planning a trip to Maui in October

[Ron]

i tipically get the 2004 Nissan and throw everything in the car and the SUP directly on the roof. By the end of the trip, there is sand everywhere but they (and I) dont care so it's been working nice for me. Cheap too. and it's maui, you ain't gonna be driving hundreds of miles. http://www.kiheirentacar.com/maui-car-r ... ntal-cars/

[floater]

Mauivans.com (?) Street name: Papa street
$200.00+/- for a week.

They are nothing fancy but the folks are cool as crap. The vans run good, doors lock etc. but they are a little beat. Lots of Maui love on the outside so they blend in great. They even give you beach chairs, racks and a cooler. Check it....

Bonus tip.... if you need to vacuum out, go to the car wash on Hobron on the way to kite beach and use the vacuums.

[kitenaked]

Kihei Rental car is the best.

Maui is a great place to learn love for a minivan.

[yojimbo]

So, not taking my directional with me, but would like to take 3 kites, bar/lines, and spring wetsuit. Would a kite golf bag work for this? Like one of these:

https://www.google.com/search?q=kite+go ... l&tbm=shop

[pipedragon]

I use the kite golf bag, never had a problem. Throw one small putter in there just in case. Keep in mind, kite beach Kannaha has a wind shadow. It will look like you can ride a much larger kite while standing on the beach and then nuclear when you get out on the water. See what most others are riding, launch your kite then run your ass off to grab your board and get out in the channel as fast as possible. Plan to stay out until your done. This is not Alameda!!!

One thing to note is there is a theft problem at kite beach. It is a non violent situation so nothing to worry about just a few tips.

Do not leave anything of value in your car. At least not visible.
Keep your keys and wallet on you, not in your kite bag, they watch for that.
Keep extra gear visible on the beach not back in bushes.

Have fun!

I have never had a problem, have fun!

[jjm]

Golf bag should be fine for you, although without a board you might be able to get all that in a large suitcase or duffle bag?

My recommendation if you don't already own one, buy a cheap travel scale for luggage. Make sure you stay under 50lbs and remember that wet gear will weigh more.

[More Waves Please]

I've been going Maui at least once per year (sometimes as many as 3 times per year) since the mid-1990's. First for surfing & windsurfing, but mostly for kiting since about 2000. there are lots of options for boards on the island. All of the major surf/wind shops will rent boards - Hawaiian Island Surf & Sport, HiTech, 2nd Wind, plus several others will all rent pretty decent boards. Prices are somewhere between $20 & $30 per day depending on the type of board.

There are also quite a few company reps on the island. Do some research and connect with a couple of them ahead of time and you may be able to arrange demos of new gear (boards & kites), most of the time for free. PM me and I can put you in touch with a couple of guys I know.

Advice on travel - leave the boards at home. Pack you kites (without individual bags) in a big duffel bag. Watch weight of the bag. 3 kites, a couple of bars, harness, & other misc. stuff adds up to 50 lbs pretty quickly. I'll watch the forecast for about a week ahead of my trip and try to limit to just 2 kites - either 7 and 9 or 9 & 12 depending on forecast. If it's less than 12m wind, go surfing!

October is a great time to go to Maui. Tourist traffic is at it lowest, there's generally pretty good wind, and you may luck into an early season swell. There's no sure thing, though. I've had 8 days straight of being overpowered on a 6M in December, and gotten completely skunked for 10 days in June.