A little over 20 years ago, in a small corner of the Haiku Cannery, in a small town on the island Maui, a small region of the vast Pacific Ocean, my friend Dan Bolfing and I were churning out kite boards under the Cabrinha design label. The work we were doing was something we both had done separately for many years but somehow this moment felt very different. The infant sport of kite surfing was a bottle rocket about to take off and we were holding on to the fuse in one hand and a box of matches in the other.

At the time, sugar cane was Maui's biggest export but innovation in surfing and wind sports was the island's most coveted asset. Innovation was literally oozing from Maui’s fertile grounds. There was so much happening in a short span of time. It seemed that by the time the resin was dry on our latest board prototype, we had already designed the one that would replace it. It was strange to deal with the concept of making something obsolete by also making something absolutely ground breaking in the same week. But it was fun. It was uncertain. Exciting. Heartbreaking. Rewarding. Full of optimism.

The last 20 years have been an incredible time for Cabrinha and the sport of kitesurfing. Each passing year has laid yet another foundational block. Every year a new deposit has been made into our knowledge banks. We’ve innovated our way through the past two decades... taken risks, won awards, crowned champions, and celebrated the rise of our incredible sport. But most of all we’ve stayed curious. We’ve kept things fresh by never sitting on a success for too long. We are constantly looking around the corner to see what’s coming… and where we are headed. 

With nothing but the future ahead of us we have the fortunate ability to combine experience with perspective to craft a future that will support the next 20 years. The 2020 Cabrinha collection speaks volumes about who we are as a company. It defines a clear course as to where we are headed as a brand. 2020 is about clear vision. It’s about defining our future. It’s about time.

All of you have played a huge role in the success of Cabrinha but more importantly, you have made the brand a diverse and dynamic cultural icon. For this and all of your continued support I want to thank you all.

Founded, inspired and driven by Maui-based waterman, Pete Cabrinha, Cabrinha Kites produces kitesurfing equipment for water sports adventure seekers. Pete’s approach to innovation has been the driving force behind our development philosophy, keeping the brand technically and culturally connected to our customers. After joining forces with Neil Pryde in 2000, Cabrinha benefited greatly from the Pryde Group’s rich history of producing yacht and windsurfing sails. 

In February 2020, the brand was purchased by Pete Cabrinha and Water Bound Investments, led by former professional kitesurfer and long-time Cabrinha professional athlete Jon Modica. 

With the research and development center and brand headquarters located on Maui, the innovation ground zero of water sports, Cabrinha has played a ground-breaking role in the evolution of surf sports with its pioneering efforts in kitesurfing, tow-surfing, foil boarding, and wing surfing.

Over the years, Cabrinha has lead the industry in innovation, performance, and safety. With a distribution network in over 70 countries worldwide we focus on customer service and satisfaction. Producing products powered by a 100% renewable source (the wind), we continue to be socially connected to like minded people who enjoy the water, are protective of the planet and are stewards of the ocean. 

In the collective surf world, Cabrinha’s birthplace Maui, Hawaii, has risen to become the world's leading region for surf sport innovation. Maui’s relentless Tradewinds provide over 300 days of excellent kitesurfing and wing surfing.

Most of the world’s most dynamic surf sports have developed right on the shores of this surf community in the middle of the Pacific, from windsurfing to tow-surfing, kitesurfing and foilboarding. Cabrinha has played an inside role in the pioneering of each one of these sports.

Our base in Maui not only assures consistency and accuracy from design to testing and production, it allows us to keep our fingers on the pulse of surf sport innovation so we can provide you with the very best these sports have to offer.

Cabrinha's success over the last 20 years can be attributed to a dedicated team of the most qualified people in the industry, taking inspiration from a rich water sports heritage.  

While we clearly enjoy the Maui lifestyle, we are serious about our products and our international role in watersports. Everyone in the company today has risen to the top of their respective fields. From our management and development staff to our team riders, distribution partners, dealers, and ambassadors, Cabrinha is a family of passionate, visionary, and always evolving people driving the sport into its future. 

Cabrinha kites have been ridden to the top of podiums and World Tour Championships in Freestyle, Surf, Wakestyle and Speed competitions. They have been the choice of some of the most influential personalities in the sport including figures in the public limelight. See our milestones in our timeline below.