air gnarly brian ray master instructor Air's master instructor has more experience teaching kiteboarding
than any one in our company.
His positive and relaxed views on life make
him the house favorite with students... as long as you're not a donkey ;-)
vitals
with air since: 2003
kiting since: 2001 alive since:1969
Brian has been air's head summer instructor for years. He has more experience teaching than anyone. His incredible relaxed view on life and his unique ability to disappear suddenly every fall and then reappear sometime late spring always has us on our toes.
Brian hangs with us during the summer, then heads west and down to Baja to hibernate in the solid winds. Spring approaches and he's usually spotted around South Padre, Texas...only to find himself at our doorstop not long after.
nickname: air gnarly, brain ray, or simply BIG-BRI
Don't let this name fool you, Brian is one of the nicest guys on the team. However, his ability and love for repairing kites and boards, that most would consider condemned, is quite spectacular. Give him any old kite and board, he'll fix it up and show everyone how it's done.
mantra you live by
Don't be a donkey –Brian Ray
teach
instructor basics
why you became an instructor .Traveling and getting paid to hang out at the beach,
it's a no brainer!
tip for kiters wanting to improve Don't just ride back and forth and do donkey jumps with a grab. Step outside the box. Crashing is cool!
tip for those kiters just starting out Having your' ego ground into the dirt is part of the deal when learning this thing, so get over it.I believe I still hold the World Kite Swimming and National Hindenburg records. Thats right,...I sucked!
kiteboarding certifications PASA, Advanced First Aid, CPR, Coast Guard Safety
style
my riding
favorite gear setup 10m North Vegas and a 137 freestyle board. For the waves, a strapless 6'3" Rusty thruster.
favorite kiteboard moves Backside, unhooked one-handed fishing pole of the lip downloop to layback tube ride(conditions permitting!)
hardest trick you're working on now I'm wrk on-fishing pole f-16 to revert with a downlooped surface 180 handle-pass. I know this is a pretty easy move, but give me a break. I'm a 230lb, 38 year old bald guy...and to hear me tell it, I ALMOST pulled this move(too bad I stalled the kite during the surface 180, crashed, let go of the bar while accidentally triggering the quick release and my kite blew away onto the beach and into the bushes!)
kiteboarding influences Flash Austin, Ruben Lenten, Aaron Hadlow, Max Bo, Dale and Noah.
NON-kiteboarding influences Mickey Dora, Micheal Peterson,Tom Curren , Kelly Slater(surfing legends), Eric Cartmann from South Park, Yoda and my Dad.
worst kitemare See hardest trick I'm working on! (ok...so I've really had much worse kitemares...but those are classified!)
guide
personal ride guide
favorite Charleston riding spot Station 28 1/2 at low tide AKA The Bath
favorite riding spot outside Charleston Punta San Carlos, Baja
favorite riding conditions 30 knot side-off wind with double-overhead point surf for waves and 25 knot butter flat for freestyle with 2 foot kickers on the outside.
places kited Southern California, Baja California(both coasts),South Eastern US, South Padre Island TX.
kiteboarding trips planned I'm not a big planner. I typically make a decision and am en route within 48 hours. My next trip will probably involve a barely running vehicle, three months worth of top ramen and beans and a windblown point break in Baja with a budget that most wouln't deem worthy for a weeknt trip to Folly Beach! Don't feel sorry for me. I'll have the last laugh!
other
non-kiting notes
other sports & hobbies Surfing, Sci-Fi and the History Chanel.
something outside of kiting most would not know I believe that Humans are the direct decendants of space aliens. If you need proof then watch Adam's son Alec very closely. It is quite apparent that he is of the GRAY galactic species and that he has shape-changing capabilities.
favorite color blue
favorite food tacos or anything else from Taco Bell
favorite music RamStein
bests stupid human trick Ask to see the magic tooth . . .
located near & kiteboarding in historic Charleston, SC in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina serving
charleston, sc - myrtle
beach, sc - beaufort, sc - hilton head island, sc - savanah, ga - south
carolina lowcountry
