Bareboat in Oahu, Hawaii

[Stranded Mariner]

Thanks for the background on boating in Hawaii Peter.

As for Iniki, I think I've never seen such damage. Our crew of engineers was staying in the Poipu Beach Hotel, but during the storm all went hiding in the concrete basement of the Port Allen (Ele'ele) power station, which we had helped to build.
One of my friends had a motor boat for fishing charters. The storm surge threw it right on the road to the station.

After the storm the island looked like a war zone. The power station was practically undamaged, but I can't remember one power line that was not torn to pieces.
Our hotel was basically gone. There were lava rocks in the bar, and palm trees penetrating the walls of three rooms in a row.

The national guard came after a few days, and installed these little mobile generators everywhere. After camping in our site office for a while, we could move in some condo's which were not too badly damaged. The roof was temporarily fixed with blue plastic like everywhere else. Everything changed. Some people who saw their businesses ruined moved to the US mainland, others who came as temporaries, like roofers, electricians, insurance adjusters etc., found a permanent job and stayed.

The last time I was in the islands was early 1994, and I never have been back since unfortunately.

Andreas

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by roverhi

”... It got so bad that there was talk of cancelling the TransPac race because they weren't sure they'd have enough viable slips for the boats. Roy Disney personally castigated the State in an open letter for what it has allowed to happen to the Ala Wai ...”

Roy Disney’s latest open letter, published in the Honolulu Advertiser August 13, 2007

State has shown it can't manage boat harbor ~ By Roy E. Disney
Goto: State has shown it can't manage boat harbor - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper

Two years ago, following the 2005 Transpacific Yacht Race, I wrote to The Advertiser, lamenting the sad and dilapidated state of the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. My letter was reprinted in a number of publications, in Hawai'i and the Mainland, and for a brief few months there was hope something might be done.

Two years ago, the second-largest fleet in Transpac's illustrious history arrived to find the entirety of "Transpac Row" condemned, rotting, and useless, not just to them but to the state in general. Instead of the 100-year tradition of a true "gathering place" for the visitors, the boats were scattered haphazardly around the boat harbor and largely left to fend for themselves — and to feel entirely unwanted and unwelcome.

"How could it get much worse?" we said to each other in 2005.

Well, in 2007, another near-record fleet found out how much worse it could get. Two more rows of slips were derelict and almost nonexistent; boats had to be tied stern-to with no access to either electricity or fresh water. The feeling of aloha was almost entirely missing.

As you know, Pacific High Productions has been shooting a feature film — slated for distribution next year by the Walt Disney Co. — based on the Transpac race, working in and around Ala Wai since January. The condition of the boat harbor has severely limited our shooting options and angles, lest we embarrass Hawai'i by inadvertently photographing the pathetic conditions there.

We would certainly find it difficult to recommend it to others in our industry as a filming location. In the past, Ala Wai has been a highly desirable location, for such shows as "Gilligan's Island," and of course, "Hawaii Five-0."

Ala Wai Boat Harbor is without a doubt the single most important and most prestigious location for a world-class marina in the entire northeast Pacific. A restored and vibrant harbor, right on the edge of Waikiki Beach, would be a highly visible source of pride, and more importantly, of income, to the city and the state. It could be a tourist attraction of real importance.

But the simple fact is that NOTHING has been done, and Ala Wai continues to suffer from what seems to be almost malicious neglect.

If the trend continues, the harbor will be empty of useable moorings by the time the 2009 Transpac racers return. In the interim, local mariners of all kinds — sailors, fishermen, every lover of the sea — will continue to suffer.

It is tragically ironic that the state which takes such great — and deserved — pride in its roots in the sea, which has produced a living symbol of that in Hokule'a, should neglect one of its most important gateways to the sea.

It is my strong belief that government has demonstrated that it is simply unable to run the boat harbor properly. It is time for private enterprise to step in, take over and do what it has done for many similar marinas elsewhere, all over our country and abroad.

As I said two years ago, I write as one who knows the state more than a little. I first came here as a kid in 1939, and I have always returned out of love. I have come back as a tourist, as a businessman, as the owner of a local television station for many years, as a competitor in the Transpac, and most recently as a filmmaker and a homeowner.

It pains me — as it should pain every Hawai'i resident — that government has been so remiss in recognizing the importance of Ala Wai. Please, for all of us, visiting sailors, local sailors, but especially for all the proud citizens of Hawai'i, fix Ala Wai!!!

Roy E. Disney
Skipper of Pyewacket, MaxZ86
Los Angeles

***

Excerpted from the “44th Biennial Transpacific Yacht Race / Los Angeles to Hawaii
Transpacific Yacht Club newsletter: Transpac 2007 Press Release

”... Roy Disney, following his 15th and final Transpac, wrote a letter published in the Honolulu Advertiser bemoaning the situation.

At about the same time, Curtis A. (Bud) Thompson, a former commodore of two Hawaiian yacht clubs and general chairman of the Honolulu Committee for the 1969 Transpac, wrote a letter to Gov. Linda Lingle. She responded last October:

"My administration is concerned about the condition of the State's small boat harbors, as we do want them to be places that our citizens and visitors can enjoy. We also recognize the economic value of prestigious yachting competitions and will continue to support events like the Transpac.

"I wish to assure you that we are looking into various solutions for the repair and upkeep of our harbor facilities and, in addition, we continue our efforts to persuade legislators to dedicate additional funds."

Nine months later the state has made no apparent moves to improve the marina, despite Lingle's stated concern and assurances.

Last month Thompson wrote her another letter pointing out the potential added benefits of Transpac to her state through Disney's Morning Light project that will see "the youngest crew ever to sail Transpac" racing a Transpac 52 to Honolulu.

As of this release he has received no response...”

