Author Topic: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report  (Read 403309 times)

1paddle2paddle

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #330 on: February 07, 2012, 06:03:59 PM »
The reverse Hawaii Kai can actually be much better than a regular one - you can have open ocean swells unblocked by land.  And the wind seems to blow straight to the blinker buoy (with the safety net of the huge catcher's mitt created by Portlock).

But for Maliko the wind might be blowing you out to sea with no chance of being saved by a landmass.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #331 on: February 07, 2012, 07:02:15 PM »
Kona winds don't work well on the north shore of Maui (maliko).  But they are tremendous fun on the south shore.  Just like your reverse Hawaii Kai, the south shore gets the big fetch. 

Reverse downwinders on the south shore are amazing.  We only get a handful of runs a year, so it seems like visiting another island.  It's a very, very good run. 

The wind has been too west lately for reverse runs (on the south shore).  West winds set up direct onshore winds.  I had a blast last night paddling straight out, then downwinding back to shore.  Ski's are amazing boats.

The paddlers on the west side of Maui (Lahaina- Napili) have some really good downwind runs in both directions.   
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #332 on: February 07, 2012, 08:59:25 PM »
I tried a reverse downwind southside run last year when we had big Konas for a few days straight. It was a lot of work on a SUP. I think it would be fun in a ski or Canoe.
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #333 on: February 10, 2012, 12:53:02 AM »
Wind was medium this evening, good direction.  The ski was a blast, as usual. 

south shore 2-9-12
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #334 on: February 10, 2012, 01:38:46 PM »
Yup, I did a bike downwinder about 3:30 Hale to Sorrentos and bike back. Nice run, nice workout, and no tourists ran me over.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #335 on: February 18, 2012, 04:12:21 AM »
Maliko #3 and 4.  Great fun in the ski.  I'm way, way outside for all my early runs.  The deep water is much safer. I like to approach the reefs at kanaha from the outer edge, rather than run up the coast and head out as they approach.  It's a slower line, but much easier on my nerves. 

The first video is all early stuff in deep water.  No chance to reset the camera after 30 minutes as it was during a race. 

Camera was started as the reef approached in the second vid.  My line will move in as my confidence grows, just as it did in the oc-1.

3rd ski maliko, MCKC race

maliko 2-17-12
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JonathanC

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #336 on: February 18, 2012, 04:49:37 AM »
Thanks L, love watching your ski vids :)

SoCalSupper

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #337 on: February 18, 2012, 06:58:26 AM »
still trolling this thread...have no idea what you guys are talking about wind wise.
can you give me a quick wind education-does a Kona wind smell like coffee?, etc....
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #338 on: February 18, 2012, 08:11:07 AM »
The word Kona means western side and Kona winds are westerly, which is a reverse direction for normal trades. On the North shore a Kona wind is generally offshore in the middle of the island and sideshore blowing west to east around Maliko. Kona also refers to storms that come from the west, usually from an extreme, rotating low pressure area.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

headmount

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #339 on: February 18, 2012, 08:43:10 AM »
You know I liked the glare in the 2/27 vid.  It gave me that Victory at Sea feel... a TV show from scary long ago.... B&W.  Thanks again LaPer.

Kona means west but the actual wind from low pressures usually comes from the S or SW.  West is extremely rare and usually happens during the shift from SW to NW (or Molokai wind).  Kona winds are usually wild in nature,  capable of tremendous variation from suddenly stopping to hurricane force.  Boats have disappeared in these winds or get washed up on the reef.  People go a little crazy.  And we, on the north shore, get to breath the dump vapors while Kona winds persist.  The rest of the year everything from the dump blows towards Kihei.

So Cal... The great thing about our usual set up from trades is that we get strong winds from high pressure.  On the mainland strong winds usually occur when a low pressure system rolls through.  Low pressure can mean stormy and erratic.  High; clear and generally consistent.  When you go as off shore as some people go around here, consistency counts.

PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #340 on: February 18, 2012, 08:55:26 AM »
I've been trained by surfing to like the dump smell, a light offshore kona sets the waves on the north shore up really nicely. I call it l'eau de Omapio.
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #341 on: February 18, 2012, 10:40:15 AM »

still trolling this thread...have no idea what you guys are talking about wind wise.

Yellow x is kanaha, red is landfill, blue is north Kihei.  Arrows are NE trades on the north shore, Kona winds on the south.  

Just to clarify, the landfill is surrounded by miles of canefields.  The odor never reaches Kihei.  If the breeze is near calm, the odor may drift to the north shore.  My guess is that if it's 'blowing konas'  the landfill odor is so dilute as to be unnoticeable.  When the trades are blowing, the odor is gone long before it reaches the south shore.         


« Last Edit: February 18, 2012, 10:47:33 AM by LaPerouseBay »
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PonoBill

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #342 on: February 18, 2012, 02:17:41 PM »
That's about right, a little 4-5 mph breeze in the Kona direction sets waves up beautifully and scrubs their lovely faces all nice and shiny. over ten they get lumpy and you have to jump on the nose to get down the face. The smell is gone by then.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #343 on: February 19, 2012, 01:30:04 AM »
5th ski run at maliko today.  My adrenaline was up from the moment I glanced at the weather map.  The shuttle was packed.  Great conditions.  Some of my South shore pals were there, we really enjoy maliko when it's good.  A group of canoes finished a Kaenae run just before us.  That run is 25 miles.  They said the rain squalls really cranked the wind up to 11.  Must have been great.  Maliko was a 9 of 10.   

I'm still relaxing for the first half and ramping up the effort towards the end.   Outran some oc-2 friends in a last-mile race to the finish, that was quite rewarding.  Skis are such a blast.

maliko 2-18-12
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JonathanC

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Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #344 on: February 19, 2012, 02:26:36 AM »
You are looking so much more relaxed now L. Are you falling in at all on the Maliko runs?

I've been paddling into some really gnarly head winds and rough seas lately then turning and doing little down-winders on the ski. Still fall in sometimes but the waves are really close and very confused water state so its pretty full on.

I used to do this really weird straddle remount thing but now have the hip swing into the sear down pat, you-tube is a wonderful resource for learning just about anything!

Starting a paddle with a 25 knot headwind in the shore break certainly hones the skills :o

Just wanting to make sure that I can cope with falling in on bigger down wind conditions and comfortably getting back into the boat. Loving the whole experience of learning new skills.


 


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