YACHTING ON THE ISLANDS

Yachting on the Islands

The Hawaiian Islands offer some of the best sailing in the world and is one of the many reasons that draws people to come to Hawaii and make it their permanent home. Waikiki offers steady wind and a relatively calm bay for sailing and power boating all year. Diving, snorkeling, and swimming off your boat in the crystal-clear water is something everyone loves to do. It really is living the dream lifestyle! However, with the limited slips and moorings available on Oahu, let’s talk about where you can keep your boat when you live on Oahu.

Ala Wai Yacht Harbor

The largest and most well-known harbor is the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor located in Honolulu. The demand is high and the wait for a permanent slip can take as long as two years, however, the harbor does offer a temporary permit for up to 120 days a year. Harboring your boat here is relatively inexpensive depending your boat and it can accommodate large vessels. There is a large channel that is easy to maneuver and the harbor is close to everything Honolulu has to offer.

The Ala Wai Harbor is where the world famous Transpac sailing race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, ends. The race takes place every two years.

There are two private yacht clubs in Honolulu: the Waikiki Yacht Club and the Hawaii Yacht Club. Both offer permanent slips for all different sized yachts. Both clubs are located next to the Ala Wai Harbor. Both clubs have restaurants, bars, and a lot of ocean activities to participate in such as, Cal 20 races and sailing lessons. The Hawaii Yacht club hosts a weekly Friday night “Beer Can” sail yacht race, with live music.

Kewalo Harbor

Kewalo Harbor is an great option located also located in Honolulu. Kewalo Harbor is in the Kaka’ako District where new condominiums are going up. Slips range from 40 to 100 feet and members and visitors have access to any of the three loading docks as well as electricity, water, vehicle parking and restrooms. If you are looking to live in a condo, living across the street and having your boat slip in Kewalos would be very convenient. Ward village is right there and has plenty of shops and great restaurants to eat at after a day on the ocean. Head out the large channel for diamond head to enjoy all Waikiki has to offer.

Outside Honolulu

On the west side of the island is Ko’olina Marina located in Kapolei. This is a live aboard marina that offers access to water and electricity as well as a cable television and telephone hookup, laundry and restroom facilities, a picnic area with a barbecue grill and a secure, gated entry to the Marina. There is a floating fuel dock with diesel and gasoline with a pump out station. Ko’olina is surrounded by hotels, golf courses, and restaurants, and is a great place to park your yacht. The west side offers phenomenal snorkeling and the dolphins are known to swim very close to shore daily giving you the awesome opportunity to see these beautiful animals in action. There are also a variety of properties in Ko’olina if you are thinking of buying a home including townhouses on the golf courses, villas, condominiums and single family homes, most of these homes are two or three bedrooms and are all inside the gated community just minutes from the marina.

There is a small boat harbor on the North Shore called Haleiwa Harbor. However, the wait time for a long term slip is 8-20 years as it is the only safe harbor on that side of the island. During the summer months, many boaters sail up to Waimea Bay and anchor on the sand. They grill off their boats and sleep over for days at a time to just swim and kayak in the beautiful water.

Another option for boat lovers is to buy a property that comes with a boat slip. There are several areas around the island from gated communities and single family homes to condominiums right on the water.  If you are looking to find the right home – take advantage of our Property Search.

As a power boat owner, you can go to some of the great waterfront restaurants such as the Kona brewing company or Assaggio’s Italian Restaurant. You can also do your shopping at Costco from the waterway. There are lots of single family home options on the waterway if you wish to have a power boat sitting outside your door. Size restrictions do matter, but it’s another great option for the avid power boater.

All in all, Hawaii has a great sailing and power yachting community. There is nothing better than a great day out on the ocean. Contact me if you have more questions about the boating life or if you plan to move to the islands with or without your yacht.