After an epic 2 hour session in logo high waves in Speckelsville Maui, I headed off for a Downwinder with Matt Pritchard. It was blowing close on 30 knots and I was overpowered on a 4.7m.


Fair to say it was daunting.


The wind was cross shore so it took about two hours of broad reaching in large seas. Very very fast. Breaking waves everywhere. Racing full speed down the face of the waves with massive bottom turn carve jibes. When I fell off I bounced like a skimming rock.


Eventually we made it to Kanaha beach. About 3.5km down wind. If you have sailed there you will know it has a reef break about 500m off shore. On this day it was nothing short of a washing machine.


I was blasting out when two waves from different angles formed an "A" frame right in front of me about 4m high. I took it on. (No choice really). It smacked me down. I found myself pinned to the rock reef floor - pushed down by my rig. I patiently waited, surfaced with the boom in my hands, only to see the board getting washed in.


I ditched the rig and started swimming for the board. By this stage I was spent. 4 hours of wave sailing will do that to you. I could not get to the board. It kept getting washed in. I was starting to worry. And then like an angel from heaven, Matt Pritchard swept by and towed me to the board. Alive, but minus a full rig.


Matt headed back into the washing machine to look for my rig. Five minutes later he had my rig tucked in behind his and sailed it back to me.


That was enough for me. I sailed in with cramping biceps and a smile on my face.


Matt saved another bloke on his way in.


Best advice I can offer. Take Matt Pritchard with you.

Sounds like a good adventure

Matt is an Awesome guy
Anyone heading to Maui i would recommend hooking up with Matt for gear and lessons

Cant wait to get back there some day.

Say hello to weird wave from me, spotted the sneaky sod last second and launched only to spiral out of control and go clean thru the top second panel on a two minute old brand new ezzy years ago!! Still planed in with about two thirds left

Sounds full on! Great to see Aus crew getting looked after by Mat P, he's got a great set up and life going on there.

Where did you stay?
Seems like the swell has been going nuts over there looking at the Aloha classic.

Good to see a happy ending Yuppy to a great day

Fascinating story.

You guys have the guts for adventure I never will .Scary stuff but so alluring.

We call that section weird wave for a reason, it's got a refractory section of wave that forms and moves counter to the prevailing wind and swell because of an opening blasted thru the reef during WW2 to allow LST's to arrive on the beach.
The result of that strange angle swell and a lot of current moving thru that gap gives a weird angle to your course thru that area and once you go down makes water starting very difficult also.
Lots of broken gear, broken legs, broken arms, reef cuts etc as the remaining reef in that area is about 2 feet below surface.
Best to stay wide of that area, elect for the gear insurance option, or take Matt with you!

How much coin do you need to drop to "take matt with you"?

Matt is a bloody legend!!!

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chuckmaui said..
We call that section weird wave for a reason, it's got a refractory section of wave that forms and moves counter to the prevailing wind and swell because of an opening blasted thru the reef during WW2 to allow LST's to arrive on the beach.
The result of that strange angle swell and a lot of current moving thru that gap gives a weird angle to your course thru that area and once you go down makes water starting very difficult also.
Lots of broken gear, broken legs, broken arms, reef cuts etc as the remaining reef in that area is about 2 feet below surface.
Best to stay wide of that area, elect for the gear insurance option, or take Matt with you!

Also known as the Bermuda Triangle.Scary place even in summer when there's no swell.

+1 for MP the nicest guy on Maui.

Good to hear you survived the trashing. Matt didn't happen to get it all on GoPro, did he? I expect he emerged from a rainbow.

Yep, Matt is the man.

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dan berry said...
How much coin do you need to drop to "take matt with you"?

Hi dan

His standard prices are
$300 - 2 Hours
$650 - 5 Hours
$800 - All day

I did the all day option which included drop off and pick up from the airport. And included gear.

My lovely wife stayed behind in Waikiki with the kids.

Matt obviously offers a bloody good deal! I'm convinced!

Will book him in when I go to Maui!

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Yuppy said..

dan berry said...
How much coin do you need to drop to "take matt with you"?

Hi dan

His standard prices are
$300 - 2 Hours
$650 - 5 Hours
$800 - All day

I did the all day option which included drop off and pick up from the airport. And included gear.

My lovely wife stayed behind in Waikiki with the kids.

Pretty cheap for a life saving.. Sounds epic. Glad you survived. You can remember that day when your old and grey!