Boat operators worry about the short-term as years-long rebuild of Lahaina Harbor set to begin

LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) - The process of restoring Lahaina Harbor is about to begin.

A Coast Guard contractor is scheduled to start staging equipment at the harbor Friday to begin salvaging and debris clearing operations. But options for commercial boat operators are still limited.

The state said the Lahaina fire damaged or destroyed about 100 vessels.

The contractor retained by the Coast Guard will start the salvage operations, clearing debris and possibly dredging the harbor. Rebuilding the infrastructure will take about two years, according to Board of Land and Natural Resources Chair Chair Dawn Chang.

“We will be doing it in phases, and we will make an assessment as to whether we’ll be able to safely open up access to Lahaina Harbor during the period of time of construction,” Chang said at a virtual meeting with Maui commercial boating operators.

Some of those operators said they need a boat ramp before tourism resumes on Oct. 8.

Tour company owner Dave Vogt and others want the state to allow access to Mala Wharf, which was untouched by the fire on the northern edge of Lahaina.

According to Vogt, it’s the only remaining boat ramp in West Maui, but it’s within the burn zone and access roads are blocked.

“When it’s time to go, whenever that time will be, I’m not saying we’re going to put parasails up on the air tomorrow, but I need to be able to use the boat ramp. And I feel at the current rate they’re going, they’re never gonna let anyone use the ramp,” Vogt said.

“You get permission from the County of Maui to do that, and then you send that to us, then we can consider that,” Chang said, at the meeting.

DLNR wants displaced boaters to go to Maalaea Harbor is South Maui, about 17 miles away.

“Maalaea, it’s just too far to service the West Maui community, or the visitors I should say,” said Vogt. “It’s real windy out there. It’s a whole different ballgame at Maalaea.

“We want to be able to use the (Mala) boat ramp and operate our businesses that are unaffected.”

One of Vogt’s companies, Kaanapali Beach Parasail, is optimistic enough that it is offering reservations — starting Oct. 8.

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