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Windsurfing Kauai?
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CUSalin



Joined: 11 Mar 2001
Posts: 405
Location: Hood River, OR

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 5:41 pm    Post subject: Windsurfing Kauai? Reply with quote

Hi, Can anybody suggest good mid-May launch and windsurfing site(s) on Kauai for experienced Gorge Sailor.

Gear Rentals?

Thx in advance and CU Sailin' !

Smile

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MCDORO



Joined: 15 Nov 1993
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know if there has ever been a shop on Kauai. NorthEast side of the island is pretty good for trades, but they are lighter and less reliable than Maui, probably due to the topography of Kauai itself...
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tomg



Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 294

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Couple of years back i visited and saw kiters off the eastern side (north of the airport bout five miles) and the wind looked sweet. As for rentals? don't know.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dumptrucks just next to Tunnels is the side offshore outside reef, can be big and fast, DTL sailing. Tunnels is where BethHamilton got bit.
Anini Beach at Kaliehwai is inside the reef beg/intermediate sailing, rentals there, restricted to inside the reef.
Mahalapuu is on the NE side of the island, past Lihue Airport, similar looking wind and waves to Sylt.
We used to sail just N of the Airport, but not since '00.
I sailed Middles at Hanalei. Really wanted to tackle Hanalei, but it was too holey and packed with surfers at the bowl. Flat rock would have probably been too fast DTL with the avaiilible wind, and regular takeoff at Hanalei always draws a surfer crowd of over 20 when it's head high and up. Since I'm a surfer also, or was, I can't invade their space...but I have sailed SunsetBeach, Lanikea, Chums, Velzyland, and EhukaiBeachPark on Oahu before it was in issue.
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok I live here, not a big windsurfing place, more so back in the day.
Zero Zip Nada gear rentals.
There are probably a couple dozen windsurfers on the whole island, mostly old timers, at 48 I'm an upstart beginner.
Main spots are Haena on the North shore, that's tunnels beach by the YMCA camp, it's a point that sticks way out and gets the trades crosswind really well, it's rough and choppy with waves.
Middles at Hanalei bay is an uncrowded wave that can be good but only if it's blowing really well. It's known for being holey and gusty.
Anini beach gets the wind side on but it's too shallow all but high tide and better have short fins.
The whole east side has an offshore reef with an inner lagoon and gets the trades straight onshore but it's mostly too shallow, pretty good kiteboarding however.
There are some good spots near Poipu on the south side, so I hear.
This place is all about regular surfing and SUPing.
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MalibuGuru



Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 9293

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I spent a month there (August) and sailed every day. We even got some swells on both the N shore and S shores. S shore is Poipu (port tack). Tunnels was my favorite spot. Best to pack your wave board and 3 sails, boom and mast into 1 bag and ship over. Make sure not to forget something. I spend a lot of time on Maui, but would really like to get back over to Kauai again before I'm too old.

If you have to go over, take your own gear. It will cost between $2-300 if you pack smart, and is well worth it. Best to take a larger sail and small/medium if you only have room for 2. The wind is lighter than Maui, but can rock in the summer.

Maui can be very crowded. Kauai sure sounds peaceful for a change.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good stuff, I"m glad there are more than a handful of us who've sailed Kaui.
I passed on Acid, Longhouse, and that whole tourist/surfer area due to surfer crowds. Just farther along the road, that famous "perfect" left of yore, past the old cow pasture, thru the trees, holds fond surfsailing memories, although backside wave riding when I was there.
But I guess almost every spot anywhere there is water and wind can field a great day if you go enough days, and have the time.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

beaglebuddy hit the nail on the head about windsurfing on Kauai. Actually, Kauai is where I really started windsurfing in 1985. My sister has lived on Kauai since the mid 70s, and I used to visit regularly for surfing. But during a trip in 85, I borrowed an old custom built 12' board and a 5.3 pinhead sail from my brother-in-law and I taught myself to windsurf at Anini Beach.

In a couple of subsequent trips in the late 80s, I rented equipment at the Hanalei Trader on the North Shore and launched at a private residence on the beach next to the Y Camp. In my view, it was the ultra primo location to windsurf on the North Shore, although the reefs were a bit tricky to navigate. In my last trip in 2000, I sailed Middles at Hanalei Bay, and at Mahaulepu on the South Shore. The latter spot is a bit tricky being a port tack wave spot with a shallow reef, but it's one of the better higher wind spots on Kauai. Also, from what I understand, there is also windsurfing at the Salt Pond on the South Side, but I've never sailed it.

These days, there are really no rentals, so you need to take your own stuff. If the wind doesn't blow, Kauai has some of the best surfing in the islands, to include a lot of killer hiking trails everywhere on the island. You'll never know how cool the Hawaiian Islands are unless you spend some time on Kauai. Not as windy as Maui, but overall, the experience can unquestionably be the best that the Hawaii Islands can offer.
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dsgrntlxmply



Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some years ago, Celeste Harvel and Foster Ducker (separately) did beginner instruction at Anini Beach, and had some amount of at least beginner gear that they would bring to the beach by appointment. I do not know if either of them are still doing this.
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MalibuGuru



Joined: 11 Nov 1993
Posts: 9293

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Celeste is still there. But only beginner gear in the bay. 808-828-6838
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