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Stranded Mariner

Thanks for the background on boating in Hawaii Peter.

As for Iniki, I think I've never seen such damage. Our crew of engineers was staying in the Poipu Beach Hotel, but during the storm all went hiding in the concrete basement of the Port Allen (Ele'ele) power station, which we had helped to build.
One of my friends had a motor boat for fishing charters. The storm surge threw it right on the road to the station.

After the storm the island looked like a war zone. The power station was practically undamaged, but I can't remember one power line that was not torn to pieces.
Our hotel was basically gone. There were lava rocks in the bar, and palm trees penetrating the walls of three rooms in a row.

The national guard came after a few days, and installed these little mobile generators everywhere. After camping in our site office for a while, we could move in some condo's which were not too badly damaged. The roof was temporarily fixed with blue plastic like everywhere else. Everything changed. Some people who saw their businesses ruined moved to the US mainland, others who came as temporaries, like roofers, electricians, insurance adjusters etc., found a permanent job and stayed.

The last time I was in the islands was early 1994, and I never have been back since unfortunately.

Andreas

Interesting......you and I left Hawaii the same year. We sailed out of Ala Wai on Feb 11, 1994, enroute to Palmyra and our 2nd circumnavigation.

My best friend ran a catering business in Hawaii. His company made packaged meals for the hotels and other businesses on all of the islands. He owned a Cessna (Airplane) that he used for his business. When Iniki hit, he called me on the phone and asked if I wanted to fly over to Kauai with him. He got special permission to fly over to help arrange food supplies.

We got over there about 2 hours after Iniki left. We flew around the island (taking pictures) for quite awhile before we could land. There were military transports landing.

Although there was a lot of damage and swaths of destruction (that appeared to be tornadoes) it was relativily minor (in comparrison to what it could have been) due to the fact that the eye of Iniki took about 30 minutes to clear the island. The eye of Iniki was traveling at 30kts when it passed over Kauai. It was moving so fast that it overran it's own storm surge and practically flattened it out from the forecaste 20' down to 6'. Had Iniki continued it's forecasted movement of 10kts, destruction on Kauai would have been nearly total IMO.

We spent 2 days on the island and traveled around pretty freely. By the time that we left, I was amazed at the amount of work that had already been done. There were hundreds of power poles being put in place and almost all of the roads had been cleared.

Hurricane Andrew had devistated parts of Florida just a few weeks prior to Iniki. There was no way that the Governor of Hawaii was going to take the flack that the Gvnr of Florida and FIMA got. The National Gaurd was on the ground in Kauai before the last winds of Iniki blew.

As bad as it was, it could have been SO MUCH worse. If I remember correctly, only 1 or 2 lives were lost and I think that they were more health related than direct injury related. What a miracle.

[cedric.02]

Boating in Hawaii is really great! I did that already selveral times and i will again for sure - thank's for the background.
I saw some of you guys lived there already - how is it to have a Oahu real estate?
The father of my wife has a sailing boat and he is thinking of moving their!

Ceedy

[Daphi Dotan]

Hi Roman,

I read your posts about planning to be in Hawaii and do a week bareboat there. I wonder - did you manage to get it done?
If you did, was it through Honolulu Sailing Co?
Any piece of information, inc recomendations, will be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance for your help (or anybody elses help)
Daphi

Originally Posted by Roman

Hi, everyone
Just joined the forum and found it great for all kinds of information.
We are from Alberta, Canada and due to lack of oceans at our locale
we go for long cruising charters in the Pacific NW. (love it there)
We like performance sailing and pretty much charter Big Jeanneau's
each time (43'and bigger). They give us the speed and comfort at the same time. We also sail high performance planing dinghy for the rest of the summer on Canada's mountain lakes.

We have been looking for new cruising grounds with a bit warmer water
and living close to west coast, Hawaii is the prime spot. We reserched
all the info on this forum and others as well. We do not like the Caribean
as it has changed a lot recently
and Polyneysia and Australia is so far (expensive) away.
So Hawaii it is and we are willing to work a bit harder while sailing there.

There is not that much info on bareboat as Hawaii cruising requires advanced seamanship.
We are trying to find more about the bareboat charter company in Oahu.
It seems to be the only bareboat charter in Hawaii. Their web site is friendly but it would be great to hear some first or second hand experience. They have fast Bene's there which may be handy for upwind
work inbetween the Islands.

Also after looking at the weather stats and taking into account the price of charter we plan to charter there April or May. Which month would be
preferable considering sailing and snorkelling. There seems to be the jelly
fish migration starting in May. Is stinger suit required in May or just being carefull and avoiding the stingers is OK.

Thank you

Roman

Things do happed by chance - or it seems - but they get better when you ready.

[icehocdoc]

Hello. I'm looking to sail in Mauii and noticed the last posting/reply was in 2007. Does anyone have any updates on this? I'm heading over in November 2011 and would love to bareboat charter. Thanks. "Knot 4 Sale"

[keao]

Aloha All,
I know it's a late post but people still might like the information.
I run a private charter company here in Hawaii and sail year around, mostly in Maui County. I dont do bareboat charters as many of the anchorages and channels are very challenging. I charter a 43' beneteau Oceanis fully equipped with davits 11.5' hard bottom rib, solar panels and everything you need for off the grid cruising. Occasionally we charter to outer islands and even down to Palmyra.
Aloha Keao
Kainani Sails
Kainanisails@gmail.com
Kainanisails.com
(808)738.7897

[SkiprJohn]

These folks are good to talk to if you are in Kailua-Kona the Big Island.

Aloha Sailing LLC

kind regards,

[keao]

Kinda late on the jump, but I run a private Charter business for anyone who is ever looking for on in Hawaii. Feel free to have a look or get ahold of me. Kainanisails.com
we also have reviews on trip advisor