Instructors in Maui

alleycat · Since 29 Jun 2006 176 Posts Portland Stoked

Hey everyone a friend is going to Maui and plans to take kitesurfing lessons. Anyone teaching there that also instructs in the Gorge during the summer that could be recommended?

Thank you very much.

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

Learning on Maui and in the Gorge is a tough road. The wind is gusty, unpredictable and can make for intimidating conditions to learn. Going somewhere with fan steady wind will do wonders for your learning curve. I learned in a steady wind environment and was light years ahead of peers who only kited maui and the gorge. If you are spending hard earned money to learn to kite on Maui, do yourself a favor and go sOmewhere you will gain maximum skill. South padre, numerous caribbean islands, hatteras in the summer, all are better choices. They give you the solid foundation that helps later when you encounter tricky conditions like Maui and the Gorge.

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1527 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

ya and there are no tigers to snack on you when body dragging in places other than Maui. South Padre is not the prettiest water but more steady wind from what I hear. I learned in Maui and the Gorge. First day in Maui was surf advisory and I could only see the kites dive up and down and disappear in the surf. My first lesson was here is the 5 foot reform. get out past that and then start to kite. Holy crap I have to get out past that to start. Super intimidating-now its fun but not for the new. they only assist you with SUPS at kite beach and that is not enough to give a beginner piece of mind when you are new. I am sure all will disagree with my thougths but there are many other great places to learn when you are new!

jeffwestco · Since 21 Jan 2014 23 Posts

sorry to use my first post to disagree about Maui but...
I learned on kite beach and did not find the conditions all that intimidating. That said; I live on the Front Range of Colorado and flew a 3 meter trainer kite for months and became very proficient with it in our typical gusty winds here....knowing I'd be taking lessons in Maui and wanted to be ready.

Totally depends on what your friends baseline and background is. I got up and rode about 30 seconds on my first ever water start before I had my first ever of many wipe outs. But I spent countless hours with my 3 meter, I paraglide and I slalom waterski...with an excellent instructor/right background and what one considers "gusty"/"Choppy" everything is a spectrum.

macgruber · Since 06 Dec 2011 490 Posts SE PDX volcano Obsessed

I learned in Maui at Kanaha a couple years ago from Aquasports Maui, mostly because they had a cheaper internet signup deal. They were good, but all the companies seemed fine. I had steady 12m wind for my 3 day lesson and had no trouble staying upwind by the end. I've windsurfed Kanaha for 20 years of vacations, and in the middle of winter its sailable about 70% days but the farther you get into spring, the closer you get to the summer 95% sailable days. I took a Thanksgiving lesson and it would have been better in the spring so I could go straight away at Hood River. The Event Site is good for beginner-intermediates, but for lessons its gusty and cold until late summer. If you take a Gorge lesson, I would suggest Jet Ski assisted, otherwise you'll just be bumping up against the sandbar constantly. Jones Beach is a great place to learn by late spring since the wide sandy beach is a mile plus long and gives you room to go downwind until you learn to stay upwind. Airpirates teaches there with headsets and there's never crowds like the Event Site on a summer weekend. Jones needs coast winds and a warm Portland area to have good wind. Usually the wind is about 5 miles less than the Event Site but more stable. I've heard of plenty of skunked trips to the other places mentioned. Maui has a lot more to do if there is no wind!

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1527 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

jeffwestco · Since 21 Jan 2014 23 Posts

I was on Maui, Molokai, Oahu for the month of October 2012. There were days of some gusts and certainly 3-4 foot wave action. I didn't run into anything that I thought was too intense and found the conditions ideal - progressed to going upwind no problem in the handful of lessons I took. Yeah - a first ride of 30 seconds in big winter swell and double up gust conditions would have been just long enough to hit the big stuff but if someone's self preservation and judgment wouldn't tell them immediately not to take a lesson in such conditions on a day like that then they shouldn't ever take up the sport.

I prefer the tradewinds of Maui over the far more gusty conditions of Colorado/Wyoming.

wood · Since 21 Jan 2013 65 Posts

Jeff how is kiting on Molokai? kite size/waves?

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1527 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

I guess the best part of everything is that once you try the sport no matter what the conditions are you are hooked like crack!!

jeffwestco · Since 21 Jan 2014 23 Posts

I didn't get to kite on Molokai. The island is far beyond my kite skills. Huge sea cliffs with little to no shore, super shallow reefs and massive waves...Molokai is best for snorkeling/diving though!

I kited one day on Oahu but didn't have any success compared to Maui.

Dog Patrol: This sport is crack....I now land board, snow kite and kite board...have basically mothballed my paragliders......and am always thinking just one more kite.... Razz

Jeff