VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I have enough points to fly return to Maui from Bellingham in March for a week (16-24?). I have never been to Maui to windsurf, was last there in '78!

What is the best bet for rentals for a 7 day trip (6 sailing days)?....I need windsurf gear OR SUP...and a van?

Kanaha Kai?, Maui Windsurf company?

Should I book gear in advance (discounts)?

Ideally, it would be cool if a place that lets you take either a SUP on non-wind days or windsurf gear on windy days. I don't mind going there each day to pick up the gear.

Thanks,

R

renegade wrote: Ideally, it would be cool if a place that lets you take either a SUP on non-wind days or windsurf gear on windy days. I don't mind going there each day to pick up the gear.

Thanks,

R

welcome newbie, yes they pretty much all allow you to do that....but you have to run back to the store...KK is closest to K beach and good gear take a roof rack along and rent a car, mucho cheaper

For a week I'd bring your own gear if on Alaska or Westjet. Much cheaper.

I always rent from

http://secondwindmaui.com

Nice Fanatic and RRD boards there and they have roof racks.

I'd just see what the weather is like, usually when I go I hit the doldrums and end up snorkeling and drinking big swell IPA.

D

i really got my money worth at Kanaha Kai my last trip, i would sup in the am, then switch to WS gear for the afternoon then swap for a surfboard for the next days dawn patrol. you have to like starboard stuff and hot sails though because that's all they have. they have a good pre book discount but i cant recall exactly what it was.

I should add, I wouldn't prebook. Watch the forecast then decide. Unless you are rich and money doesn't matter. This is dirt bagger advice.

The last two years went like this: last year 2 weeks wind everyday starting at dawn so basically no surf or SUP. Year before that, opposite, wind on one day surf the other 13. February-March time frame. I bring a SUP, 3 sails, boom, 2 masts and a windsurf board and I'm under 100 lbs so $75 each way. For 2 weeks that'd run you some $600 or so renting plus a lot of driving to exchange.

I headed around the same time. Planning to take my own gear, because I'm comfortable on it, and more affordable to damage my own kit if I end up on the rocks.

Rented a vehicle from Kimos. I've never been before, they had the best price, but I've heard mixed things about them.

I've used all the cheapies. Maui vans, kimos, manaloa, aloha... same pile. Rent what's cheapest but know you ain't getting a new car like enterprise! But you also won't look like such a howlie. Get roadstar plus from ICBC for $12 which covers your rental insurance for the year.

What Nanmoo said. You can also check Costco website for rental cars believe it or not.

I got a great deal with Matt Pritchard, windsurf when it was windy and SUP for the whole week. Cool guy. Consider having him "guide" you around with a lesson. I guy I met shared the video he had made when Matt guided him at Hookipa! Cheaper than the shops, and onsite at kanaha when you need him. Best advice on the one day I wanted to rent ( when it was light and gusty and logo to mast high sets at Lowers) was, " well, if you are feeling lucky ....
I waited for another day. Email him, or I have his cell from last time.

Hey renegade. I've rented from hitech, Kanaha Kai and hawaiian island. Kanaha Kai has been good to some, but my last experience (I will never go there again) was not good. Agree with moo on the rentals. Drop off in the evening can be a pain in the butt, as they tend to close early, and traffic can be an issue at 4, as well as cutting session time short. I always go with a van (as you know) so the gear is more secure....[/b]

nanmoo wrote:I've used all the cheapies. Maui vans, kimos, manaloa, aloha... same pile. Rent what's cheapest but know you ain't getting a new car like enterprise! But you also won't look like such a howlie. Get roadstar plus from ICBC for $12 which covers your rental insurance for the year.

Pro tip: To avoid looking like a Haole, don't spell it Howlie, brah. Slow down, dis ain't da mainland. You flew here. I grew here, etc, etc.

Hawaiian Island is gone. NP store rents JP boards, NP sails, good package if you get ahead of time. But Matt is likely your best bet for versatility. And the rental van is a good idea, we got ours through Costco which used one of the major agencies at the airport, but was 30% less than booking direct to the agency then, don't know about prices now.

nanmoo wrote:I should add, I wouldn't prebook. Watch the forecast then decide. Unless you are rich and money doesn't matter. This is dirt bagger advice. The last two years went like this: last year 2 weeks wind everyday starting at dawn so basically no surf or SUP. Year before that, opposite, wind on one day surf the other 13. February-March time frame. I bring a SUP, 3 sails, boom, 2 masts and a windsurf board and I'm under 100 lbs so $75 each way. For 2 weeks that'd run you some $600 or so renting plus a lot of driving to exchange.

Thanks for all the useful advice!

We are looking for ws gear rental for two people for approx. a week....

Pritchard Windsurfing rents 3 sails, 1 carbon boom and 2 board for approx. $450 per week.

My thinking is that we would save the $75 oversize baggage fee each way = $150 saved......so net cost is really $300 for two people (= $150/week each for ws gear)

But we would need another boom?

http://pritchardwindsurfing.com/gear-maui/

If you bring another boom (one of us is flying on Alaska and one on Air Canada), is a boom considered oversize? Any extra fees?

Thx

Speak to Matt Pritchard - really cool guy, and likely more versatile than even his posted web rates. likely get a multi day per day rate without locking into the week. And he has SUP boards as well.