The Ding King on Maui

I promised long ago that I’d do a tour of the Ding King’s, one of the most perfect surfer joints I’ve ever seen. Here it is. If you think you know of a better one, send me photos and a few words and I’ll post it.

The folks who did Blue Crush missed a great location: The Ding King’s joint. This place REEKS of surfing soul and creativity. I always grin as I turn in the driveway. And it’s REAL, there’s a lot of talent in this crusty looking place.

As always, you can click on the pictures for a larger version.

The funmobile looks right at home in front of Ding King’s

The Ding King does fibreglass repair of all kinds–fast and good but not cheap (you were expecting all three?). They also design and build very elegant stuff like the hollow standup board I bought from them, and gorgeous Hawaiian racing canoes. Mark’s knowledge and design approach turns out highly functional products with well known performance. For example, one of the new standup/longboard sailboards being produced by Starboard is based on Mark’s plug (Mark Rappahorst owns the place) .

I asked Mark once why they had built the giant “Edith Ann” chairs out front. He said “Ahh… I don’t know, we get a goofy idea, we just got to do it”

These chairs and table look normal size, but they’re about twice normal height. When you see the Ding King guys eating lunch out here they look like a bunch of little kids. That fits.

The surfboard chair with windsurfer boom rockers is comfortable, and so is the surfboard bench. Planters everywhere from everything: Toilets, canoes, amas, even an actual flowerpot

Mark, and a better view of the stick wave. Mark is usually kind of grey colored from fiberglass dust

Inside–it’s hard to know what to look at first. A lot going on in this place

Canoe molds and the top mold for the excellent Ku Nalu hollow standup board.

I love mine–it paddles great and sails even better. every time I see one without a mast track I think “you knucklehead!” You see these boards all over the place in Maui, which is amazing when you consider they’re made one at a time in this single mold. I waited six months for mine. Worth it.

Mark’s canoes are highly regarded–light and strong.

He also fixes a lot of the less robust ones from asia. Every time I go in the place I’m tempted to get a canoe–they’re beautiful. But I’m running out of room in the garage.