Na Pali Explorer - Our Rafts and Boats

What’s important to know about our boats is they are fast, they are fun, and they are safe. If you like adventure, you’ve found the right company. 

Thanks to Jacques Cousteau, many people mistakenly call any inflatable ocean raft a “Zodiac,” however, the traditional Zodiac is definitely not built for our ocean or extended adventures—the kind we like—on the water. No, the flexible rubber tubes and rubber bottom of a traditional Zodiac would make for a very rough ride here in Hawaii.  Instead, we prefer a “RIB,” or Rigid Inflatable Boat, which replaces the rubber bottom of a Zodiac with a hard, rigid hull, allowing higher speed to accommodate year-round ocean conditions around Hawaii.

The higher speed—up to 35 knots—allows us to ride atop the waves. It also gets us to our destination—Na Pali Coast—much more quickly than the traditional tour boat. That means we can spend more time at our backyard playground, Na Pali Coast, investigating sea caves, snorkeling, playing with dolphins and exploring the ancient remains of Nualolo Kai (the last on Explorer I only and only when ocean conditions permit). 

Our boats are custom-designed and built for our waters and comfortable touring.  Design work began in 1994. Significant changes to the basic hull included flattening the shear line to allow passengers sitting forward to see over the bow; widening the beam to deliver more interior room and vessel stability; adding in-board gunnel step to provide more secure and stable tube seating; adding a nylon canopy (on Explorer II) providing shade from the intense tropical sun; creating stainless steel swim steps; adding bleacher seating aft to maximize views and space use; and, most importantly for some of our guests, adding an on-board lua (toilet) under the console—a unique amenity for a RIB but a necessary one for the 6.5 hour cruises planned for the vessel.