Hood River has become famous, not only for its perfect downwinding conditions but also the Sternwheeler. A boat that creates an outstanding foil wave. Kjell van Sice tells us all about it.

Sitting high and dry as the forecast threatens winter’s first snow, I can’t help but take a mental look back to warmer times. The urge to share a memorable September session has led me here, tapping away at this keyboard. Strap in for a bit of story time…

Maybe you’ve heard of it, perhaps you’ve even been lucky enough to ride it. By the time September 8th rolled around this year, riding the Sternwheeler in the Columbia River Gorge was wedged firmly at the top of my foiling bucket list. While the boat itself is cool, it’s more so what it leaves behind that’s piqued my interest for so long. Thanks to the unique paddle wheel at its stern, this boat throws a wake of two dozen perfect, symmetrical, forever unbreaking waves that are a mind surfing canvas. Canoes, SUPs, surfskis, and hydrofoils can often be seen gathering in droves, like bees to honey, just prior to the Sternwheeler’s daily summertime cruises down the river. With a nearly endless supply of waves, many can share in the Sternwheeler’s artificial surf party. At hardly any other surf spot would you see such a diverse mix of watercraft and good vibes.

Driving the 40 or so minutes from Hood River to Cascade Locks with our Armstrong crew in tow, I couldn’t help feeling just a bit giddy that my first Sternwheeler session was finally on. Not only were we looking at prime, glassy evening conditions, but I had some terrific new gear under my feet to boot. While Kevin and Ron fired up the skis, sleds fully loaded with bodies and foils, Oskar and I hopped on our downwind SUP foil boards and made our way – slowly and precariously – over toward the middle of the river. Like everything in the Gorge, the underwater features at Cascade Locks are absolutely massive. House-size boulders, mere feet under the surface, drive whipping currents and boils. Not easy to paddle through on an 80L, 19” board. Adopting a brace position kept me upright, but I can’t say Oskar had the same luck. Next time! Setting up ahead of the Sternwheeler’s 5:30pm dockside departure, we were joined by the F-One crew on their skis, foils in hand – the more the merrier.

As the Sternwheeler shoved off, it tooted its horn and we were off to the races. The skis pulled up our team who were strapped to the new low volume WKT foil boards. On our SUPs, Oskar and I whipped into the second and third wakes. Unexpectedly, I was hit by massive underwater turbulence and nearly thrown off my board. I hadn’t thought the Sternwheeler’s paddle wheel would create so many bubbles – it felt like riding through a continuous stream of whitewater. Banking hard, I looped back to wake 10 or so, finding the water there much smoother and more rideable. Party time! Safe to say the whole crew rode until our legs gave out. There’s nothing like watching your buddies shred to make for an amazingly memorable experience. I’ll let Armstrong team rider Cash Berzolla have the final word… 

“Riding the Sternwheeler in Hood River was definitely one of the sickest and trippiest experiences of my life. Even though it was a little windy that day, the crew made it work and it was still all time. Before this day, I had never been able to ride the Sternwheeler, so I was super grateful I was able to make it to this one. While the Sternwheeler is meant for sightseers, watermen like the Armstrong crew and I are able to take advantage of chipping into the 1 foot wake the ship has to offer. Being able to ride alongside fellow riders like Mateo Ell, Oskar Johansson, and Kjell van Sice was super awesome. Just being able to see other people pushing the sport of foiling allows me to push my limits and try new things. In addition to the Armstrong crew the F-One guys showed up and shared some of their local knowledge about this mysto wake. For me in particular, being able to see how locals like Chris McDonald and his dad Mr. McDonald functioned and rode the everlasting wave was incredible. There is nothing like watching the pros, especially the people who grew up in that particular spot. Local knowledge is the best knowledge in my opinion, so being able to observe them at one of their home spots really helps me understand the best way to ride and perform effectively in that area. 

As the Sternwheeler got going, it became apparent where we would be riding. I was completely baffled to see more than fifteen wakes beginning to form behind the boat. Even though my expectations were high, I was definitely not expecting it to have as many wakes as it did. As it motored slowly up the Gorge, we began to tow in using jet ski assist. Armstrong's new WKT boards made the wake feel like a mini skate park, and the boys were ripping. 

When I first saw the WKT line, I was a tad skeptical. Armstrong had never made a board so thin before and I was concerned about its durability. Knowing how previous gear from Armstrong handles, I had faith that it was going to be the next big thing. My prediction was correct and the board completely blew away my expectations. Covering the board from nose to tail, carbon lines on the deck and underbelly of the board to make it very light and super durable. Perfect for towing, we put the WKTs to the test and cruised behind the Sternwheeler. Being able to be on a new board that was completely different from any of the other foil boards I had tried was an absolute blast. The best thing I found about the new boards and the Sternwheeler in general was how you could go from a chill standing position to then ripping back and forth with all your buddies on a seemingly endless wave. 

All and all, the trip to Hood River was an amazing experience and I hope I can go back next year. If you are planning or are in the Hood River area I would highly recommend getting a few buddies together and checking out the Sternwheeler! Special thank you Armstrong for making this trip possible!”

By Kjell van Sice

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