Sport Today

by **SWeiss01** » Sat, 04 Apr 1998 04:00:00

I'm planning a Maui honeymoon (our first time to Maui), and trying to figure
out where to rent equipment. I can get the costs/types of equipment from the
shops, but does anyone have any experience or recommendations on the
intangibles? friendly service? sufficient gear? gear in good condition?
convenient location? I've been burned on this one before on other windsurfing
vacations, and I want to pick the right shop. We're both short-boarders and
plan to sail for 2 weeks, weather and blisters permitting.

Thanks,
Mark

by **Mark 'cecil' DeFrie** » Mon, 06 Apr 1998 05:00:00

Quote:

> I'm planning a Maui honeymoon (our first time to Maui), and trying to figure
> out where to rent equipment. I can get the costs/types of equipment from the
> shops, but does anyone have any experience or recommendations on the
> intangibles? friendly service? sufficient gear? gear in good condition?
> convenient location? I've been burned on this one before on other windsurfing
> vacations, and I want to pick the right shop. We're both short-boarders and
> plan to sail for 2 weeks, weather and blisters permitting.

There are many many good rental establishments in Maui.... the one I used
last year was HiTech Rentals... they were very good. You only pay for the
windy days and can change your equipment at any time. They offered
excellent local advice for my ability (type of equipment, where to sail
etc). The equipment is the very latest - lots of brand new Pryde
sails.... and others.

--
__ /\ May the wind be at your side
Mark 'Cecil' DeFriest / \_/ \ since it's no good coming

Windsurfing Obsessive \ ___ /
Melbourne Australia \_/ \*/ Windtech 9'4" custom carbon
__ HiTech 8'6" carbon/kevlar
\/ Pryde V8's (6.0, 7.0, 8.5)
http://www.pb.com.au/pb/homes/12000.htm Pryde NR (5.3) Combat (4.7)

by **Eyes4Hi** » Tue, 07 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Subject: Re: recommendations for Maui equip. rentals?

Quote:

>> > I'm planning a Maui honeymoon (our first time to Maui), and trying to
>figure
>> > out where to rent equipment. I can get the costs/types of equipment from
>the
>> > shops, but does anyone have any experience or recommendations on the
>> > intangibles? friendly service? sufficient gear? gear in good
>condition?
>> > convenient location? I've been burned on this one before on other
>windsurfing
>> > vacations, and I want to pick the right shop. We're both short-boarders
>and
>> > plan to sail for 2 weeks, weather and blisters permitting.

>INSURANCE: Most places will sell you insurance, but they don't really tell
>you that it only covers stuff you don't irrepairably break. If it can't be
>fixed, your insurance doesn't cover it and you eat the price. Broken board?
>You pay for it even with insurance. Ripped out luff sleeve? You pay for the
>sail even with insurance. There is only one place that you can rent that the
>insurance covers everything no matter how much you break it. It's a little
>shop on the way to Kaanapali in the airport city. The gear isn't as good as
>some of the other shops, but their insurance policy is awesome... which is
>good if you want to go out in the waves. :)

I sailed with Extreme Sport Maui gear about three weeks back. I didn't buy
insurance and did tweak a boom in the surf and break a batten. I was pleasantly
surprised to find that they charged me less than their wholesale cost of the
boom (allowing a little depreciation). While it wasn't cheap, it was far
cheaper than what it would cost me to break my boom at home and then run over
to the shop for a new one. By the way, you'd be amazed how fast a Gaasta Flow
2x gets on a plane when you widen the booms ( and thus the pocket) by 8".

... and of course the ladies in our group loved having Sierra Emory there to
advise them on every gear change.

Peter

by **Michael J. Winkle** » Thu, 09 Apr 1998 04:00:00

I rented from ESM last June too. I wasn't too impressed with the
equipment--especially based on all the ads and what you read in the mags
about Maui having the best stuff.

I "pre-tagged" an styro 8'3" 6 months in advance. Sure, they had one waiting
for me (only one left) but it was pretty beat up as were most of the other
styro boards as well as some of the production that were there. I mentioned
it to the worker-bee there and he said all the equipment was new that year
and it was beat up because it's rental equipment and "this is Maui" and it
gets used every day. One day, I took out an 8' only to find at the beach
that it had huge heel-dents (i.e. to the point of delaminiating). I told 'em
about it when I took it back and the next day it was still on the rack
waiting for someone else. I finally got fed up and 3 days before we left
talked to the manager who took a new board right off the sales floor for me
to use. I guess it pays to complain to the right people.

At least we had wind. 4.5 or better for 9 days. 2 days a 3.5 was too big and
a couple of good 4.0 days. Not much surf though (bummer).

I'd skip the insurance too because it doesn't pay for much. It won't pay
anything on the styro stuff.

If you've got some time to "shop around" once you get there, I wouldn't
pre-pay any equipment and pick the best shop after you've looked around.

Hi-Tech looked like it had the best stuff.

Another tip is to get 3 sails. 3.5, 4.0, 4.5. Trade the 3.5 for a 5.0 on the
lighter days. If you and your wife are a sail size apart you could go with
all 4 between the two of you.

by **John Twelke** » Thu, 09 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

> I rented from ESM last June too. I wasn't too impressed with the
> equipment--especially based on all the ads and what you read in the mags
> about Maui having the best stuff.

(chomp)

Extreme Sports Maui (previously Sailboards Maui) certainly has had its
share of challenges the past few years ... but don't write them off just
yet! Ricker, the new owner, along with Sierra Emory and a good crew, is
working hard to make it one of Maui's best.

By the way, El Nino seems to have lost its grip on Hawaii ... a couple
of weeks ago, normal tradewind patterns re-established themselves and
computer models show no let up in sight. Morning and evening trade
showers are back and water rationing in UpCountry has been cancelled as
of this week. Hawaiian Island Surf and Sports reports business up and I
hear High Tech is also happy ... after several months of High Pressure
and great weather ... it's cool to have the Trades back and blowing
hard!

--
Aloha,

John Twelker
Naish Sails Hawaii, Maui Sales Rep
RaceManPro Windsurfing Software, Co-Developer
http://www.ultranet.com/~lefebvre/RaceManPro/

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