Ocean Sports

What Ocean Sports does

Ocean Sports is a privately held, locally owned Hawaiian ocean recreation and beach concession operator founded in July 1981 by Nick Craig and a partner, headquartered at Anaeho'omalu Bay in Waikoloa on the Kona-Kohala Coast of Hawaii's Big Island. The company runs a fleet consisting of the sailing catamaran Seasmoke, power catamaran Alala, and a glass bottom boat, delivering six core products: snorkel cruises (the most popular, $185/adult, $92.50/child), Pau Hana sunset cruises ($165/adult), seasonal Humpback whale watching cruises ($125/person, December 15 to March 31) with a sighting-or-ride-free guarantee and onboard hydrophone, 30-minute glass bottom boat reef tours ($50/adult, $25/child), customizable private charters for 1 to 125 guests, and beachside rentals of cabanas ($75 half-day, $150 full-day) and beach toys (kayaks, SUPs, snorkel gear, boogie boards). Gift cards are offered in $50, $100, $200, and custom denominations.

The business is direct-to-consumer, serving individual tourists, families, groups, and resort guests along the Kohala Coast, with bookings transacted online through the third-party FareHarbor platform, by phone (808-886-6666), or as walk-ups at the company's beach hut adjacent to the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. Distribution is completed through reciprocal referrals with peer operator Hawaii Nautical and recommended-vendor status for Big Island Motorcycle Company, extending reach into adjacent adventure and rental categories without capital outlay. The company is led by President and CEO Judith Jennet, with Captain Will Ward as Director of Boating Operations.

Ocean Sports has remained a single-location, single-bay concession throughout its 44-year history with no parent company, institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity disclosed. Operational scaling relies on fleet additions (notably the 1981 Seasmoke acquisition and 2007 Manu Iwa acquisition), product extension (beach toy rentals, Aloha Days packages), and seasonal product rotations. Federal whale watching guideline compliance provides the regulatory baseline for seasonal marine wildlife operations within the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Name

Ocean Sports

Legal name

Ocean Sports

Website

https://hawaiioceansports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ocean Sports is a privately held Hawaii ocean recreation operator founded in 1981, running snorkel, sunset, whale watching, glass bottom, and private charter cruises plus beach equipment rentals from Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Big Island's Kohala Coast, serving individual tourists, families, groups, and resort guests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Tourism Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing, Catamaran & Day-Cruise Excursions (nature-focused) (THAAAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB), Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA), Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM)

Keywords

• Ocean recreation tours
• Whale watching cruises
• Snorkel excursions
• Beach equipment rentals
• Sunset boat cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Waikoloa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Boat Cruise Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets to various cruise experiences including snorkel cruises, whale watching cruises, sunset cruises, glass bottom boat tours, and private charters. Priced per person with variations by cruise type and age group.
2. Beach Rentals: Revenue from renting beach equipment including cabanas, snorkel gear, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and boogie boards at Anaeho'omalu Bay.
3. Private Charters: Revenue from private charter services for groups of 1-49 people aboard catamarans Seasmoke or Alala. Includes 2-4 hour durations with varying inclusions.
4. Gift Cards: Prepaid gift cards available in $50, $100, $200 denominations or custom amounts, redeemable toward any cruise or rental.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ocean Sports is a Hawaii-based ocean recreation company operating boat cruises, whale watching tours, glass bottom boat trips, sunset sails, and private charters from Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. The company also rents beach cabanas, beach toys, and related recreational equipment to resort guests and visitors, bundling boat-based excursions with on-beach amenities at a single A-Bay location.

