We have been having a blast the past few days with epic conditions on the Kealia to Sorentos run. The only bummer is that the last quarter mile to Sorentos has been a crossed up mess of waves which reduces my paddling to a series of bracing strokes with no more glides.
I noticed that the line I have been taking, which involves lining up with the hotel basically the whole run, takes us across an outside reef area (as evidenced by the brown color of the water) for that last quarter mile, and I think that deep reef is adding a lot to the messiness of the wave action. I was wondering about taking a line that kept us further outside that reef area in the blue water, and then taking a more angled turn at the last minute to head into the beach.
I know that a lot of you guys have tried every variation of line options by now, and am wondering if their is a route for that last quarter mile that provides the cleanest wave action.

The folks that are really good at Downwind tend to take an outside line all the way and then turn pretty sharply in to Sorrentos. So yeah, you're on the right path, but it takes some skill to pull it off. I tend to turn too soon and then be pissed at myself. There's very often a big bubble of dead air parked either just before or just after Sorrentos. You will also notice sometimes that there are swells coming straight at you as you near Sorrentos, even though the wind is still behind you. If you look at a detailed map you'll see that's a strangely situated bit of the island, and a flow map of the wind frequently shows the southeast end of the island has wind wrapping around opposite the direction of the wind across the middle of the island--that's a clumsy description, but any wind map will show you what I'm talking about. On some occasions that means for the last mile, or perhaps just a hundred yards, you can have strong wind blowing in your face.

Andaz is often a better choice, but if you get that reversed flow anything further than Sorrentos will suck that much worse. The southside is complex, but you're learning it fast. When it's really good, Makenna Landing is super. I love the approach to Makenna on a day with good wind, lined up all the way. This is another place where the really good folks stay out in the best wind, but I can never convince myself to do it. Too fond of land I guess.

Thanks to both Bills. Appreciate your sharing years of wisdom with the new folks.
Pono; I totally relate to your tendency to turn in too early. I keep picturing going by the outside of Sorentos, and then having the wind switch offshore right as I try to make a 90 degree turn in towards the beach from way outside. It seems so much safer to take that conservative angle in, but like you said, I kick myself for taking that messed up line.
Bill; a couple of questions about Mokapu. We have been scoping that one out from land, and always thought it would be smarter to come in on the lee side of the point on the Ulua side, since the landing would be sheltered from both wind and waves. The Mokapu side of the point seems so much more exposed. What is the strategy for choosing to come in on that side of the point upwind of the showers, instead of on the sheltered Ulua side which I think is even a shorter walk to the showers? Also wondering about the visual lineup during the run. It is easy to spot the Mana Kai all the way from Kealia. From that distance, there is a big white building just to the right of the brown Mana Kai building; is that the Andaz for your lineup?
It could be that we are starting too late, but it seems like the wind always dies about the time we pass the Kam parks. Today we had the best first half run ever with the wind pushing near 30 according to iWindsurf, with gust near 40. It was awesome until we got to about Cove Park, and then it went dead and was a schlog the rest of the way to Sorentos. Because the outside was so rough, and with no wind for glide or bump catching, I opted to take the inside line right along the Kam park swim buoys. Going past Sorentos on to Andaz would have killed us for sure. I even felt a moment of that dreaded head wind that Pono talked about. Because my windsurf lessons are usually not over until 1:00, by the time I get that gear packed up, shuttle the vans, and get to Kealia, we are usually launching around 2:30. Maybe too late to count on wind all the way to Andaz? Having sailed there for 30 years, I pretty much have the wind dialed in off the Maui Sunset, but I don't know the tricks for predicting the wind down as far as the Andaz. Any tricks?

Pray. Or ask Boyum. He goes up to his penthouse and disembowels a chicken.

Hey Bill. I agree about the value of the south end cams. I already have the Charlie Young beach with the anchored cat acting as a wind vane on my bookmark bar, along with this cam which is on the top of the Marriot in Wailea, and looks north and down on the Ulua Beach landing you were talking about. It is nice in that it shows those outside rocks you were talking about. Here is the link: http://www.marriotthawaii.com/wailea-beach-resort-marriott-maui/webcam/
I will send you an email with my phone so that we can share text messages. Janet thinks that you must be getting a big kick out of us finally getting into downwinding after all the years that you have been encouraging us to do it. Thanks for the effort; sorry it took us so long

Pono; it sounds like I need to study Boyum's chicken disemboweling technique.

digger71; Yeah those big south shore visitors sure inspire me to get back on the board quick when I fall. I have some kind of shark karma. I have had face to face conversations with three or four on both sides of the island, including a nice big tiger outside Kanaha who did a taste test on my fin while I was trying to block him from going after one of my students. Talk about motivation not to fall in.