The Windance Legacy: From Maui Waves to Gorge Glory – A Tale of Windsurfing Pioneers and Foiling Futures - Episode #102
In the heart of Hood River, Oregon, where the Columbia River Gorge channels fierce winds into a playground for adrenaline seekers, stands Windance – a legendary board shop that’s been the beating heart of wind sports for over four decades. Founded in the early 1980s amid the explosive rise of windsurfing, this unassuming storefront has weathered industry booms, busts, and evolutions, from choppy river swells to the sleek glide of modern foils. Through the voices of its stewards – founder Brian Carlstrom, former owner Dave Nunn, and current proprietor Nick – the story of Windance unfolds as a captivating chronicle of passion, innovation, and community in the world of wind-driven adventure.
The Origins: A Reggae-Inspired Leap into the Wind
Brian Carlstrom’s journey to Windance began not in the Gorge, but in the salty bays of Seattle and the sun-drenched shores of Maui. Growing up overlooking a bay where early windsurfing prototypes danced on the water in the late 1960s, Brian was hooked from afar. “I used to think those things look like so much fun,” he recalls. But it wasn’t until a trip to France in his teens, where he and a friend braved windsurfing lessons in a chilly bay under the guidance of a Zodiac boat and incomprehensible French shouts, that the obsession took hold.
Back in Seattle, a teenage Brian dabbled in entrepreneurship with “The Sailboard Store,” a short-lived venture that sold nothing but taught him everything. By 1981, he was on Maui, the nascent epicenter of windsurfing, living in a $325-a-month cottage in Paia next to legends like Mike Waltz and Alex Aguera. “We were plugged into the whole North Shore windsurfing scene,” Brian says. He worked odd jobs at the Maui Marriott, fixed booms and masts in Craig Masonville’s High-Tech Sailboards shop, and witnessed the birth of wave-riding innovations like “choppers” – shortened boards that revolutionized the sport at Ho’okipa.
But Maui’s competitive shop scene pushed Brian toward a new horizon. Hearing tales of ripping winds in the Columbia River Gorge from fellow windsurfers, he visited in 1983 and was sold. “The wind just rips,” he remembers hearing. Securing a humble space in an old dynamite-hauling warehouse for $250 a month from landlord Harry English – a character who once drove semi-loads of explosives through Portland – Brian opened Windance. The name? A nod to his love of reggae, inspired by a Seattle band called Sundance. “Windance – that’s the name I’m going to choose.”
In those early days, Windance was a fix-it haven for a burgeoning community. “Everything was falling apart,” Brian laughs. The shop built custom boards, replaced universal joints by the dozen, and stocked brands like Chinook, North Sails, and Ampro masts – the unbreakable “pole vault” poles that dominated Ho’okipa. Consignment gear filled the space, and swap meets became a staple, drawing crowds to the dirt parking lot (later paved by Harry himself). The 1984 Gorge Pro-Am event exploded the scene, turning the Gorge into a global hotspot. “From ’83 to ’84, the number of people went tenfold,” Brian notes. Even Robbie Naish brought his board in for repairs – though he guarded it like treasure.
The Revival: Expanding Horizons with Kites and Swaps
By 2007, after 25 years at the helm, Brian was ready to pass the baton. Enter Dave Nunn, a former stockbroker turned windsurfing devotee from Toronto. Dave had already built his own empire with BoardSports (formerly Wind Promotions), Canada’s first windsurfing store, where he championed brands like Mistral and Naish. “I couldn’t concentrate at work – I’d be looking out at Lake Ontario to see if I could bust out early and sail,” Dave admits. Selling BoardSports in the mid-2000s, he relocated to the Gorge and seized the opportunity to buy Windance.
Dave inherited a storied but slightly faded shop. “It had slipped a little from its peak,” he says, but the legendary name endured. He renovated the space, revived the iconic swap meets – chaotic Sunday gatherings where sellers claimed parking spots for $10 and hawked gear – and expanded into kiting, a sport he’d pioneered in North America. “I saw Laird Hamilton hide his prototype kite on Maui,” Dave recounts. Adding kites bridged the windsurf-kite divide, drawing back customers who’d switched sports. “We quickly added kiting – it was a huge opportunity.”
Under Dave, Windance embraced the foil revolution. In 2019, at the AWSI trade show in Hood River, F-One unveiled the Swing Wing and Rocket board. “It looked a little Costco at first,” Dave chuckles, but its efficiency – shorter learning curve, female participation jumping to 30-40% – made it a game-changer. Brands like Slingshot followed, innovating with quick-disconnect systems. Online sales surged to over half the business, consignment boomed, and community events like kiter-only swaps (with free beer) fostered inclusivity. “The swap meets are a community event,” Dave emphasizes.
The Modern Era: Digital Waves and Foiling Frontiers
In 2022, Nick, a Vermont native with roots in nonprofit work and wildland firefighting, took the reins. Born in 1984 – the year the Gorge scene exploded – Nick’s path mirrored the sport’s evolution. From fumbling on inland lakes with a VHS tape of Gorge windsurfing (“lots of fluorescent colors”) to kiting in the Bay Area, he always returned to Hood River. “Windance was my favorite shop – the center of the community,” he says.
Respecting the legacy, Nick opted against a rebrand after focus groups confirmed the name’s strength. Instead, he overhauled the digital presence amid post-COVID booms and AI disruptions. “We needed to reach rural areas where winging opens doors,” he explains. E-foils, especially Foil Drive’s bolt-on systems, became top sellers, enabling versatile uses from reef breaks to downwinders. “They’re revolutionary – packable, versatile, and batteries keep improving.”
Looking ahead, Nick eyes para-wings, downwind SUP gear, and innovations like Slingshot’s one-lock foils. “We’re in a renaissance – new sports blossoming without the old frictions,” he enthuses. Community remains key: swaps, expertise, and content to onboard newcomers. As Brian reflects, “It’s great to see it still in action.”
Riding the Wind into Tomorrow
Windance isn’t just a shop; it’s a testament to the enduring thrill of harnessing the wind. From Brian’s Maui-forged beginnings to Dave’s kite-fueled revival and Nick’s tech-savvy expansion, it embodies the Gorge’s spirit – innovative, resilient, and communal. As foiling evolves and new gadgets like e-foils and para-wings push boundaries, Windance stands ready, inviting riders old and new to dance with the wind. Whether you’re chasing swells at the Hatchery or gearing up for your first foil, this iconic spot promises: the adventure never stops. Visit Hood River, swing by Windance, and dive into the full story by listening to the episode on the Foil Life podcast for exclusive insights from Brian, Dave, and Nick.