Maui dive shops

[KrisB]

When did Maui Dreams get a boat??

The Maui Diamond II out of Maalaea is under new management -- Don & Rachel (owners of Maui Dreams) are now also managing the Diamond's operations.

This all went down in the fall, and they did their first charter shortly before Christmas.

The Diamond is large enough to carry 24 people, is licensed for 18 divers, but is being run as a 12-pack. This means it's got plenty of room to relax, and since they leave from Maalaea, it includes plenty of whale watching time. Unfortunately, it's not the fastest boat (cruising speed is around 8 kts) and with the greater distance it's a longer ride (75 minutes). They do serve both a light breakfast and a deli-style lunch, plus snacks.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Just checked the maui dreams website Kris and they haven't got any links about it there, time for them to update I guess.

 

[KrisB]

Just checked the maui dreams website Kris and they haven't got any links about it there, time for them to update I guess.

Yes, Al, the website doesn't have any details on that yet.

You can check Maui Scuba Tours - Maui Diamond II Boat Diving at Molokini and other Maui dive locations for the boat's web site.

I think that there are perhaps some things still being worked out -- they are two separate businesses with very different ownership. It just happens that they share managers / operators.

Maui Dreams does (I believe) still book on other boats when it makes sense to, it's not an exclusive relationship in that sense. But if you call the number on the boat site, you'll find the person who answers the phone is the same as the one answering the phone at the Maui Dreams number.

 

[bobmaggi]

Thanks Kris for clearing all this up!

Thanks Al and DiveMaven for asking the ?s I was just about to!

Just hope all goes well w/ everything for Don and Rachel and gang. They helped us last year w/ filling up Bob's rebreather tanks. Take care, Maggi

 

[maildiver]

We are going to be staying up near Kanapali, i don't want to have to drive an hour to catch a boat at 6am. Thinking about Lahaina diving, how is their service? Has anyone heard of Maui dive and snorkel shop? They seem to have good prices, and are in Lahaina?

 

[DiveMaven]

Read above for my remarks about Lahaina Divers and recent charters with them.

However, I have to say that we stay in Kaanapali and find it very worth the drive to Kihei to catch a charter. Since it's early in the morning, we usually will leave by 5:30 and including a stop at Starbucks, we arrive at the Kihei ramp by 6:20. Ed Robinson's check-in is by 6:30, which is definitely more doable for us than B&B's 5:45 time.

 

[caymaniac]

Read above for my remarks about Lahaina Divers and recent charters with them.

However, I have to say that we stay in Kaanapali and find it very worth the drive to Kihei to catch a charter. Since it's early in the morning, we usually will leave by 5:30 and including a stop at Starbucks, we arrive at the Kihei ramp by 6:20. Ed Robinson's check-in is by 6:30, which is definitely more doable for us than B&B's 5:45 time.

I've just made a rez with ER, we too will be up at Kaanapali. We are definitely doing a three tanker.

 

[caymaniac]

We are going to be staying up near Kanapali, i don't want to have to drive an hour to catch a boat at 6am. Thinking about Lahaina diving, how is their service? Has anyone heard of Maui dive and snorkel shop? They seem to have good prices, and are in Lahaina?

Your profile doesnt say how many dives you've done. If you are new to diving then my opinion is you'll be fine. If you've had over 500 dives you might want to rethink this op.
They will tell you "X" number of minutes on a dive, which for me is not desired. I did some dives with them and did not appreciate coming up with 1300lbs. If you are new to diving it may not matter as you might use your tank up alot faster than an experienced diver.
Their big boat is really nice. We will be using them for a trip to Lanai, because of their nice boat.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

The problem that maui seems to have is the wind, a charter will cancel do to high winds.

You say some time this year, maildiver, I would find out here from the locals a good time of year, for the charter diving when winds are usually calm.

My next trip there I will hook up the day before when I get there, So not to be tied to a charter since I paid or deposited. same with all water charters they offer,whale ,sub,sailing.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I can pretty much guarantee that wind cancelations happen very rarely among Maui's dive boats, and if your trip is canceled due to wind, refunds will be made and the conditions are probably not good for diving so no big loss. The wind that causes cancelations is out of the South and seems to me to be from infrequent local disturbances not seasonally predictable.

After 15 years in the Islands I am not of the opinion there is any best time to dive Maui (with regard to wind); I have had spectacular dives every week of the year and I have had crappy dives every week of the year, but your odds are better than 80% spectacular (95% for Molokini). Most residents think the weather sucks when it is calm; muggy and sticky is not much fun.

I pretty much dive always anyway, and not from boats much lately, so maybe someone else will correct my babble?