About UsAbout Us
Additional links: Store & Rental Base Hours and Locations | Job Openings | Policy
When you come to Southwind Kayak Center for the first time, you'll find a giant assortment of kayaks, canoes and every sort of paddling accessory imaginable. Our huge inventory of boats has been carefully chosen to represent the world's best - boats that will suit your paddling needs and styles, and boats that will comfortably fit your body shape and size. Our selection is designed to fit every budget. We have a demo boat for almost every model on display, so you can try it before you buy it! Then, when you have selected a model, you'll find an assortment of colors from which you can choose from. You'll rarely have to wait for a special order to get the boat you want with the color you want. Brands we carry include Current Designs, Hobie, Native Watercraft, Wilderness Systems, Advanced Elements, Dagger, Feathercraft, Mad River Canoe, Northwest Kayaks, Perception, San Juan, SEDA, Wave Sport, and We-no-nah.
We also stock a wide variety of paddling accessories, add-ons, and gear - products that will further enhance your paddling experience. Aside from our store, we offer lessons and tours, guided trips, and kayak rentals in southern California. We have a on-the-water rental location at Newport Beach, close to our 5000 square foot Irvine showroom/store. Each year we also host several fishing tournaments. Be sure to stay up-to-date with our events (see our calendar or yearly schedule of events) and specials & sales on kayaks and kayaking products.
Trips and classes are an opportunity for you to develop your kayaking skills. Since Southwind guides are also professional sea kayak instructors, we can work with you on any aspect of your paddling, from refining your basic touring strokes to developing surf landing techniques and rock-garden skills, both during our daily stroke clinics and with one-on-one coaching. When you are ready to learn, we're eager to teach. Our guides are also very experienced at kayak camping. Let us show you the easy way to pack your kayak so you can live out of it comfortably for days at a time.
We are proud of our staff of friendly and highly trained professional kayakers - all life-style paddlers, paddling for work and for pleasure too. On any day you might find us out surfing, coastal touring, bird watching or river kayaking. Please use our collective experience to help you choose gear, classes and trips. Just let us know what kind of paddling you do (or want to do), your past experience, your budget, and any preferences you have. We'll guide you through the selection process so you will feel confident that you are getting equipment that is right for you.
Job OpeningsInterested in becoming an integral part of the Southwind style?
Become part of Southwind's fine team! We are now hiring part time or full time instructor guides, store sales
staff, as well as students for year 'round and seasonal part-time work. Please check out these positions then
stop by or contact our general manager, John Upchurch, at 1-800-SOUTHWIND.
The Southwind Staff
Harold Tervort enjoys touring and camping from his kayak. He focuses on the details of kayaking, from
techniques to equipment design and materials. While touring is his main passion, Harold also enjoys kayaking
in surf and sea caves. He has been a full-time Southwind instructor/guide for thirteen years.
John Upchurch is our great General Manager, keeping most everything around Southwind humming
smoothly. John has paddled canoes and kayaks, both in white water and ocean and lakes for a couple of decades.
His current passion is fishing from a kayak, whether in lakes or coastal waters. You'll see him out in Tarpons,
Pungos and the Tempest.is our great General Manager, keeping most everything around Southwind humming smoothly.
John has paddled canoes and kayaks, both in white water and ocean and lakes for a couple of decades. His current
passion is fishing from a kayak, whether in lakes or coastal waters. You'll see him out in Tarpons, Pungos and
the Tempest.
Lynn Haskell as a young girl always searched for puddles of water to play in because it was so
much fun for her. So, she just kept on playing around the water - exploring the Florida Everglades by canoe,
kayaking the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, crewing on California's
official tall ship, hiking and kayaking Utah's Canyonlands National Park. Most of all, she enjoys sharing the fun
of kayaking our local coastal areas and the Channel Islands with others... come join her and the others at
Southwind Kayak Center for some great kayaking programs and adventures!
In addition to our full-time instructors, Southwind has a fine staff of part-time but very professional "weekend warriors." They add an exciting flare and competence to our team.
Instructors
Robyn Adams - Bill Hare - Lynn Haskell - Sandy Giltinan - Scott Hilliard - Bill Jacox - George Manolakas - Mike Pack -
Erica Schoensiegel - Lee Starnes - Tom Testerman
Our rental bases are staffed with friendly and helpful paddlers to get you on the water and having fun.
Rental Dock Staff
William Collins - Michael Ellis - Tyler Lewis - Fredericka Ong - Preston Ong - Jonathan Smith - Chris Stiles.
Behind the Scenes
Southwind is proud to have an office staff to keep our administrative functions and web site
humming. These include Andy Banh as our web developer/data entry and Ruth Hsu as our bookkeeper.
Southwind's founders, Doug and Joanne Schwartz, have enjoyed working with our paddling friends on the water and in the store for 20 wonderful years. They are now off planning kayak expeditions throughout North America and the world. They will host future slide shows at Southwind, and they hope to see you on the water!