World-champion waterman Zane Kekoa Schweitzer is using his titles in windsurfing, stand-up paddle surfing, paddle racing and big-wave riding to nurture the next generation of ocean guardians. The 32-year-old, a fifteen-time world champion, recently launched a sea convoy from Lahaina, the Hawaiian Kingdom’s ancient capital on Maui’s west side, to Honolua Bay to showcase his new nonprofit, the Kahākūkahi Ocean Academy (K.O.A.).
Champion waterman turns mentor
Schweitzer grew up on Maui’s Upper Westside, where his grandfather, Hoyle Schweitzer, pioneered modern windsurfing. After Hoyle’s death two weeks ago, Zane said the elder “connected millions of people to the ocean.” He now frames the sea as “It truly is a church; it’s a place of refuge.”
At age twelve, while competing in Japan, Schweitzer organized a beach clean-up and windsurf clinic for peers. He recalls that “the highlight of that trip was not the competitive success, but being able to connect with other kids my age.” Those early events became a pattern; coaches later complained he interrupted heats to run youth activities.
K.O.A.’s floating classroom, a catamaran equipped for lessons, serves as a mobile hub for free mentorship. The academy runs programs almost daily, teaching ocean safety, cultural connection and environmental stewardship to local children.
Read Also: Ice rock caused Nepal flood climate risks rise
Youth safety and coastal challenges
Schweitzer highlighted that drowning is the leading cause of death for Hawaiʻi children aged one to fifteen. He explained many families lack safe ocean access because parents themselves never learned to swim, or because daily pressures limit time for water activities.
According to the academy, roughly 3,000 keiki have participated in recent years, with up to 70 percent lacking prior water confidence. The program includes junior lifeguard drills, paddling camps and marine-science lessons, aiming to turn a safety gap into a community asset.
Beyond education, Schweitzer warns that overdevelopment and seawall construction are accelerating coastal erosion on Maui. He described Keonenui Bay, once known as “the Big Sand,” now stripped of its shoreline, with a 30-foot cliff replacing the former beach.
He argues that when seawalls are erected, often to protect properties from water damage or to stabilize land, the energy from the waves hitting a hard surface is redirected, intensifying erosion and blocking the natural movement of sand. The loss, he says, “You look around Hawaiʻi from a lens of stewardship and you realize that this is only buying a few more years of profit for businesses.” He’s talking about hotels, and a side of the Hawaiian tourism industry which can place the “heads and beds” model above sustainability and community insight.
On the return leg of the convoy, Schweitzer demonstrated a hydrofoil paired with a hand kite, known as wingfoiling.
Read Also: Remote destinations poised for sustainable tourism growth
Cultural stewardship at Honolua Bay
The convoy arrived at Honolua Bay, a protected marine life conservation district, where the water glistened beneath a canopy of Monkey Pod trees. Upon docking, Zane lifted a pū and sounded it four times, a traditional call that signaled the group’s presence to the local caretakers.
A descendant of families who have tended the bay for generations greeted the visitors with a honi ihu, the customary nose-to-nose greeting. He explained that his family has lived in the surrounding forest for centuries, maintaining the land and sea as a continuous responsibility.
During the visit, a team of K.O.A. volunteers joined forces with Dr. Cliff Kapono of the MEGA Lab and the Save Honolua Coalition. Together they guided a group of children in a 3-D mapping exercise of the reef, using handheld sonar devices to capture detailed topography. The data will help monitor coral health and inform future restoration projects.
The descendant emphasized the importance of teaching visitors the concept of mālama, a core Hawaiian principle meaning to care for and protect. He noted that signage around the bay now reminds guests to respect the sacredness of the area and to limit their impact, especially during peak seasons when the beach can host hundreds of tourists.
Honoring Grandfather and Family Heritage
When a green-spotted honu broke the surface beside the convoy, Zane Schweitzer laughed and shouted, “There he goes! There’s my grandpa!” He said he feels grateful that his grandfather insisted on pride in actions, adding, “You want to make sure that every action has a positive reaction.”
Read Also: Gen Z Cowgirl Leads Hawai‘i’s Forest Restoration Efforts
Zane comes from a line of watermen; his father holds eighteen world titles and his mother’s Azorean relatives are also legacy paddlers. Growing up, he counted surfers Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton as family friends, yet he does not take his coastal upbringing for granted.
Tourism, access and the future
While the bay thrives under community guardianship, Zane expressed concerns about the growing pressure of private development along Maui’s shoreline. He described how recent hotel and condominium projects have restricted public beach access, turning once-open stretches into exclusive zones.
He clarified that his aim is not to oppose tourism outright but to shift its model toward purpose-driven experiences. K.O.A. now offers volunteer programs that allow travelers to participate in beach clean-ups, reef surveys, and cultural workshops, supporting a deeper connection between visitors and the islands.
Family considerations also shape his perspective. With a three-year-old child and another baby on the way, Zane hopes to preserve spaces where his own children can safely explore the ocean. He believes that by sharing his successes, he can inspire future leaders who will balance sport, stewardship, and community well-being.