Going to Maui

[pedalsteel]

Im an intermediate sailor (50%+ jibes, small chop) going to Maui for the 1st time. Were staying on the West side of the island. Im looking for info on suggested areas which would be suitable to my ability with consisitant 5.0 conditions. Also, any suggestions for rental shops. Were going in late August. Anyone have any ideas.
Thanks

[isobars]

Yes: Dont stay on the west side. Kaanapali means something like land of the merciless sun, and its not kidding. Its all heat, no wind, and a LONG ways from any windsurfing gear or water. (The map lies, because the issue is not just miles, its TRAFFIC.) Stay on the windward side or in Kihei, and drive to Kaanapali once for the great $$hopping and food.

Im sure a Google inquiry of Maui windsurfing will reveal all the rental places, including Hi Tech, Hawaiian Island Windsurfing, etc. And the place for you to sail is Kanaha, maybe Kihei if your water starts are 1,000% trustworthy in chest-high chopswell.

5.0 is pretty common wind there if youre a heavyweight; 4.5 or so if average weight. The difference is negligible, as the right-sized sail provides more or less the same amount of power whether its a 7.0 or a 3.0. The difference will be the amount of chop/swell, which will be an eye-opener if youre a lake sailor. If by 50% jibes you mean planing all the way through half your jibes ... congratulations; youre an advanced sailor, not an intemediate.
Your jibing percentage will drop to about uno in the chop in Maui if youre accustomed to chop under knee-high, but dont sweat it; its good training, its quite a reality check, and its all fun. At Kanaha theres nothin but beach downwind, so you cant get in real trouble unless you sail out so far you cant see Hawaii any more.

Mike \m/

[spyder]

You are entering a world of great windsurfing, Maui is awesome.

Think Kanaha and Kihei.
It usually is blowing good for Kanaha, but if it dies, Kihei may blow.

Best advice I can offer, remember to bend your knees in the chop. Youll get a lot out of this trip.

Shops:
Hi-Tech
Maui Windsurf Co.
Hawaiian Island
Second Wind

Also a whole package can be obtained from Vela.
http://www.velawindsurf.com/

[erickmj]

Staying on the West side is not conducive with windsurfing. You cant go wrong sailing at Kanaha, and rental shops near Kanaha are prolific. The pricing is all about the same, just the equipment manufacturers differ.

[tjmiller76]

Pedalsteel,

Im making my 1st trip to Maui on Sunday, and would guess that Im around your skill level (fewer jibes, but larger chop/swell). Im staying on the northshore right on the beach between Kanaha & Sprecks, and renting thru Vela/Neil Pryde.

Ill post an update about my experience on this thread, so take a look after 7/25.

Aloha,
Tom

[scottwilton45]

You will have such a great time! I went for 8 days in the first week of September a couple of years ago and didnt miss a single day, most afternoons were 4.0 and nothing bigger than 5.0. Besides the windsurfing, there was an unbelievable variety of things to do. When you can kayak, bike, hang out at great places, snorkel, hike, etc. and still get in at least a couple hours of windsurfing a day, it cant be better.

So, be sure to plan on other activities because there is so much. Heres how: Stay near Kihei, its central to beaches in Makena (dont miss them), Lahaina, sailing at Kanaha, Sprecks, or Kihei. We stayed at Sugar Beach Resort and it was really nice, not too close to the congestion in the rest of Kihei, its located on the outskirts, very close to the main road across the island from Kanaha (20 minute drive tops)easy to get to every place on the island, except Hana. Thats a great trip if you leave early!

Rent a full size van, white beats the heat, that way you can leave gear in the van and not spend so much time packing & unpacking. I brought a sailbag with my favorite 3 sails, masts, bring one boom. Rent a package from any shop, its easy and convenient to exchange boards for the right conditions and fill in a couple sail sizes. If you are travelling with somebody that doesnt want to drive a van all the time, rent a car, too. I cant stress enough how important the van is to free yourself from the hassle with gear when you want to have the freedom and flexibility to have fun with other activities. Go ahead and splurg, its worth it.

You should have fun mostly at Kanaha (it is the most beautiful windsurfing location Ive ever been to), but dont miss Kihei if the winds are right. Try Sprecks if you are feeling confident. Kanaha should have great big rolling swells outside the reef. Just make sure you have a strong waterstart, and jibing will be fun when you slide down those big swells. Look out for turtles! The water is unbelievably blue and warm. The greatest part is you dont have to hang out at the beach waiting for wind. The trades are so consistent at that time of year, you can have a blast doing everything else and still get hours of great windsurfing.

Have fun! I wish I could be there at the same time but my vacation this summer will be in the Rocky Mountains, so maybe next year!

[tjmiller76]

Well Pedalsteel - in case you check back on this thread, here is my report on my recent (and first) trip to Maui (7/15-7/25):

WAY WINDY! I stayed in a house just up from Kanaha, and it was 4.0-4.5 everyday. I often found myself waiting for the wind to subside, although this was apparently a very windy stretch.

Id suggest going to Kanaha Park, or the Sprecks launch (ask a local shop for directions to Sprecks). Its best to get to Kanaha by noon to get a good parking spot.

Be ready to learn how to get thru breaking waves at the reef, it was a challenge for me at first. Once thru the break, there was some wonderful swell (some days mast high). Inside of the reef, if was fairly flat.

The Kanaha iWindsurf sensor definitely read much lower than what I saw on the water. It usually read around 20 knots when I was plenty powered on a 4.0-4.5.

Wear booties in case you fall in the reef (sharp coral!). Watch out for shallow reefs at low tide. Rent small stuff. Watch out for the guys looping near you (they dont always land where planned). Dont worry about your jibe percentage. Enjoy the warm, clear water.

Well, my arms are still recovering. Have Fun!

[pfriel]

Hi! weve been going to Maui for 11years, renting from Hi-tech, they have been very good. You might consider renting one of Al Wests windsurfing vans, they are equipped with inside racks, which makes life a lot easier. You didnt mention where on the west side you are staying. If you are already committed to staying on the west side, you will have a drive to sail. If you can stay in another area, you can sail from the Maui Sunset condosin Kihei, or get lodging on the North shore that is very near Kanaha. Maui Windsurfari does agreat job of putting everything together. It does sometimes blow on the west side, but not too often, and conditions can be difficult. Kihei will be closer to you than Kanaha. There is a small park across from Ohukai st. that most people sail at. Kihei is best when the wind is a little north at Kanaha, and can be good sometimes when the North shore is too light. Keep in mind that Kihei is side-off, if you go out a couple of miles and break down it can be a long way home. Kanaha, on the other hand is side- to side- on. Contrary to previous posts, theres not usually much swell or wave action on the north shore in the summer, its actually more likely on the south side. expect conditions from 3.5 to 5.5, rig accordingly. You will have a great time.