Kainani Sails — Maui on a private yacht.
Sail without the crowds — snorkel, sunset and seasonal whale-watching sails aboard a yacht all your own, from the sand of Kaʻanapali Beach.
4.9 on Google · 116 reviews (Oct 2026)
4.9 on Tripadvisor (opens in a new tab) · 362 reviews (Oct 2026)
Snorkel · Sunset · Charter
About Kainani Sails
The yacht is yours. Sit back and relax as we discover true Hawaiʻi from the sea.
Come as guests & leave as friends.
From the deck
A day aboard, unhurried.
01At anchor off West Maui 02Under way off the West Maui coast 
03Snorkeling with honu 
04Honu on the reef 
05At anchor over the reef 
06Honu below 
07Spinner dolphins 
08Manta ray 
09Over the reef 
10Trade-wind sailing
Private charters
Three ways to spend a day on the water.
Every trip is private: up to six guests and two crew, departing from Kaʻanapali Beach. Destinations depend on the weather and sea conditions, at the captain’s discretion.
$599 per hour · plus taxes, fees and gratuity. Catering included.
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i.
Sails go up about three hours before sunset and we sail the calm waters off Lahaina until the sun sets, with a light charcuterie board on board.
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ii.
Sail to the best protected spot of the day along the west side of Maui, anywhere between Honolua Bay and Olowalu Reef, with your crew in the water beside you.
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iii.
Add an hour to any private sail for extended whale watching, and listen to humpbacks sing through the onboard hydrophone.
Proposals & celebrations
Engagements, birthdays and milestones. Bring the champagne; there’s a speaker on board and the crew can help with photos.
DetailsMemorials at sea
Three-hour private sails for ash scattering and celebrations of life, planned with you.
DetailsLonger charters
Six hours or more. Adding an hour (or more) is popular, especially in whale season.
Call
Real sailing
Real sailing aboard a private sailboat.
We try to get the sails up on every single trip. Catch the trade winds, soak in the sun — and if you feel up to it, take the helm.
The sailboat
SV Kainani
A 45-foot Beneteau Oceanis, designed with comfort, safety and performance as priority.
- Up to 6 guests
- Private charters only, with two crew aboard
- Spacious seating
- Bean bags and fold-out deck chairs, shaded by the bimini
- Swim platform
- Folds out to water level for easy ocean access
- Hot shower
- On board, for when you come back from snorkeling
- 3 cabins, 2 heads
- Private cabins and marine bathrooms below deck
- Safety first
- All safety gear plus an offshore EPIRB
On the water
Who you might meet out there.
- Honu
- The Hawaiian green sea turtle, alongside the state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa.
- Spinner dolphins
- Lānaʻi is home to a resident pod, seen regularly playing off its rugged coastline.
- Humpback whales
- December to mid-April. Watch them breach, then hear them sing through the hydrophone.
Wildlife is never guaranteed. All trips depend on the weather and sea conditions.
Your crew
Sailing with friends, not strangers.
Two crew sail with you on every charter.
They are in this business because they love what they do.
Owner · Captain
Captain Keao
Owner, operator, captain, crew, mechanic, boat fixer, and the list goes on. Loves team sports, kite surfing and all things boats. Dreams of sailing around the world.
Owner · Operations
Iwa
Owner, operator, phone answerer, scheduler and manager. Loves surfing, the beach, good food, afternoon coffee and snorkeling for shells.
Captain
Captain Kerstin
Loads of sailing experience and local knowledge, with multiple ocean crossings. She started out sailing the waters of West Maui and has been with us on and off for 13 years, coming back to us between sails around the world.
Captain
Captain Amanda
On and off with us for 13 years. She takes off on sailing adventures around the world and loves coming home, and she is a pro at making everyone feel comfortable and confident on and in the water.
Captain
Captain Noah
Grew up around boats in the Pacific Northwest, and is super personable and friendly. Loves whale watching, sailing and being on the water. Noah works on both our boats, Kainani and MAKAI.
Crew
Micah
Born and raised on Maui, a local Lahaina boy with a passion for boats and the ocean who loves to share the history and culture of the islands. Micah works on both our boats, Kainani and MAKAI, and when he is not working on the water, he is out on his own boat.
Reviews and departure point
4.9 / 5
On Google, from 116 reviews (October 2026).
4.9 on Tripadvisor, from 362 reviews (Oct 2026).
Read on Tripadvisor (opens in a new tab)Departing Kaʻanapali Beach
Meet us on Kaʻanapali Beach, in front of Leilani’s restaurant at Whalers Village. The exact spot depends on beach conditions, and a zodiac shuttle boat takes you from the beach out to Kainani. Please arrive on time, and come earlier if you need to find parking.
Before you sailCelebrating something?
Birthdays, milestones, proposals and special occasions — let the crew know when you book.
Proposals & celebrationsHow to find us
Meet us on the sand.
We pick up in front of Leilani’s on Kaʻanapali Beach, at Whalers Village. A shuttle boat takes you from the beach out to Kainani at anchor. The exact spot depends on beach conditions. Look for our inflatable shuttle boat. Call if you feel lost 808-495-1001.
Please arrive on time, and come earlier if you need to find parking.
More than six? Rather share the boat?
Cruise with our sister company, Makai Adventures.
Kainani is private, for up to six guests. For bigger groups, or if you would rather join a shared tour, Makai Adventures runs shared whale watching, snorkel and fishing trips.
Private charters · Kaʻanapali
Your own yacht. Your own sunset.
Check live availability for the Private Snorkel Sail and Private Sunset Sail, or call to plan whale watching, longer charters, celebrations and memorials.