MKA History, Goals and Achievments.

History

After dozens of unofficial kitesurfing safety meetings, The Maui Kiteboarding Association was officially formed on Tuesday December 15 1998. The official purpose of the association: "To promote safe and responsible kiteboarding and protect the access of kiteboarders to public beaches and waters. To this end the association's activities would include: Improving safety, launching sites, and product improvements, distribute booklets to the public and at sports stores; self regulate/self police; affirmatively contact city council/government agencies to prevent ban, possibly draft and present proposed regulations; keep in contact with city council/government agencies. To make the organization a non-profit corporation or other type of entity. Volunteer kiteboarders assist the Maui Kiteboarding Association by donating their time and expertise and money. The MKA membership fees are used primarily for the printing and distribution of brochures and other promotional material, and direct expenses such as tool and machinery costs for clearing launch sites etc. A small amount goes to supporting "sister" kitesurfing associations. Membership recognition is sometimes given in exchange for goods or services given to the MKA. Receipts for membership fees can be obtained by writing to: Maui Kiteboarding Association, c/o 415a Dairy Road, Kahului, Maui, HI USA. The MKA keeps its financial records on file. No member or officer of the MKA is paid for their services. All officers of the MKA have an active interest in kiteboarding or are active kiteboarders. The MKA office holders are listed on the "Members Page". At this time the MKA is an unincorporated association. The MKA represents the interests of its members, supporters and the kiteboarding community as a whole.

MKA establishes Kiteboarding Zones and Safety Guidelines
In February 1999, the MKA began circulating copies of the agreed upon "Maui Kitezone Maps and Guidelines" for display and distribution to the public. Kitesurfing schools and shops, began responsibly informing their customers about safety issues and practices. The Zones effectively separated kitesurfers and windsurfers riding areas to reduce potential conflicts.

MKA restores kitesurfing after FAA ban
October 14, 1999, MKA Elected Delegation met with the FAA at Kahului Airport at 6 pm. Representatives attended the meeting from the Maui Law Enforcement Department, Charles Penque of the DNLR, air traffic controllers, flight safety officers, other members of the kiteboarding community joined the group. Jim Webb from FAA Honolulu gave an audio-visual presentation on the role of Federal Aviation and the duty of flight safety officers. The bottom line was that the FAA was concerned with aircraft safety. The MKA Steering Committee Elected Delegation appointed MKA Vice-President Jim Fosbinder to be spokesperson for the group. The FAA listened to Jim’s summary of our position on the FAR. Jim explained that the Kiteboarding Association was happy to assist with self-policing the runway’s clear way. There was an exchange of information on both sides. Jim Fosbinder worked solidly for a week prior to the meeting to establish the rights of kiteboarders to operate within the FAA regulations.

KITE BEACH RESTORATION
MKA members and community volunteers have done an enormous amount of volunteer work to restore the area known as "Kite Beach". The work started in 2000 when the association and kiteboarding community members decided to move the kiteboarding launch areas from "Lower Kanaha" ("Lowers"), downwind to the beaches below (west) of Ka'a Point, the area now known as "Kite Beach".
Phase One "Clean Up"
The beach had been neglected for a long time and had piles of trash, tons of dangerous driftwood and logs along its length. One area had been used as an unofficial trash dump for years and had car bodies and parts, hazardous waste, piles of waste materials from building sites, household appliances, metal, glass and plastics. The Clean up project took two years with many weekend working parties, daily trash runs, the help of community work day programs. MKA funds were used to purchase some of the hand tools used in the project. The majority of the clean up costs were generously donated by several MKA business members.
We would especially like to thank Action Sports Maui and Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport for their community spirit and continuing support.
Phase Two "Restoration"

After the trash was removed the launch areas were still crowded with cars and the parking areas were minimal forcing beach users to park so close to the beach that kites trying to launch were jammed into the narrow strip of sand between the parked cars and the ocean. The existing parking area behind the launch site was separated from the beach by mounds of trash, when this was also cleared, it became more desirable to park there. Eventually the beach users agreed not to park on or drive over the immediate beach area. The launch area was freed from the hazard of parked cars. The launch site then became widened to point where it could accommodate the increasing number of beach users safely. The area is under the care of several volunteer groups who restore native vegetation and with the help of the kiteboarding association's volunteers, the perimeter of the beach launch was replanted with native, indigenous, and endemic plants. The plants were donated by local Nurseries, members, and individuals. They include rare and endangered species of beach flora unique to Maui coastline habitat. The weeds are being managed by volunteers that work regularly in the park. The natural action of the tides has brought fresh sand onto the beach in many places where cars used to park on dirt, rock and trash.
The beach launch at the western side of the storm water canal, formerly part of the Naval Air Station Kahului (NASKA), was used for a sewerage pumping station. It is know to the locals as Naska. Formerly a neglected beach and informal trash dump has now been restored to a natural beach that attracts bus loads of tourists and is enjoyed by dozens of kiteboarders and other beach users.

The Beach restoration project is the kiteboarding communities contribution, that demonstrates how kiteboarders are giving something back to the community. We would like to thank the volunteers, many of whom have spent hundreds and some thousands of volunteer hours to make this vision a reality. Kite Beach Restoration looking east

Kite Beach "Action beach launch" 2002 (Naska) after the restoration. This was a MKA kiteboarding community project. Beach clean up and maintenance volunteer work continues. To volunteer for foreshore clean up projects, contact; David Dorn - MKA clean up coordinator at (808) 283-7913.