Docking options Maui and the Big Island

[jobberone]

Still no boat but we are getting closer. We have been to HI twice lately looking at homes on the Big Island. It's become apparent though we are going to have a great deal of difficulty docking the boat. I've noticed a few sailboats in Reed's Bay off Hilo. There is one cat in the marina in Kona and its small.

The slips are expensive. I've been told the slips in Oahu are similar although more of them. Seems to be few public available options.

Any great ideas out there besides don't move to HI.

[roverhi]

Covered numerous times in previous posts so a search should turn up the information. PM me with more information on boat, etc. and may be able to give you some ideas.

[Dhillen]

Keep in mind they hate cruisers in Hawaii and for large parts of Oahu, in my experience, there is precious little Aloha to be found.

I have done a lot of research into this and visited Hawaii many times. It was clear to me as a sailor I should spend my money somewhere else.

Dhillen

[jobberone]

How about those who live there?

[jobberone]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Covered numerous times in previous posts so a search should turn up the information. PM me with more information on boat, etc. and may be able to give you some ideas.

Did a search and got little about Reed's Bay but I'll look again. thx. M

[Kalinowski]

I can't say much about the other islands except that I've heard there are precious few slips available. We've kept our boat on O'ahu now for 6 years. There are liveaboard slips presently available at both Keehi Marine Center and Ko Olina (around $1,200/ month liveaboard plus parking and utilities for 50' slip). The State is rebuilding the Keehi State Marina with 60 new slips available soon. Stay away from the Ala Wai marina in Waikiki because of crime/pollution. The North Shore marinas dont allow live aboards and open slips are rare. Even though it's an island state, Hawai'i does not embrace sailors.

[roland stockham]

Slightly off topic but may help Jobberone as well. I will be looking to leave my boat in the Hawaiian Islands from Sept to the following summer awaiting weather to go north - will fly back to Canada to work over the winter. What would the best Island be to look at, probably not Big Island but which of the smaller ones. What about places like Kauai or Ni'ihau. Also what the options for storage ashore?
The other possibility if you live their might be to get a centreboarder or cat and a very big trailer plus tractor, keep it on a beachfront property and launch from the beach like they do with lifeboats - crazy maybe but it's a though, it's how fishermen solve the problem in areas without harbors.

[CLady]

Having lived on the Big Island, the only place I know of right now would be in Kaneohe Bay Oahu. Until people get their slips in the yacht clubs, they anchor out near Kaneohe Y.C. It would be worth contacting Kaneohe Y.C.--a couple of members have private docks that they rent out. There are some club members that rent out their slips for periods of time as well.

You would have to clear out of Kaneohe Y.C. and/or the private slips adjacent by mid-July 2016 because the finishers of the Pacific Cup Race have priority there which takes place July 2016. (San Francisco to Kaneohe Bay)

[jmschmidt]

Docking options Maui and the Big Island. You ask, hmmm, slim to none comes to mind. Hawaii is pretty much a yachting waste land thanks to our communist politicians who see everyone owning a boat as a rich yachties. No matter how humble you or your boat are they view you as a pocket to pick but they are too stupid, lazy and inept to build facilities so as to entice you come here and get your pocket picked. I came here fifty years ago so have a good deal at my club. Wait list there for slips? I'd say about ten years. State harbors on Oahu only 5-7 years. Outer islands, you won't live long enough. Mooring ball? Possible on Oahu, maybe on Maui or the Big Island. If you are military, a reservist or retired military you may get into Pearl Harbor or Kaneohe Marine Base marinas. Pearl seems to be well run and not too expensive, but I don't know how this works. Good luck.

[roverhi]

Boats 40' or so can usually find guest slips at Honokohau Harbor on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. Believe you can get 4 months in any one year so can stay eight months if you get a slip in September and can stay till April of the following year. We usually have a couple of boats wintering over every year. Harbor is about three miles from town or Costco, an easy trip with a bicycle. Harbor has a haulout facility and workers available to handle almost anything that you might need, a Chandlery and two restaurants at the boat yard. Slips are a mooring ball and concrete dock.

[Kalinowski]

There are no dry dock boat storage areas that I've heard of anywhere in the Sandwich Isles. There are lots of empty balls in Keehi Lagoon. They are run by the state and rates are around $90/month short term to around $40/month for annual commitments. If you plan on leaving your boat for long periods and like O'ahu, I would recommend Keehi Marine Center because it's 10 minutes from the airport and has extremely good security.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Kalinowski

There are no dry dock boat storage areas that I've heard of anywhere in the Sandwich Isles. There are lots of empty balls in Keehi Lagoon. They are run by the state and rates are around $90/month short term to around $40/month for annual commitments. If you plan on leaving your boat for long periods and like O'ahu, I would recommend Keehi Marine Center because it's 10 minutes from the airport and has extremely good security.

Gentry's Kona Marina has a dry storage yard. It is pretty full but there may be available space. Google them to get the number. Get everything in writing before you commit as they will nickel dime you to death with added charges if they can.

[Kalinowski]

Aloha Peter O: Does the Gentry yard have a travelift for boats over 40'? Nice to hear there are options over there.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Kalinowski

Aloha Peter O: Does the Gentry yard have a travelift for boats over 40'? Nice to hear there are options over there.

The lift will handle a 40 footer, don't know how much larger it will haul. They also haul large cats with a trailer though the trailer may be one they borrow from Ron Clarke.

[jobberone]

Big Island:

Stacked boat up to 24ft and 5000lbs single OB. Trailered boats more viable.

Slips for smaller boats esp less 40ft about two year wait all go on wait list. As above private arrangements can be made part time. 40ft and above likely 5-7 years. You can purchase a corporate lease slip esp with a boat.

Moorings not much on the Big Island.

If you want a sailboat or decent sized power boat in the water your best bet is to buy a corporate boat and all those are power boats in charter.