Testimonials

What an awesome class my husband and I had with Rob today for our SUP certification. His course curriculum covered all that we need to feel confident to teach a class to our clients at Union Paddle and Row. Our time in the water was invaluable as we perfected our strokes in both calm and choppy water. The rescue portion of our class was presented in such a way we all left prepared and ready if need be. I would recommend this class to all. The entire day was incredible!
Ann S., Union Paddle & Row

I’ve been a sea kayak guide and instructor for 40 years and decided to pursue it here in the Northwest. Rob taught me in a couple of hours a whole quiver of skills to work on. He gave me his take on SUP vs. kayaking, which is not either or, but just an amphibious extension of FUN.
David Steel, Vashon Island

I was impressed by Rob’s thorough knowledge of the skills required to handle a stand up board. He explained the different paddle strokes and made it easy to understand. Rob’s attention and guidance to safety gave me further confidence in his skills as an instructor that I could trust.

Shaun Vine, Seattle and Durban, South Africa

One week before the Round the Rock race, I was in need of an extra edge to perform my best. Rob travelled to my home waters and coached me on a couple things that turned out to be really helpful at the RTR and many races after.
Sean Thomas, Issaquah

We felt comfortable with Rob right away. The first thing he talked about was safety, and it was a theme that he continually touched on throughout the lesson. We then spent some time talking about equipment and some theory. Then it was time to get in the water. The lesson was great. It was just the two of us (I think he limits his lessons to 4 people) and we were physically on the water for about 2 hours. It didn’t take long to see Rob’s genuine love and enthusiasm for the sport and how he wanted to share that with us. He clearly knows what he’s talking about and you can also tell that he enjoys teaching. He followed up with us after in the days after the lesson to ask how things were and how he could improve his lesson. All things that contribute to a good teacher and a good lesson.
Alex W.

Rob’s patience was great and the pace perfect for me. He broke concepts down into easy chunks and was a great communicator.

Reid Warner, Seattle

Rob’s personalized instruction greatly improved my skills and gave me the confidence to become fully immersed in stand up paddling. There are plenty of SUP classes out there, most with very large groups and not a lot of one-on-one time. Rob’s classes are small and customized to suit your specific needs and perfect for those who really want to learn the ins and outs of the Pacific NW’s perfect sport.
Paul Edmonson, Seattle

A friend and I took a lesson from Rob. First, I really felt comfortable with him from the beginning. Rob made sure we had the proper gear for Puget Sound. He lent us life jackets and was detailed and patient when teaching us safety techniques. The first 30 minutes of the lesson was just safety and paddling techniques on the sand, which probably saved us a couple hours of flopping around in the water trying to learn it on our own.
Sean Lee

When in the Seattle and surrounding area, this is the go to guy for SUPing. Rob knows his stuff, has written books on the subject and is a certified instructor trainer. He is always helping me out with instruction and tips on becoming a better SUPer. He is knowledgeable in all areas of SUPing from flatwater to surf, I would highly recommend Rob and his company.
Scott, Utah

I took a basics class from Rob last year which really improved my understanding of the sport, and then a few weeks ago I took the SUP Surfing class which not only got me surfing (which is the most fun ever!), but it gave me a new set of skills that keeps developing every time I get back in the water.

Kaleo Quenzer

I’ve gone SUP on my own a few times but felt I might be lacking in some basics. I got a lesson from Rob and it exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Not only does he give all the strokes you may need in various situations, I also learned about equipment, safety, tides and currents, how to transport and hold my board. Little things that made a huge difference because I’m prepared in every area. Now I can just concentrate on having fun when I hit the water.
Sean F.

I learned not only how to improve my paddling skills but also how to read the water better, how to train more efficiently and most importantly not to forget to look up and enjoy being on the water. If you are in the market for a lesson I would highly recommend Rob.
Troy Nebecker, Bellevue