Winds of Change

Late-morning trades sweep across Hoʻokipa Beach Park as sails flash against the whitecaps. Maui’s Robby Naish steps from the sand to the sea, board under his arm, grin easy and familiar. For him, it’s still about the wind.

For half a century, the name Naish has been synonymous with wind, waves and water sport. He began his extraordinary career in 1976, claiming his first world windsurfing title at age 13. He went on to secure 24 world championships across multiple disciplines and cement his place as the sport’s most influential figure.

When kiteboarding emerged in the late 1990s, Naish embraced it, leveraging his expertise to design groundbreaking equipment and propel the sport to global prominence. He did the same for stand-up paddling, and again for wing foiling, which combines an inflatable wing with a hydrofoil board to glide above the water.

Time and again, Naish has chosen to harness the wind rather than hide from it. Now, at 62, the air around him is again in motion. Having sold his company, he’s reflective, free and back to the element that started it all.

Read my full story "Winds of Change: Legendary waterman Robby Naish on corporate freedom, rediscovering his windsurfing roots and riding life’s next wave" in the current issue of Maui No Ka ‘Oi Magazine. 

https://www.mauimagazine.net/robby-naish-maui-windsurfing-legend/

(Photography by Erik Aeder)