Having Fun!

Our 10am lesson turned into an impromptu beach cleanup! Hanna and Charlotte were awesome! Happy 4th of July everyone!

Happy Customers

Two more happy customers getting their feet wet! Doug and Niko had a great Stand up Paddle lesson this morning! Come on in to have your own personal SUP adventure with our instrusctors!

Hawaii Kai Run Shuttle

This short video shows what we do every weekend running our trailer to shuttle paddlers to do the 8.5 mile Hawaii Kai downwind run.  Stay tuned for videos of the run itself and tips on bump riding

Stoked!

Despite the windy conditions, we had two happy customers this morning after the successful completion of their standup paddle lesson.

Lynn and Fran came to us with little experience and were paddling around the marina in no time.

One tip that we have really found helpful for stand up paddle beginners is simply to relax.  When learning to standup paddle, it is so important to keep your knees soft and your back straight.  Also make sure that you are centered on the board.  If your feet are too far forward on the board, it forces the nose of the board into the water, making the board less stable.  If you are too far back on the board, the tail sinks under and the board becomes squirrely and difficult to maneuver.

Keep in mind that most boards these days come with a built in handle that is relatively centered on the board.  If you are unsure about where to put your feet, look for the handle as a rough guideline.  The arch of your foot should be lined up with the handle if you are centered on the board correctly.

For more information about our SUP lessons, click the Lessons link above or visit our website:

http://www.wetfeethawaii.com

It’s like the Maliko…only smaller.

What is 12’6 Long, 27.5″ Wide and Yellow all over???

Karen’s new present from Jimmy Lewis on Maui.

Karen's new toy...

Jimmy Lewis is currently producing a new 14′ Downwind board called the Maliko that is pretty popular. So popular in fact, that we haven’t even seen one in person yet and we already have an order for one. Karen has been looking for her perfect 12’6 for awhile now, and her search ended today when she unwrapped her new 12’6 custom board that Jimmy sent her. She wanted a board that is low profile and doesn’t get blown around easily by side wind, light and easy to carry, and most importantly…FAST!

it's fun to have friends in high places...

Have fun on your new board Karen!

Holiday Shopping Ideas

Do you have a hard-to-shop-for standup paddler in your life? If so, then we have good news for you. Wet Feet Hawaii has tons of holiday shopping ideas for you. Come on by the shop, and we will be happy to help you figure out something to get the person who seems to have everything. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions…

Racerback tanks from Sweet Waterwear

1. Sweet Waterwear.
Wet Feet is proud to carry Sweet Waterwear. Features of these tanks and paddleshirts include: UPF 50+, are quickdrying, are cut specifically with paddling in mind, and are very flattering. For a limited time, get a free Sweet Waterwear trucker hat with purchase of a paddleshirt.

Board Protection Kit

2. Board Protection Kit
We all love our paddleboards and want to keep them looking nice for as long as possible. We have several products designed to keep your board looking like new. Rail savers by Puka Patch protect the rails from dings and chipped paint, while nose and tailguards by Surfco make sure that your board is safe during transport. Finally to protect your paddle, we have Paddle Guard Kits by Surfco.

Gift Certificates

3. Gift Certificates
Give the gift of fitness with certificates for our Spring and Race Season Training Programs. Gift Certificates are also available for our Molokai Training Group, our new Eco Tours and our Standup Paddleboard Rentals.

Standup Paddleboards

4. Standup Paddleboards
Want to make someone’s Holiday season? Nothing says “I Love You” like a new standup paddleboard. We carry several different models and manufacturers, including: Surftech, Boardworks (C4, Paddle Surf Hawaii), Starboard, Jimmy Lewis, and Blair among others. Come check out our in store inventory and see what we can do for you.

We wish all of you a Happy Holiday Season, and hope that we can help you pick out that perfect gift. Come by the shop to celebrate the Holidays with us!

Free Half Day SUP Rental When You Volunteer With Us…

If you have ever spent time in or on the water in Hawaii Kai, then Maunalua Bay has been a part of your life. For most of us paddlers, Hawaii Kai is one of the go to places for standup paddling. We are so fortunate to have such a beautiful place to paddle, and it is time for us to give back to the bay that gives so much to us.

Come and Volunteer to support Malama Maunalua in their effort to “Huki”(pull) invasive algae on Sat 11/6 at 9am. Sign up at the Wet Feet store & receive a gift certificate for a free 1/2 day SUP & Paddle rental at Wet Feet! Gift certificates will be given out after the “Huki”. Come sign up today!!!

The spread of invasive, non-native marine algae is one of the greatest threats to Hawai‘i’s coral reefs and other near shore marine ecosystems. Hundreds of alien species have been introducted to O`ahu over the past decades. Free from predation and other control measures that would be found where these species are naturally found, some of these alien species are able to take advantage of new conditions and grow rapidly. As alien algae spreads, it grows over and smothers coral reefs and native algal communities, killing extensive areas of native habitat. Lowered populations of reef fish, a result of unsustainable fishing pressure and poor habitat conditions, are unable to keep the algae in check.

Five species of alienmarine algae have shown this ability to grow and spread at alarming rates, outcompeting our native corals and limu, and so destroying native reefs. Of these five species of alien algae, three are devastating Maunalua Bay. Gracilaria salicornia (a relative to our native manauea), Acanthophora spicifera, and Avrainvillea amadelpha.

Removing alien algae from high priority coral reefs is essential to the survival of Hawaii’s reefs. Currently, Malama Maunalua is implementing a number of measures to address this quickly growing problem.

Interested in Standup Races??

If you are looking for standup races anywhere in the world, check out www.allsupraces.com!

Bluerush Boardsports

Recently, Jeff went up to San Fransisco to help open a SUP shop patterned after Wet Feet. Here is an update from his time spent up there.

“I finally got a break to paddle this morning and what a great place to paddle! Outside the harbor is all kinds of animal life. Baby seals basking on a low log breakwater, huge pelicans and other birds. The water was ultra glassy and the air a cool 60 degrees which is perfect for working out.

The store is now officially open and owner Stephen Pugh will do great here. There is a huge untapped market here and potential for racing right outside the shop which is 50 feet from the water at the head of Richardson Bay – and its off liimits to boats!”

Info at www.bluerushboardsports.com

Malama Maunalua

We have recently partnered with Malama Maunalua in their efforts to rid the bay of invasive algae. In addition to being a fun thing to do, stand up paddle is a great way to look after the environment, something that we really believe in here at Wet Feet.

Come in and see us in the shop for more information on Malama Maunalua, and for ways that you can get involved.