Maui: Looking for non-babysitting charter

I'm wondering if anyone has come across a charter on Maui that accomodates active/experienced divers, as most charters I've interviewed seem really set on babysitting "vacation only" or new divers.

I'm looking for recreational depth charters out of Kihei with these qualities in order of priority:
- Nitrox available on board (don't have to run around getting it elsewhere)
- Will allow me to dive nitrox on the back wall (where it is possible to exceed the MOD)
- Aren't gonna give me crap about my gear (BP/wing, can light)
- Do not have students/intros on board (thus limiting sites esp the back wall)
- Allow you dive your own profile (within a runtime limit)
- Allow you to not follow the DM all the time, i.e. get away from the group, with a buddy of course (willing to submit to a log and skill evaluation)

Doubles that I can get nitrox in: I know my chances are slim... but while I'm in Hawaii, I'm diving doubles in Kona. I'd like to not have to bring my singles gear as well. Anyone know of a shop that I could rent doubles from that would be appropriately set up to receive nitrox fills?

Thanks in advance.

Speaking from my own experience, Ed Robinson is going to be the closest match to what you're looking for. Their "3 Tank Adventure Dive" is geared towards the experienced diver, often includes a dive on the backwall (conditions permitting obviously), at least 2 of the dm's that I know of dive bp/wings, and they let you dive your own profile. As far as following the dm, they do request that you stay within sight of the group, but with 150'+ of vis, that's not asking a lot, IMO. They don't however, supply nitrox. You would have to pick that up elsewhere, I'd suggest Maui Dreams Dive Company, which is very close to the Kihei boat launch.

Others have spoken highly of B & B and Mike Severns, but I cannot personally offer any experiences with them as far as boat dives. B & B has nitrox, and I have rented doubles from them, and they now have trimix as well.

Hope that helps.

Try Ed Robinson, Mike Severns and B&B Scuba but e mail them first with your questions. None of them take students or snorkelers.

No one will guaranty the Back Wall in advance except Maui Dive Shop as they do a specific one tank Back Wall dive. I doubt they will meet your other requirements.

B&B has Nitrox tanks so e mail them about renting you doubles. No doubt they will for shore diving but not likely for the boat dives.

I seriously doubt any charter boat will accomodate you on doubles, diving your own profiles or not staying with the group. This is most likely due to liability and as you know the USA is the lawsuit capital of the world.

What confuses me about Maui is that this paranoid fear of liability is not found in Kona. Both are sue-happy USA and both are Hawaii... yet completely different worlds.

I understand that the backwall is weather permitting, I just don't want to get on a boat with perfect weather and can't do the back wall because someone is doing their checkout dives.

As for B&B scuba, they have nitrox, trimix, and doubles... but you can't put the nitrox in the doubles b/c the doubles are not O2 clean... I'm completely stupified here.

Are there any ops that cater to "Maui locals" who likely do not demand the same valet service as tourist, nor want to put up with the hassels of tourists everywhere?

When are you going?

I should clarify my last post...Ed Robinson will allow you to dive you're own profile in the sense that you can determine your max depth (but they will tell you the dm's will not go past 140') and you ascend when you are ready to ascend (not dictated by someone else's air consumption).

I'm not familiar with B & B not putting nitrox in their doubles. Going strictly from memory, I'm pretty confident they had nitrox bands on their doubles.

Ed Robinson has two boats. They do take out relatively new divers, but they would be on the other boat, not the 3 Tank boat.

mer:

Are there any ops that cater to "Maui locals" who likely do not demand the same valet service as tourist, nor want to put up with the hassels of tourists everywhere?

Click to expand...

The answer is no, there is not. This is mainly a tourist oriented island. You would have to know someone here with there own private boat and even that can be an issue. All the dive boats have Charter permits and separate Molokini permits issued by the State. It is illegal for anyone else to take people diving for profit. That profit is defined as ANY type of remuneration, including buying the boat owner some gas in exchange for taking you diving.

Maui is in a different county than the Big Island. Even though the State issues the permits the Big Island is still more laid back than Maui. I'll bet that won't be for long at the current rate of development.

Even if the weather and conditions are good all it takes is 1 or 2 of the divers on board the boat to not want to do the Back Wall and it's a no go. The odds of that happening are greater on a 12 pack than a 6 pack. Only two six packs left that I know of, Pro Dive Maui and Makena Coast Charters. I'm not sure about Pro Dive since it just got taken over by new owners.

Someone reminded me that Dive & Sea also has a 6 pack boat.

Mer,


I just got back from Maui 2 days ago. I dove with both B & B and Ed Robinson. I like both dive operators but it sounds to me like you will be happier with Ed Robinson. They have 2 boats and they split the groups based on experiance. I will say when I dove with B&B they sent me with my own dive master and I could go as deep as recreational limits. But if your heart is set on the back wall I would do the Adventure 3 tank dive with Ed Robinson. I did and we went to the back wall. Gotta be honest with you. According to the Captain the back wall is really over rated. The place you really want to go to is the corners. We did the back wall saw many of the same things as inside the crater. But on the adventure dive we did an area called shark condos at 125 feet that was awesome. Its on the corners of molikini.

We also did a dive at a small wreck at 60 feet its really cool all the turtles hang out there.

On Both Ed Robinson and B&B I saw people diving with Nitrox. I do not know about doubles. I will tell you that with doubles youll have more air than you need.

If you want to see pictures from my dives check out my homepage. Ignore the first page they are topside.

homepage.mac.com/dolkart

hope that helps if you have anyother specific questions do not hesitate to PM me

Sounds like you need to dive some where besides Hawaii. I have dived there alot and found most operators are babysitters. For a little more money you could be diving the central america on the caribbean side with a operator that is far more relaxed and reef systems that are not wrecked.