I had taken a windsurf lesson a few months ago and it was awesome!! The instructor was friendly and made me feel comfortable out on the water. Since then I've gone out another 3 times on my own.
Mahalo.
Knowledgeable staff. Lots of equipment. Overpriced.
Best shop in Kailua! They always have the latest on kite, surf and foil gear!! And great prices too!
They helped us with parking recommendations for the beach, considerations about wind and wave conditions and where to paddle board, putting the boards and rack on and off the car. Even a reminder about sunscreen. We had a great experience thanks to them. Mahalo!
I had a great experience. I needed kite gear and Josh set me up with a dream Cabrinha Drifter kite and a foil to enjoy the beautiful wind and waves of Oahu. Mahalo
Everyone was so friendly and helpful! We loved our parasailing adventure! The view was spectacular!
I was renting a surfboard here and returned it one day earlier than I told them I would. Well, it turned out they charged me money up front for the three days and would not give me refund even though I returned the board earlier. I have been renting surfboards on Oahu for many years and many times I had to return the board earlier for different reasons and I was always charged for the number of days I actually had the board, not for the number of days "I was going to". Of course nobody told me about such "rules" in advance, I would never sign up for that. By the way even with car rental companies if you return a car earlier they will charge you only for the number of days you actually had the car, its a standard rental practice, so I did not even expect this could happen to me. If you rent a board in this place then you have to watch your back and be extra careful about what you are signing...
Overall, a decent store with a good selection of water toys. However last week I asked for help in selecting boogie board fins and purchased a pair for about $65. I tried them once for a 45 minute Boogie boarding session and found the fins way too heavy as they hurt my shins. I just found out they will not exchange them because they've already gotten "wet". I think that's rather lame because I had the original box, they were unmarked and I wasn't trying to return them only exchange them for a pair that would suit me better. So now I have a pair of fins I don't like and don't want to use. I'm obviously not going to be excited about shopping at this store again.
This shop is a gem in Kailua! Incredible variety of quality equipment of several brands. Helpful and friendly staff is there to answer questions and get you in the water quickly. Services include kayak rentals, bike rentals, lessons on how to kitesurfing, foil, surfing, windsurfing and more. I recommend this shop!
First lesson was one of the best days of my life! Ray is incredible. Dude truly has a passion for these types of sports, easy going, fun personality, and is an excellent coach. He makes everything easier to understand and grasp. Can't wait for round 2. From the whitewater kayaker guy. Thank you Hawaiian Watersports.
If you ever ask for a discount, they rent out a damaged board and charge you later when you return it by saying that you damaged that one. You end up paying about same, but this is not a right way to run a business.
What a great company. I took kite lessons here with Aaron and I had an awesome experience learning this new sport. Aaron made it fun and gave me good instructions. I definitely have improved in my kite skills and will keep taking lessons here. I recommend highly!
Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Not pushy, want to see you on the right board for you. Cool shop!
My go to store for anything surf. Stoke with my new foil. Huge selection of everything water-sport. They have all the newest hydrofoil surf kite and windsurf stuff. Close to Kailua beach.
Honestly, I don't know what it is about this place but they seem to simply hate tourists. Not sure why.. they're overpriced to say the least and honestly gave me and my friends a bad vibe the whole time. Almost like he didn't want us on his island.
Hawaiian Water Sports is our go to for gear! We split time on the mainland and Oahu. They offer great service to have the products you want when you arrive. Saves so much on shipping and airline transport!!! Selection in store is alwats goood too. A great range of pricing and solid selection of beginner to the most advanced gear for all things water sports. The best brands!! And if you are a beginner, take that lesson! The ownership takes personal care to make sure you are safe, follow beach regulations and you ll learn a ton. Which of course will only increase your stoke factor!!
Rented windsurfing gear for a week. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
A friend and I came here with livingsocial vouchers to rent SUPs for the day. The lady at the front desk was extraordinarily friendly, as was the guy who helped us pick out boards! They gave us the lowdown on wind and surf conditions and even carried the boards out to the car, set up the roof rack and strapped them in for us! I would definitely come here again to rent boards!
The girl who helped us was very nice, and we had a blast on the SUPs we rented.
I took 2 Kite boarding Lessons. They had great instructors and quality gear. Would recommend Ray.
I had a great day out on the water! I loved the easy paddle out to the islands and back. Even saw a sea turtle on the reef so bring your mask! I used a Groupon and had no problems reserving my kayak. I did have to call (not book online) because I was barely within the 24-hr window. They took my Groupon info. over the phone with no problems. Reserve in advance and don't wait until the last minute if you are worried about a discount voucher. I also recommend getting there right at 9am on a weekday. I was in and out in 15 minutes (including loading up my car). I got great parking at Kailua Beach that way too! Also cleaning off the sand was no big deal. I pulled my kayak next to the showers and rinsed out the inside by filling an empty water bottle. By the time I got the kayak loaded, I was able to brush the rest of the dry sand off with my hand.
