Your first day Kiteboarding is one of the most important in your Kiteboarding career. Many newcomers will decide on this day whether this is the right sport for them or not. Much depends on the experiences that you will have in the first few hours or even minutes. At Action Sports Maui we know how important your first day is, and we do our very best to give you a safe, fun and empowering experience.
SURFING IS AN EXTREME SPORT: Surfing is an extreme sport, that looks deceptively easy. Especially when you come to Hawaii and you see young people old people and everyone in between dancing on the waves riding their surfboards without a care in the world. to the untrained eye it might look like surfing is literally Child’s Play, and somehow easy however, it is important to realize that the people that you see surfing have spent many hours and even years perfecting their sport. in Hawaii it is not uncommon for people to start surfing from a very early age the first time swimming in the ocean might be with their parents when they are only a few years old.
Learn to Windsurf: A Beginner’s Guide to Safe Windsurfing is a practical introduction to the sport by David & Suzie Dorn. Drawing on decades of professional instruction, it covers equipment, wind awareness, balance, steering, turning, safety, self-rescue, and the essential techniques every beginner needs to build confidence and continue progressing on the water.
Kiteboarding is a technical, ever-evolving sport—and no matter how accomplished you think you are, there’s always room to grow. At Action Sports Maui, we encourage all riders—beginners and seasoned alike—to invest in lessons or coaching whenever they’re exploring a new location. Your instructor isn’t just teaching technique; they’re your local guide, safety partner, and trusted riding buddy.
Kiteboarding is one of the most exciting and evolving sports in the world. Although it has been around for decades, it continues to grow in popularity—and Maui has been at the forefront since the very beginning. As Maui’s original kiteboarding school, we’ve remained committed to excellence in training, safety, and ocean awareness for nearly three decades.
The history of windsurfing is deeply intertwined with the island of Maui. It’s more than just a sport here—it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a legacy. From its humble beginnings to its high-flying modern form, windsurfing on Maui has shaped—and been shaped by—the island’s natural beauty and adventurous spirit.
Whether you’re a first-time rider or a seasoned pro, Maui offers a chance to be part of a living history. Catch the wind, ride the waves, and experience the magic that made this island the true home of windsurfing.
If there’s one golden rule every surfer learns quickly, it’s this: the early bird catches the best waves. On Maui, the mornings are a magical time for surfing, with glassy water, perfect swells, and light winds setting the stage for an unforgettable ride. At Action Sports Maui, we know that morning sessions are where the magic happens, which is why our surfing lessons always start bright and early.
Life is Not a Spectator Sport: Why Spectate When You Can Participate?
When was the last time you stopped watching life go by and dove headfirst into something exciting? If you’re longing for an experience that breaks the mold, Maui is the place to make it happen. Known as the heart of adventure in the Pacific, Maui is a haven for outdoor sports, where the motto isn’t just to live—but to live fully.
Winter Solstice December 21st. December is the wettest month in Hawaii, which is great as most of the islands have
Changing of the Seasons: Maui has super consistent weather, but we still have seasons here. The Surfing Season is coming and you will notice things changing. Each season has a character and a rhythm, so be prepared to adjust your approach and technique accordingly.
Maui is the Adventure Sports Capital: Other islands have their highlights, Big Island has great Diving, Kauai has great hiking,
Beware of the Shorebreak Shorebreak Warning: Watch out for shore break. Especially when the tide is high and the swell
Climate Change Maui: There is a lot of confusion about climate change. There are anthropogenic (man-made) factors that affect climate, like greenhouse gases, deforestation, and pollution. This is a worldwide problem, but has to be managed locally as well. Reducing our carbon footprint using renewable resources like solar and wind energy, as well as recycling and reusing materials rather than throwing materials away after a single use. Also, being mindful of not causing harm to the ecosystem by overusing toxic agricultural chemicals. Also, eating less meat (reduces greenhouse gases and deforestation) would be a major step in slowing Global Warming.
What is a Hurricane? A hurricane is a type of storm called a tropical cyclone, which forms over tropical or
Planning your kitesurfing trip to Maui? Here are essential tips to help you travel smart, stay safe, and make the most of your time on the water.
“Weather Maps may seem confusing when you first see them. But you can learn the basics easily. The information they
Kiteboarding on Maui is unlike riding anywhere else. The island’s powerful trade winds, challenging ocean conditions, and complex launch zones
Learning to Kiteboard is Fun, with our patient and professional Instructors. We have all kinds of beginner lessons and advanced lessons too. Our lessons are located at Kite Beach on Maui’s north shore.
