Portland Kayak Company — Local services in Portland

I signed myself and my dad up for a beginner’s kayak class to get him comfortable for an upcoming trip. Our instructor, Rose, was the best! Rose was patient, funny, genuinely jovial and taught us and our classmates everything we needed to know to have a great day on the Willamette. This is actually the second time I’ve paid for lessons at PKC, and I would recommend them to anyone without hesitation. If you’re curious about kayaking or want to learn the proper basics to impress your friends on the water, you’ll have a great experience at Portland Kayak Company! And for those who like details: Classes include the kayak, paddle, and PFD. I recommend bringing at minimum a dry bag to protect your phone/keys/wallet, but you can also leave items in the back office. Don’t forget a water bottle or bladder and a snack! Parking is easiest at nearby Willamette Park, which is metered via ParkingKitty. You’ll also be carting your rental kayak down the sidewalk along Macadam briefly down to the Willamette Park boat launch, as well as back to the shop after the lesson. The beginner class is 3 hours total. The first ~45 minutes are on land and go over boat basics (the keel, bow/stern, paddler’s box, etc.) and safety...

Showed up at Portland Kayak looking for my first composite kayak. I've toured with roto-molded kayaks but was a complete beginner in the world of composites. I'd spend several years dreaming about Stellar's and thought I knew exactly what I wanted. John and his crew made themselves more than available. I was never rushed. We looked at quite a few kayaks in the lineup. John expertly explained the differences with each and after listening to my goals and dream trips recommended a kayak from the lineup that I had not considered. Part of the discussion, of course, was price, these kayaks are not cheap! Again, John listened to everything I had to say and found the same kayak in a previous model year that was discounted! When an unanticipated shipping delay occurred, John had the kayak delivered by pickup! Fast forward- several paddles in the Strait of Juan De Fuca (few surf landings), Wallipa Bay and Puget Sound, I could not be happier! Operating without a keel strip would have been nuts and the wider boat handles the larger waves expertly. Thanks again to everyone at...

Me and my girlfriend had an awesome time paddleboarding on the memorial holiday weekend. First time for ma but she seems to get the hang of it pretty quickly. We made reservations and stopped by to pickup the paddleboards. They were so helpful in showing us how to handle the equipment and transport it. They gave very clear instructions and seems very knowledgeable of the weather conditions for the day. 5heybwere able to assist me in getting a dry bag as to keep my stuff from getting damages in the water. We had a great experience and will continue to come back. It was so easy to transport the equipment to and from the river. Just a short walk and your there. We are going to continue to practice and we are renting from them again soon. If you want to get out on the river during these hot summer months I definitely recommend choosing Portland Kayak co. They know there stuff and are very helpful in making your...