Fantastic day all around!!
I took an E-Foil lesson and it was sensational! I had tried behind a boat several times without any foiling! With the help of my instructor, Ray, I was able to get up an foiling in one simple lesson! I had radio communications throughout the lesson! I would highly recommend taking a lesson with Hawaiian Water Sports!
Great place to go for all kinds of water gear for purchase and rental. Also the best for kiteboarding and other lessons. Josh (the owner) taught me how to kiteboard and is a great instructor. Hands down best selection of kiteboarding and surfing hard goods on the windward side if not all of Oahu!
On the website it is not mentioned that a car is necessary to transport the kajaks. They won t drive you. If you don t have a car, you need to hire a driver(~$20), then you also need staps to secure the kajaks. It s another $10. So actually you don t save money at all. In addition to that, the staff was very unfriendly.
Absolutely not recommendable!!!
Blatant racism and disdain for tourists was shown. Will never be back.
Josh and Arlene know how to take care of their customers and have a great selection of product on hand. This will be my go to location for a surf foil set up and other beach gear needs.
Super friendly staff, very knowledgable, made us feel welcome and treated us like part of the family. Our girls took surf lessons and they were very patient and kind. We will definitely return and absolutely fell in love with both Kiana and Arlene. Hope to be back soon!
I have been taking kitesurfe class with Ray.
He is amazing instructor. Very patient, carefully with the instruction and left you very comfortable and confident.
I recommend everyone take classes with Ray from the watersports.
Thank Ray, to improve my sailing
Rented windsurfing gear for the day from here. Very knowledgeable and super friendly staff. They got me equipped with the right gear for the local conditions. I can't wait to come back and try the kite boarding. Thanks a lot for a great day that made my Hawaii trip so much more memorable. Mahalo!
Horrible customer service, while trying to book a reservation the woman on the phone was extremely rude. Would not recommend booking with them if you value being spoken to in a respectful manner.
Kitesurf stock is great! Super friendly with great local condition advice. Definitely worth a stop if you are going to kite Kailua.
Great people and great service. Josh and his team are always available and ready to help. The program they have to introduce local children to kayak, SUP and windsurf for free provides value to the community.
Had a fantastic 3-hour kiteboarding lesson with "Brazilian Ray." Ray was an absolutely superb instructor, and I will be booking another session soon. Highly recommended!
Got a 6 hour lesson here from Mike. Excellent teacher, got me really stoked on the sport. Also helped me pick out a nice setup. Very pleased, highly recommend for lessons.
I just did a One Hour Electric Foil board lesson today with Ray.
It was one of my best learning experiences ever. Ray was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and made this first time experience awesome!
After a very thorough introduction and a quick demonstration I was given great instruction. After a couple passes on my knees going slow I got the feel for it. On my third pass after Ray coached me on getting the speed right, I was up on the foil and sustaining the super smooth ride. I gently fell off a few times, but I was amazed as to how easy this method is in teaching me how to ride a foil board. I am a Kite boarder and I am so stoked and look forward to more lessons in transitioning from my regular Kite board to a Foil Kite board! Thanks again Ray you are the best!
Awesome place and super friendly people. They also had a very good selection of water cloths and gear
DO NOT GIVE THIS COMPANY YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. If they do not provide the services they promise, they will continue to charge your card until they get what they believe they deserve.
My favorite go-to shop for my watersports needs, carries the widest range of boards, kites, diving gear, kayaks, etc. If it can be used in, or on the water as long as it's not fishing (but they have freediving gear), they carry it, or will order it. The ultimate waterman shop!
The price we spent for windsurfing lessons wasn't worth it. Instructor seemed to be annoyed for some reason. Too much time spent on setup and not enough in the water.
Attention rip-off on board return! At first everything went well. When returning the boards, we should pay for the repair of scratches on the board that have been created before and not by us. To our objection, the lady then repeatedly came up with something better than "fight against it" and "make an objection to your credit company". That's how the shop earns a lot. In any case, we will not buy or borrow anything here.
"Brazilian Ray" by far the best kitesurfing teacher. He is an expert, thorough, and great to work with. I Highly recommend him. I have tried multiple teachers over the years. Ray is the best.
I have been here several times as I live in Kaneohe. The staff is very helpful and doesn't pressure you into a sale, if you need help just ask. I purchased a rack for my truck and they installed it perfectly. I will definitely be back to hopefully get another car rack for my wife's car.
I saw other reviews for the Kailua location. However, I have not been there nor was I told to go there. I'm assuming they're both owned by Josh. He answered my online registration, suggested for 24 hours notice, for Stand Up Paddle-boarding, which helped me save some bills. I was scheduled with another student named Michael for 9:45am on Sunday 7/29.
