Hoping to move to Maui! Need Advice... Board size?

Kevinmc · Joined: 05 May 1998 Posts: 77

Da Kine double board bag- with wheels- easy peasy. Just got to Maui with one sailboard, one surfboard, three masts, three sails, two extensions, harness, fins and a bunch of clothes for padding.

United has been awesome lately. After several trips to Maui and the Caribbean, with the same set, the check in people have NEVER looked in my bag. They always look at it and ask, "how many surfboards are in there?" I laugh and just say it's one windsurfing kit. "Ohhhh, $100." I then promptly pay the $100. A little hit or miss on the overweight charge. Depends on mood, but I think I get away with it most of the time because I've already paid the $100 and they don't want to take the time to go through the hassle again. On the way here, the guy actually asked me to help him carry the bag to the conveyor belt behind the desk. I thought I was gonna get screwed when he felt how heavy it was. He just smiled and said thanks. Plus, with United, they have an 'oversize only' check in line at LAX. Never anyone in line. I love that!

A lotta guys came to the contest on Alaska and have said Alaska has been good to them. Usually RLemmens can't be trusted, but he seems to be right on that one. Smile

and since we're talking about airlines........ a big middle finger to Delta.

Have fun on Maui! I'm leaving Thursday , so it should be cranking. I hate that.

rlemmens · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 206

Lol careful Kevinmc I may have to give you another nickname.

Sunny15 · Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 22

Got some new questions.
... Is it important to have a 4-wheel drive on Maui? (Mainly to get to certain launch sites.) Or will a cheap mini-van be good?

Also if I get this job they will provide me with a couple housing options. One will be in Kihei and the other will be somewhere close to the hospital (where I'm hoping to work) in Wailuku. Any thought about which is better? I'm sure they both have there ups and downs. Thanks!

wmike · Joined: 20 Jan 2001 Posts: 207 Location: Maui

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5329 Location: East Bay

Driving skill is more important than 4wd.
Jaws, as mentioned, for you to spectate. Kanaha's race track parking near Sprecks can be a rough dirt road in the winter, but front wheel drive and some judicious judgement get's you thru and back every time.
Live as close to work as you can. Traffic tends to clog on the highway. Kihei side does tend to blow in the off season thou, but in the meat of the season, living on the N shore is the way to go.
Kihei sailing is offshore wind, so not really best for solo ventures.

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

With a minivan your gear is locked up and out of the rain in a storage. You need not carry it back and forth to the car or pickup.Look in the maui paper online, craigslist or the Bullitin when you get here. Newer than 1996 is much better.I bought mine off a lot for a good deal.A Chrysler/ply/Dodge Grand xxx will hold long boards and short better than a non Grand at the same price
Windsurfers with a choice prefer the North Shore to live. Kihei is a lot like LA-strip malls and condos lining the sea.Employees in the tourist areas of South Shore live there for access to tourist jobs, and move upcountry if they can swing it in the end.
Many folks would live in Paia if they could.
Not high dollar just not enough rentals.

nw30 · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 10:48 pm Post subject:

Figure out the cheapest way to get all your stuff there and do that, even if it's a shipping container, it's worth the wait.
In other words, take everything, you obviously have a quiver you like, so stick with it. Been there many times, and you get all conditions. You'll be refining your quiver after you've been there for awhile, but take everything for starters.
Then you'll be SUPing,
then you'll be down-winding (Maliko gulch)
then you'll be diving,
then you'll be OC1'ing,
then you'll be a waterwoman.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I'm glad you guys informed me that Kihei's wind is side-off. I've sailed there 30-40 summer and fall days and always thought it was directly sideshore ... i.e., not a breakdown threat unless one deliberately sails too far west/offshore ... at least from Lipoa Road (Star Market) north. On MANY days it had much better wind than Kanaha/Sprecks, and the crowds were less than K/S crowds by > 99%. Yes, living near Kanaha is better, but if Kihei is forced upon you by economics or opportunity, don't despair.

Mike \m/