Discover what wingsurfing is and why it’s Maui’s newest and most exciting wind sport. Learn to wingsurf with expert lessons at Action Sports Maui.
Discover the exciting world of Maui kiteboarding: We host Kite trips to Maui for all levels of Kiters and non-kiting family members. If you want to Kite every day in great conditions or mix Kiting with some sightseeing and cultural activities we have a plan to suit you.
The Beaufort Scale was created to standardize wind strength observations. Eventually adopted by the Royal Navy in 1830 it became the standard. With slight variations over the years, the scale is still used in some countries. Nowadays there are many more instruments and wind gauges available. However the Beaufort Scale is still the best way to estimate the wind speed based purely on visual observations of the sea state.
E malama o ke kai (to care for the ocean) As an olelo noeau (Hawaiian proverb) states, “Malama i ke
“Weather Maps may seem confusing when you first see them. But you can learn the basics easily. The information they
How to Fly a Kite. The basics of kite flying do not need to be complicated. With some basic equipment,
“Whether you are a windsurfing addict or a weekend warrior, you have probably discovered that Maui is a windsurfer’s paradise. This magical island has something to offer windsurfers of all levels; Beginners, Kids, First timers. All will like the tranquil waters in Maui’s bays and coves, or the extreme athletes will hit the waves on the many reef breaks, Speed sailors will revel in the focused wind blasting over 40 knots in Ma’aleaa Bay’s Speed Beach. Maui has it all.”
Standup paddle surfing is a modern revival of an older surfing style from the early part of the last century.
Ocean Waves Formation: Ocean waves are usually formed by a distant wind. Usually storms generate strong winds that act on the ocean’s surface for several days. The strength of the wind, and the duration it blows have a factor on how the resulting waves will be. The area which the wind affects the surface is called the fetch. The larger the fetch, the greater the waves produced. the small waves generated by storm winds are often confused and disorganized. These waves that come from a storm are called a “sea”. The sea travels in the direction that the wind was blowing.
Beyond Basics Surfing Course for Intermediates Surfing 201 in the follow on course for surfers who have mastered the basics
Hawaii is one of the best and easiest places to learn to surf. Being located in the center of the Pacific Ocean. Pure ocean swells combined with our off-shore reefs give us a variety of quality waves to ride. In the summer the south shore has the better surf, with a swell originating in the South Pacific. In wintertime, the north shore is visited by large swell systems that travel down from Alaska and Japan. The winter swell has the most spectacular waves for expert riders and spectators. There are always plenty of smaller waves for beginners year-round.
Kitesurfing is the natural evolution of extreme wind-powered watersports. Combining traits of windsurf and wakeboard, the powerful air-foils and lightweight boards give the kiteboarder higher performance capabilities than ever before. In its short but exciting history kitesurfing has brought together the most exciting components of other extreme sports. The simplicity of the kite-board concept allows every rider the ability to create their own ride styles that reflect their creative imagination and personal expression. With every new move the definitions are changed and the sport continues to expand in possibility. Nobody knows what kiteboarding will look like in the future. But already at the present time kiteboarding has expanded into snow-kiteboarding and has taken new directions into foil-boarding and land-boarding.
Learning to kiteboard is easier than ever before. We have been teaching kiteboarding now for over twenty-five years, and it just keeps getting better and better. Our new equipment and new training techniques have made the learning process fun and rewarding . It only requires a modest investment of time and money to get into the sport. This combined with a little patience and motivation is all it takes to be a kiteboarder. Compared to other water/wind-sports kiteboarding is relatively easy to learn. The learning curve compared to windsurfing is faster, and the kiteboarder will be more advanced after their first year. Kiteboarding is harder to learn than wakeboarding, because it is more technical. Remember that Kiteboarding is like learning two sports, Board riding, and kite flying. Kiteboarding is getting easier to learn each year, and is now available to a wider demographic of participants.
With the increasing popularity of kiteboarding, kiteboarders on Maui see the need to step up self-regulating efforts to keep the
Discovery Kiteboarder Program Level Competences A-1 Carry and set up the lines and kite Determine the wind direction and
LEARN WITH US: Action Sports Maui has been teaching the sport of kiteboarding since the beginning. We have tons of experience teaching all kinds of people to learn to kiteboard. We love to teach and make the learning process fun. We started as a Kiteboard school and that is our main focus, teaching people to Kiteboard. Learning is easier than ever before, with better equipment and better instruction methods.
