Maui & Hawaii - Catamaran

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ljudish

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Location
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I am traveling to Hawaii next week, and the wife and I are hoping to get some diving in. The issue is my wife can get sea sick really easily. When we dove a few years back on Kauai we did one trip with a V Hull and my wife got really sea sick, to where she didn't want to go back out. We dove a week later in Oahu from a catamaran, and she loved it, with no sea sickness issues. Does anyone know of a Dive Shop in Maui & Hawaii that use Catamaran's for their boats? We are spending a week on both Islands.

Thanks
 
I have dove off the Trilogy on Maui mostly snorkelers but you can arrange it. Don’t know of one on the Big Island but there is plenty of shore diving on both islands.
 
Trilogy has a couple of big sailing cats or another less dive-focused but stabler option could be Pride of Maui, it's a big powered cat that also offers a more expensive dive option to Moolokini. It's also more of a snorkel boat - there's even a waterslide. And they do a bbq lunch. Nice thing is they moor way up inside the crater so it's pretty calm - the dive is straight out back toward Maui. Look for whitetips in the sand nearby.Also they drop stairs into the water so entries couldn't be easier.

I can't remember the name but there's another big sail cat that sometimes beaches near the resorts in south Maui - IIRC they also offer diving.

The biggest, likely most stable non-cat on Maui is probably one of the Lahaina Divers 65' Newton dive boats - I believe they have stabilizers on the hull. Extended Horizons or Hawaii Rafting use much smaller boats - we watched the HR divers get thrown around pretty good at the Cathedrals once - it's a hard-hulled zodiac.

All the Molokini (south Maui) boats leave from the boat ramp so they're smaller. They actually go early in the morning since coming back can be rough when the tradewinds pickup.Probably - but I'm not sure - the most stable is B&B Scuba's - it looks like an older flat ex-military boat.

Thought about shore diving? Both Maui Dreams Dive Co. or Shaka Divers are guided options in South Maui - there's some decent diving off some of the beaches nearby.. In West Maui Tiny Bubbles in Ka'anapali is an option also. I think Extended Horizons also guides in the afternoons. They're near Mala Wharf - arguably the best shore dive there but the entry requires going over some rocks and picking your way thru shallow coral.

Black Rock is a pretty famous shore dive - easy entry off the beach. We also liked Old Airport but we had scooters to get out to the farther - and IMO better - reef. We liked Wailea Beach in South Maui - all the good stuff is off the south point. My friend said Polo Beach nearby is even better.

On Hawaii the only dive operation I'm aware of with a cat is Kona Diving Company - recommended.

As NorcalDM mentioned there's a lot of shore diving options on both islands. Maui entries are often off sandy beaches,. some of the Kona entries are rougher as you have to pick your way thru the lava. Some of the Kona sites are also fairly long carries from the parking to the water - only 1-2 of the Maui entries are longer walks.

Old but still fairly accurate - nice thing is the entry pictures. Scuba Shore Diving Region: Hawaiian Islands
 
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Check out Dive and Sea on Maui. They have a catamaran style boat that is super stable and super comfortable. The owners are very nice and they run a good operation. Has your wife tried taking Bonine? I also get sea sick easily (and air sick!), but taking the maximum dose of Bonine an hour or so before a charter keeps me from getting sick. It’s non-drowsy as well so she won’t have to worry about feeling zonked.

I agree that you should also definitely consider shore diving on Maui at least since there are options with super easy entries. Tanks and weights are cheap to rent and if you post your dates on each island, you might find some experienced Hawaii divers to guide you.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. We are looking at Maui diving on Maui the 16th & 17th. And then we are on the big island the 20th - 28th. We are still trying to figure out what we are doing sightseeing wise on the big island as well.

Thanks to everyone for your response
 
We are still trying to figure out what we are doing sightseeing wise on the big island as well.
Volcanoes National Park - it's erupting currently afaik. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Akaka Falls is a pleasant walk to a pretty picturesque falls but IIRC you can't get real close. Akaka Falls State Park - Hawaii State Parks There might be a zipline there now. Possible to stop there after VNP but it makes for a longer drive.
If you take the south road all the way around to Volcano - before you get there is a black sand beach - can't remember the name.
Some people drive up to the observatory on Mauna Kea. Star Gazing Program - Maunakea Visitor Information Station - the visitor center is a 9200' - the higher summit is a rough road and requires a 4wd vehicle. Check the Rental CDW if you do - it's probably NOT covered.
This is fun and probably the only reason to trek to HIlo - Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, Hawaii Helicopter Tours, Sightseeing Helicopter Tour on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island They go places you can't get to on the ground.

And a warning - every road on Hawaii climbs to some significant elevation - the Saddle Road for example over 6000' in one area. So no fly-after-dive rules apply on most of them. The town of Volcano has some elevation also. Just stay along the coastline while diving.
 
If you take the south road all the way around to Volcano - before you get there is a black sand beach - can't remember the name.

Punalu'u is the beach, and it's a beauty. Just a couple miles north of Nahalehu on the south side.

There is also a Green Sand Beach (Papakolea) in the same relative area, near Ka Lae (South Point). Well worth a visit as well.
 
If you can arrange to do the night dive with Mantas on the Big Island, that can be an awesome event.
 

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