Maui downwind spots...

[noa]

has anyone tried the southeast coast for downwinds ? i'm thinking the stretch between Hana and Kaupo, or the coast from Kaupo towards La Perouse. wind and wave combos could be jacked up due to the channel effect.

[PonoBill]

I've done Hana to Kanaha on an Adventure Island Trimaran sailing Kayak. I poked in the same rig around from La Perouse to a bay before Kaupo--I felt that I was taking my life in my hands. I know people DO Hana to Kanaha on SUPs.

The southeast coast is pretty challenging The biggest problem is the level of commitment. There is almost no place to get out if you have an equipment failure or a problem. Some folks might be intimidated by the fact that it's shark villa. I pulled into some bays where I could see a shark every few minutes. Mostly white tips, but there was often something much bigger too.

La Perouse to Kaupo has wind challenges--it's almost always offshore and can swing that way in a heartbeat. It also howls. the island falls away from the wind, so that even with a sail you are constantly battling to retain contact with the shore. I think you might need to try for a Kona landing as an emergency backup. If i did something like that on a SUP I'd want a safety boat. I think it's about the same level of hazard as a channel crossing.

[Southbay]

I will second PonoBill's description of the "shark villa".  My friend used to have a gate key to go down to OP-10 point off Kaupo.  Been fishing there several times and have caught a few and seen many tigers out that side.....

[noa]

when looking at a map, the southeast coast looks like it would get the regular northeast trades as sideshore wind.
Hana usually gets it onshore, so then does that point of the island not split the wind to it's north and south side ? is the wind not sideshore when going from Hana towards Kaupo ?
shark vila i can imagine. but hey, we're standing atop a board and brandishing a spear, we're invincible right

[PonoBill]

Lots of folks have been fooled by that. the winds around Maui are very strongly influenced by the two mountains. Not only are there land flows, but the mountains bend the trades and slot them through valleys. All along the south coast the prevailing wind from a trade wind blowing from NE to ENE in the open sea is from the WNW. When that diverted flow hits the trade it turns offshore. Very weird, and very dangerous.

All the winds here get accelerated and directionally modified by the islands. Channel winds are 5-20kts higher than open ocean winds and often blow as much as 90 degrees to the initiating open ocean wind.

Kona winds, which originate from localized low pressures to the NW of the islands, blow SW or SSW, and are even more unpredictable. Kona winds carry a lot of water, the very dense air is accelerated even more by topology.

I'm told that Oahu has much more predictable wind, and that it's generally lighter because it sits leeward of both Maui and Molokai, but wind on Maui is not what you'd expect from looking at a tradewind direction.

[SchUP]

I had a recent Maui session where "on paper" we would have a nice little downwind action through Kihei.  The winds were showing NE trades and typically that moves around Haleakala and appears to be from the NW along the Kihei coast.

But, after getting on the beach, we quickly realized that the winds were  *coming* from the SSE.  There was too much East in the trades and the wind then the east leg of the Haleakala wind diversion was stronger.  Our downwinder turned into a out-n-backer...  and we probably got a better workout

-DS

[noa]

 very interesting. besides Kona winds, Maui's north shore does however remain NE fairly constantly right ?
does anyone know what the wind does on Molokai, especialy the north shore ?

[Kaweeka]

very interesting. besides Kona winds, Maui's north shore does however remain NE fairly constantly right ?
does anyone know what the wind does on Molokai, especialy the north shore ?

Maybe in the summer the trades might be considered consistent but right now the only thing consistent is how inconsistent it has been  !  Last night I did a short run out the channel at the Ala Wai, up to Pops, and then back with nice gentle trades . . .  But around midnight I thought we were going to lose our roof!  And this is Oahu where, like Bill menitioned above, there are no big mountains to mess with things . . .

The north shore of Molokai is usually fairly calm on the east end (past Halawa valley) and then builds as you go west.  There are some huge sea cliffs that push the wind up and over though it can get gusty as you pass the large valleys.  Once you pass Kalaupapa the cliffs start to drop, the wind starts to rise, and the last 10 miles can really howl.  If you do this stretch of coast it will be for the scenery; you will not mind the slow paddling speed.  Plus there are places to stop every couple of miles that just beg to be explored.

On a gusty trade wind day I'd think the run to do would be from Maui to Molokai and then along the south shore and maybe over to Lanai (if you really want a long day!).  I've only been in that area twice but both times were memorable!  Just be sure that you have a NE (true trade wind) day.  This would be a great (and unique) Ironman race!  We could take over Hotel Lanai for the post race party and catch the ferry back to Maui the next day  - just a thought and I'll volunteer to drive an escort boat 

[noa]

Hi Kaweeka,
thanks for your great info. really like the idea for that last itinerary you mention.

[Admin]

They added Standup to the Challenge for last season for the Maui-Molokai route you mentioned.  We plan on going this year.

http://www.molokaichallenge.com/