Hawaii in August

[BradHuber]

Hello,

I'll be visiting Hawaii for my first time in a couple of weeks. I'll be spending a few days on Oahu and a few days on Maui. I have the go ahead for a couple of days of kiting. I'm looking for advice about riding there. It looks like 7m is a necessary size this time if year (current smallest is 9m) so I'm interested in purchasing one if some has a decent one. I'll bring my 13m also but I figure I won't bother to bring my 17m. Sound like the right move?

My main question is about the best beginner / tourist friendly beaches with reliable wind. Can anyone advise?

Thanks!
-Brad

[jason morton]

Do not bring Zephyr. Kite at kitebeach or Naish beach. They are next to each other. They are very close to Kanaha Beach Park and the Kahului airport. You will have no problem kiting there. And you probably don't need a 7m. Unless the trades are very strong. 13/9m will serve you well. Have fun and dont kick your barefeet deep under water unless you want nasty reef cuts. Sometimes the trades can have a ENE component to the wind direction instead of the normal NE. This can make launching, landing, quite difficult as it can be holey and gusty on the inside. Check with a local first. And wear lots of sunscreen because you are pretty white! Advice over!!!

[BradHuber]

Thanks for the info Jason. Yah I'll have pack a ton of sunscreen for my Haole self.

Should I try for some riding in Oahu (where?) or better just to wait for Maui?

[peckdave]

Hey Brad,

My two cents: I'd keep options open for a 7M, either borrowing, or demo one when you get to Maui if you want to save $. It's been an abnormally windy year there (just spent a week on a kite/surf trip with kiters who've lived there 28 years and they said it's the windiest year they can remember). I rode 5 M 4 days and 7M 6 days in the two weeks we were there in April, and summer is historically windier than spring. Steve Mayer's brother Gregg is a great guy, has lived on Maui for a dozen years, and a great source of info if you need it (Naish team rider). greggmayer@hotmail.com.

My buddy from South Africa just moved to Oahu--hard core wave kiter and surfer. He said its been great on Oahu this summer also, he rides Mokuleia on the North Shore when there's north swell (typically winter) and it sounds pretty gnarly at low tide. Apparently there's been good south swell this summer, he's been riding Diamond Head a lot. And Kailua Bay is good flat water inside/waves/swell outside, this is the main kite beach (dealing with access issues but I think it's still good to go). His namer is Nick Hutchings, give him a shout when you're there if you want local info nhutchin17@gmail.com.

Have a great trip!

[DimitriMilovich]

Mokuleia on the North Shore is great sailing. Windier than Kailua since it gets a wind boost from the nearby cliffs and resulting updrafts. Steady 5.7 almost every day from about 11:00 to 4:00. (what's that, a 13m?) A few poleboarders, but mostly kiting. Great park with rigging area, parking is easy. Great place to learn surf sailing, with a channel that you can get out through, although the summer surf is so small you generally just turn around and go through the break. But it is on the edge of the dark blue water, so pretty exciting. Side-on winds. Good local community, friendly, and not super crowded. Definately don't miss it if you have a few days. Kailua wind is generally lighter by a sail size, but it's easier sailing since it's in a large bay, with swells and some surf making it through. And it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Oh wait, just saw the word beginner in your email. Mokuleia is definately not beginner, but would be worth a drive to go watch the action. Kailua will be better for you, lighter winds, no surf to speak of.

[BradHuber]

Awesome, I'll check out those locations, Thanks. I just bought a 7m hopefully I'll have it in time.

Stoked about the trip!

[Nicholas_Vornle]

Just got back for Oahu on Saturday! Its a sweet area to kite but bring a 14m if you plan to kite kailua. A couple of days I could not fly because my biggest kite was an 11m... So i sat on the beach and helped others out. The wind is much lighter there, but the sand is perfect. There is a designated kite launch area that allows you to rig and then launch without interfering with the tourists.(left side of beach facing water) Mokuleia is defiantly a spot to check out and the only area where i rigged my 7m. It is not for beginners though. Shallow coral all throughout the first 100m of water. Its sharp !! Overall i used my 7m and would have used my 14m if i had it.