The kids program is designed to be fun and teach the kids the basic kite flying skills. Sharing these skills with young kids helps prepare them at an early age for wind powered sports as they grow, and master the necessary skills.
Riding a Kitefoilboard – Video
Kitefoilboarding at Kanaha Beach Maui, with David Dorn. Stay tuned after this video for more Foilboard Tutorial Videos.
Or click on the Icon on the top left side of the screen for the Full Video Playlist.
Discover how Maui and Hood River became the birthplace of modern wing surfing. Learn about the Dragonfly FreeWing, the first production wing before major brands, and how hydrofoils revolutionized the sport.
ASM is has the best and most experienced instructors on Maui, they are trained and *Certified under the internationally Recognized teaching standards. Action Sports Maui known globally for its highly trained instructors. Every single member of our team is professionally trained and certified, and has the experience to tailor the lessons to the individual Kiter.
We have Kiteboarding Gear Rentals available for experienced persons only. Bring your IKO Kiteboarder Card as proof of ability, or
Originality
When compared to other schools, our school should be your first choice. We were the original (first) kiteboarding school in Hawaii since 1996 and have been teaching full time since 1997′ (far longer than any other school). We have taught more people to kiteboard and have developed many of the teaching systems in use today. We are also the premier center for instructor training and certification too, and we are the center where other schools send their instructors to be trained.
When communicating on-water or over a distance, wind and wave noise will drown out almost all verbal communication. So
Maui Ocean Safety is about awareness and knowledge. For example, most Hawaiians are taught to respect the ocean from an early age. Their familiarity and mastery of the ocean makes swimming and surfing look easy. You may see some very young keiki (children) flipping over in the waves close to shore and playing like little seals. This may give you a false impression that body-surfing is “Child’s play”. Tourists unfamiliar with the ocean should take particular care when entering the ocean for the first time, or when using an unfamiliar beach for the first time. The water looks so warm and inviting that people will jump in without taking proper care. It is best to swim at a patrolled beach with a swimming area until you get your sea-legs.
Maui Boardsailing Association Sail Safe Guidelines for windsurfing on Maui In the interest of promoting safe and enjoyable windsurfing for
The Online Education system, is a series of knowledge based courses that you can take online. These courses are designed to be a complimentary part of the kiteboarder’s learning path. Regular kiters, as well as instructors can take courses to improve their knowledge, some courses are free to members, you will need to log into the Online Education area to access these courses.
The IKO Kiteboarder Certification Card helps prove your Skill level of competence. The IKO Card certifies your skill level and is verification as you continue to train and develop. Your Instructor will fill in the remaining levels until you are a Level 3 independent rider, and beyond.
At Action Sports our goal is to deliver the best possible customer experience in safe and professional environment. Our policies
The AITC is a recognized Kiteboarding certification course. The assistant instructor program is perfect for candidates with no prior teaching background in kiteboarding.
Maui is a paradise, but there are also hidden dangers here too. Maui is an isolated rocky island surrounded by a powerful
Maui Gear & Equipment Guide. When it comes to enjoying watersports on Maui, having the right gear makes all the difference.
If you’re searching for IKO kiteboarding USA programs or want to train with IKO kiteboarding instructors, look no further than Action Sports Maui. As one of the original IKO schools in Hawaii, we offer internationally certified kiteboarding lessons and professional instructor training courses on the beautiful island of Maui.
The New IKO Kiteboarder Handbook goes hand in hand with your lessons from your instructor. It follows the same Kiteboarder
Kiteboarding Instructor Certification and Training The Kiteboarding certification is recognized worldwide and is the most highly regarded qualification in the
Our community has created a system on Maui whereby kiteboarding can be enjoyed alongside the traditional watersports, and integrate with the wider community. As pioneers and early promoters of kiteboarding we established high safety standards and solid techniques that we shared with the local kiteboarders, that became the blueprint for the lesson program as well as the local kiting guidelines. The Safe kiting guidelines were adopted by the local kitesurfing community that eventually became the basis for the local rules and the formation of our local kiteboarding association. We are proud to be a part of a vital and diverse community of watersports lovers that call Maui home. Our goal was to create a sense of camaraderie, and cooperation in the Ocean.
