Owning a Boat (Kaneohe, Kihei: rentals, home, to buy)

[WriterDave]

Hi folks,

Hope this doesn't sound silly but here goes:

Do many people in Hawaii own boats? My girlfriend and I are thinking of moving to Hawaii and this forum is a great help. I suppose I should be asking more pressing questions but I really want to know! Nothing big, just something to tour around for a few hours on the weekend. Is this a common possession?

Thanks!
Dave

[whynot?]

Owning a boat is not unusual or difficult. Finding a slip or having enough room to store it at home is another matter. There are also not as many boat ramps as you might imagine.

[hotzcatz]

There are a lot of boats but having one is a lot of work. There aren't many places to keep a boat, either in or out of the water. Not a lot of boat launching ramps, either. Also, about as soon as you leave the boat ramp you are out in open ocean with the exception of just a few areas. So you need an ocean worthy boat which is a much more expensive beast than your mainland bass boat. A lot of folks like kayaks since they are much easier to haul around and store and you can paddle them without having to buy gas.

Better than having a boat in Hawaii is having a friend who has a boat in Hawaii.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by WriterDave

Do many people in Hawaii own boats? My girlfriend and I are thinking of moving to Hawaii and this forum is a great help. I suppose I should be asking more pressing questions but I really want to know! Nothing big, just something to tour around for a few hours on the weekend. Is this a common possession?

Lot's of people in Hawaii own boats. I do. It's on a trailer in my carport.

It's hard to live more than an hour away from the ocean on Oahu, but "what beach or bay" and the facitlities there vary a lot. The three places I would consider most small-boat-friendly are Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii Kai (no sailboats), and Keehi Lagoon.

Kaneohe Bay - Google Maps

Hawaii Kai - Google Maps

Keehi Lagoon - Google Maps

[JuliaHuff]

What abotu renting boats? are there any cheap boat rentals?
also, are there any areas with calmer water, like bays, where you can go on a small speed boat?

[hotzcatz]

Boat rentals are almost non-existent and the calm bay, Kaneohe, is full of coral heads which makes navigation rather hazardous. There is a bit of water ski in Keehi Lagoon inside the triangle but the outer legs of it are mooring spots and one of the outer legs is a seaplane runway. Around Hawaii Kai there are a lot of small backyard docks and they go out into the bay near Hawaii Kai, that might be a good boat area for small power boats. I don't think a sail boat can get under the bridge from the Hawaii Kai lagoon out to the ocean, though, unless you have a folding mast.

To get a slip in the Ala Wai small boat harbor takes years on the waiting list. Keehi Lagoon may have mooring spots available and they would have slips available in less time than Ala Wai. There are also several small private marinas in Keehi Lagoon which might have spots available. Some of the yacht clubs may have some slips available and there is a military club in Pearl Harbor if you are a military person.

Boats are pretty cheap in Hawaii since there aren't that many places to put them, especially if you want to keep them in the water. Even though boats can be found cheap keeping them isn't.

[whynot?]

I don't think you'll find boat rentals on Maui, Julia, unless you're a paddler. Or a tiny (Hobie-type) sailboat with lots of restrictions. Even the bays are tricky with shifting winds and currents. A friend of ours has a Zodiac that we go out on occasionally, but he was born here and is from a long line of open-water sailors. There are plenty of ways to get out on the water, though, via ferrys, tour boats, etc. And you can always charter a boat if you want a more private sail.

[JuliaHuff]

what about other islands?

[Jungjohann]

I've got about 80' worth of boat!!!!! Well, not really, 4 twenty foot racing kayaks, donated two of them to the Lifegaurd Captains here on Maui, so they could get into racing. It's really the best way to get around, no outboard motor, just you, some 25 pounds of carbon kevlar, a paddle, and the ocean. Great fun, you can pick up a used outrigger canoe for around two grand, they don't huli, as in flip over, because of the outrigger. You just have to watch out for the south swell, if it's up here in Kihei, and the tradewinds. I've been out there, in heavy trades, trying to head back up to Kamaole 1, paddling as hard as I can, and GOING BACKWARDS!!!!!! The ocean will have it's way with you....

Aloha,,,,,,,oh mods????????

[JuliaHuff]

We really love fast speed boats, going fast and jumping high on the waves, i dont think you can do it on a kayak, they are fun, but in another way, like a workout, we will definately get a kayak!