I came a little early and Alessa introduced herself. I thought she was just going to process my application and 'mind the store'. But I was pleasantly surprised that she stated she would be the instructor for the day! I have to admit, I was intimidated initially and expected a tribal tattooed salty male local w/ a macho attitude. Alessa broke that stereotype and kept my attention with her professional instruction and laid back banter. Her encouragement, patience and positive attitude, from the beginning to the end of instruction, buoyed my enthusiasm and cemented my loyalty.
After the legalities and prepped work were mandatorily and obligatorily done away with, the van was packed with our boards and paddles and we hopped aboard for the short trip to Ala Moana State Recreation Area. As the only students for the day, Michael and I were warned about reef protection and avoidance and to common sense yield to swimmers and young children when they are in our lane of travel. We lugged the boards and paddles that Alessa assigned to us to the beach. Michael wore Vibram Five Fingers. I didn't. He was ahead of the curve. Disclaimer: Please bring some sort of water shoes or Vibram Five Fingers. Otherwise, you will have to walk bare foot on lots of rocks and possibly fall while shallow on coral and reef in the water. Alessa, of course, didn't need them. We were instructed within earshot to start off on our knees then slowly transition to the standing. This worked well and if you've balanced on those balls in the gym, you can get this. If you get tired, you can get back on your knees or even sit on your butt with either your feet in or out of the water. Of course, you will fall and then you have to figure out how to get back on the board if you're not in shallow water. As you fall, we were told, keep a grip on the paddle or you will have to swim for it.
For going out in the hot sun, bring sunglasses with straps (Croakies and a Floatie attached). My sunglasses didn't once come off my head, even as I fell several times. Wear lots of sunscreen, especially if you're light skinned.
I will now return in the near future for kayaking, and beginning surfing lessons. Hopefully, Alessa - now a trusted instructor, will be available again.
Sincerely,
Ezra
This a terrible store that does not adhere to customer service. Do not go here. Take your business elsewhere!
Price was good. Employees were not that friendly. Make sure you ask for a dry bag. It s included with the price of the kayaks but they won t give you one
Efoil was so amazing! I can t wait to do it again. I ve been behind a boat twice trying to learn to foil and what a struggle that it.. Less than 5 minutes on the efoil and I started to get it. Brazilian Ray was a super cool instructor and made it seem easy.
Also purchased a number of items from the store and a Josh is easy to work with.
By far the best place to learn and buy gear from. My lesson was amazing. Ray is unbelievable and made everything easy for me to understand. If you are interested in watersports i suggest you get with Josh and Ray those guys will get you straight.
Helpful staff. Local company. Lots of great equipment, brands and gear. Parking is easy.
I'm new to surfing and bought a used surfboard to get started. It had a few dings and needed a new tab for the fin so I brought it here to get fixed up. Staff was very friendly and helpful and made sure it was in good shape before I left. Mahalo!
-You are responsible for cleaning the sand off the rental afterwards- make sure that is something you are prepared to do after spending a full day at the beach. Hopefully you brought your own hose/broom with you to do the job, wherever you may be from.
-It takes a few minutes' drive to the beach. Could be an added stress if you're not familiar with the town and not used to driving with a large rental mounted on your car. If I had known there was an option to rent from elsewhere that is within walking distance to the beach, I would have had second thoughts
-The staff are rude. Puts a damper on the overall experience. Only afterwards did I read reviews from other review sites and realize I was not the only one to experience bad customer service.
Overall, I would not rent from here again and I would not wish the same experience on other visitors.
I bought an efoil from Josh and have been taking lessons from Ray. Both are super friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely recommend them both, and the efoil is a blast.
This place is GREAT! My friend and I had looked up places online to rent kayaks and came across Hawaiian Watersports. They offered $49 for a full day double kayak rental. We called to verify they would have one available and the lady said yes and she would honor their online price for a phone rental. Sweet! We had a rental car with no racks so paid the extra $10 for the "rack" set-up.
When we showed up we signed a waiver and they asked what our game plan was. They were very friendly and gave tips for kayaking to the Mokolua islands.
One of the guys showed us how to properly load the kayaks and we were on our way. Loading the kayaks back on after the day was simple. We brought it back with no worries.
I definitely recommend this place for their prices and friendly service.
Came here to get some parts for my GoPro. They had a good selection and the guy at the front was very helpful in determining which mounts I needed.
Very knowledgeable staff, helpful and couldn t asked for a better experience. Kiana and Arlene were very considerate of my daughter and her friend. The surf lesson could not have been any better! Thank you
I and my son rented a beginner' windsurfing .Their correspondence to us of the staffs were nice! They were kind and reliable. Next time I gonna reserve a windsurfing rental online ,I will get a free Hawaiian Water sports T-shirts!!
hawaiianwatersports.com