in, waiting for other students, loading boards, unloading boards, etc. All in all, we weren’t actually in the water for more than 1.5 hours tops. Amy was friendly and easy going though and I did not have a traumatic experience like some of the other reviews implied. All in all, better than expected.
She mentioned that the store rented boards out and you could pick them up the night before. How you would transport it without a rack or a pick up, I have no idea.

They had a HiFly Free 279, yes that really nice red carbon board that goes very fast, for rental. Didn’t think they would sale it but they did! Very very pleased. Also just bought a helmet from them today. Same all around great service once again (been here multiple times). Highly recommended.

Bought 2 boards (HiFly Matrix S and Free 279), 1 mast, bunch of other windsurf gear. Simply awesome experience! Tom and Kirk were always there to provide helpful insight on any question I had. I can see myself coming here often in the future when my urge to buy new gear comes back!
For future customers, the beach you should go to is Cabrillo Beach. Don’t park where ALL the cars are. Look for the way to get to the fishing pier area or just look at the light house. Find the road that gets you there. Can’t miss it.

Captain Kirk’s is just great: service, friendliness, and price. You can’t go wrong. Kirk and Tom give terrific advice and I trust their judgment. If you are in for learning windsurfing or kite sailing during the winter, be sure to ask about Kirk’s Baja operation at La Ventana. A wonderful setting and great sailing. On my 2012 January visit, I had good wind every single day for 8 days.

I had an issue with my car and was not able to make it to the time I was scheduled for. I asked him if it was possible to reschedule and he VERY RUDELY said no. He didn’t care in the slightest about my car problems and told me I’d have to repay the full amount for another lesson. No compassion or understanding for another human being. I do NOT recommend this company based on the management and ownership of a complete jerk.

I’m not sure why this establishment would offer Groupon. I called to make my reservations over 3 weeks ago. I was told that most of the weekends were sold out, so we settled on Sept 4. Kirk told me that before we could confirm, he would get a group together and notify by phone. I received a message on ⁸⁄₂₄ letting me know that Sept 4^th was on and to call back and confirm. I called within 45 minutes, spoke to Kirk and confirmed that we would be there. On September 4^th, I woke up at 7am, drove 30 minutes from my home, and when I got there was told that I didn’t have a reservation and that there was no room for me and my friend! Kirk asked what number I called, who I spoke to and if I had the right business. I played back the message he left me on my cell phone and I also showed him my call history to let him know I called. He told me he was full and had no more equiptment. HE ONLY HAS FIVE BOARDS PEOPLE! IN A POPULATION OF OVER 4 MILLION, ONLY FIVE BOARDS. Who only has five boards? Really?! SO, HE SENT US HOME! NO APOLOGY, NO ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT RIGHT NOTHING! So this is what I suggest if you plan on going on this excursion. CALL AT LEAST 10 TIMES TO MAKE SURE YOUR RESERVATION IS CORRECT! BECAUSE HE ONLY HAS FIVE BOARDS. And really do you need a lesson? You can just rent a board and go.

Just dealing with these people on the phone is an experience in rudeness that managed to frustrate me away from their store completely. Cannot recommend to anyone.

Took a beginners Windsurfing lesson here this weekend. Our instructor Bill was very knowledgeable and did a thorough review of all the basics on shore with us before setting us off to sail. The wind was just right for a beginner and we were able to get a really good feel for what we were doing. I would definitely want to windsurf again and maybe take a second lesson at Captin Kirks. The store is no-​frills but the semi-​private class is just right. Excellent way to try windsurfing locally. They provide all the equipment for the class, wetsuit rental is $ 10.