Product overview

Ocean Sports operates a suite of marine adventure experiences and beach activities from Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii's Big Island. The core offering consists of ocean cruises aboard its fleet — including the legendary sailing catamaran Seasmoke, power catamaran Alala, and a glass bottom boat — featuring six distinct products: Snorkel Cruises (the most popular offering with 3-hour guided reef adventures including lunch and bar), Pau Hana Sunset Cruises (2-hour evening sails with complimentary cocktails and appetizers), Whale Watching Cruises (seasonal December–March 1.5-hour Humpback whale encounters with guaranteed sightings), Glass Bottom Boat Cruises (30-minute dry reef tours through six viewing windows), and Private Charter Cruises (customizable 2–4 hour exclusive bookings for 1–125 guests on Seasmoke or Alala). Beachside, the company rents Beach Cabanas (shaded half-day or full-day cabanas) and Beach Toys (snorkel gear, kayaks, SUPs, boogie boards). A referral partnership for motorcycle/e-bike rentals is also offered through a third-party operator. The portfolio is booked primarily through a third-party platform (FareHarbor) and targets tourists and residents seeking ocean recreation and wildlife experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Snorkel Cruises Guided boat excursions that take guests from Anaeho'omalu Bay to nearby reefs and snorkeling sites, with use of snorkel gear included, aimed at resort guests and visitors to the Kohala Coast.
• Pau Hana Sunset Cruise Evening boat cruise along the Kohala Coast timed to sunset, marketed as a 'Pau Hana' after-work-style experience for resort guests and visitors.
• Whale Watching Cruises Seasonal boat excursions focused on observing humpback whales and other marine life, available during the migration season for individual guests and small groups.
• Glass Bottom Boat Cruises Short boat trips in a glass bottom vessel that allow guests to view reef fish, coral, and marine life without getting in the water, suitable for families and non-swimmers.
• Private Charter Cruises Exclusive-use boat charters for small groups, families, and special occasions, customizable in itinerary and duration, departing from Anaeho'omalu Bay.
• Beach Cabana Rentals Daily rental of beach cabanas at Anaeho'omalu Bay, providing shaded seating and a base for resort guests and beach visitors.
• Beach Toy and Equipment Rentals Rental of beach toys and related recreational equipment such as floats and water play items for guests using the bay.
• Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards that can be redeemed for any Ocean Sports cruise, tour, charter, or rental product, available for purchase as a gift item.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Hawaii NauticalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOcean Sports refers customers to Hawaii Nautical when their cruise dates are not available. This is a reciprocal referral arrangement between ocean adventure operators on the Big Island.
• Big Island Motorcycle CompanyminorOthersRecommended motorcycle, e-bike, and Moke rental partner for customers visiting from Waikoloa area. Ocean Sports does not offer motorcycle rentals directly but recommends this partner to interested customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hualalai Watersports: Kohala Coast watersports operator founded in 1987 by Captain Will Ward during his prior departure from Ocean Sports. Directly comparable offering — sailing, snorkel, and beach activities on the same coastline.
• Kona Snorkel Trips: Kona operator running small-group snorkel tours along the Kona and Kohala coastline. Comparable in product (guided reef snorkel excursions, equipment included) and customer type.
• Fair Wind Cruises: Kona operator of catamaran snorkel and dolphin tours to the Kealakekua Bay and Pawai Bay areas. Comparable in product (guided reef snorkel cruises, beach toys, family-friendly excursions) and target market to Ocean Sports.
• Body Glove Cruises: Kona-based catamaran snorkel, dolphin watch, sunset and whale watch cruises aboard the Double Dolphin and Body Glove vessels. Directly competes with Ocean Sports for Big Island snorkel and sunset cruise guests at a similar price point.
• Makai Sailing Charters: Kona-based sailing catamaran operator offering sunset sails, snorkel trips and whale watching on similar vessels to Ocean Sports' Seasmoke. Directly comparable in product format and customer demographic.
• Sea Quest Hawaii: Big Island snorkel, dive and raft tours operating out of Kailua-Kona. Competes with Ocean Sports for reef snorkel and wildlife cruise customers visiting the Kona-Kohala Coast.
• Hawaii Nautical: Big Island–based ocean adventure operator running catamaran snorkel, sunset, whale watch and coastal cruises. Named in Ocean Sports' own referral arrangement, making it the closest directly comparable peer in geography, product mix, and target customer.
• Big Island Divers: Kailua-Kona dive and snorkel charter operator offering coastal reef trips from the same Big Island waters as Ocean Sports. Comparable in equipment-rental-plus-excursion model and reef access.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantis Adventures (Hawaii): Larger Hawaii-based submarine and boat tour operator with statewide presence, including Big Island reef tours. Comparable underwater viewing experience to Ocean Sports' glass bottom boat, but at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Others

• Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Hawaii-wide helicopter tour operator serving the Big Island. Not a direct competitor, but a comparable Big Island tourism experience provider competing for the same resort guest activity budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OceanSports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-sports-hawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ocean Sports