The Hula Girl suffered an issue with its motor and ran aground in the Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Marine Life Conservation District in January. The boat was removed on Friday. Courtesy photo DLNR

The 65-foot catamaran Hula Girl, which ran aground at Maui’s Honolua-Mokul�”‘ia Marine Life Conservation District and remained there for almost two months, has been removed.

According to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the boat’s exit Friday afternoon brought a collective sigh of relief to the vessel’s owner, Kapalua Kai Sailing, the salvage crew and many people in West Maui.

The state says a powerful storm combined with a compromised motor led to the sailing vessel running aground in January as the catamaran was dragged onto Honolua Bay’s rocky shoreline, where it has been ever since.

The department’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation and Division of Aquatic Resources reportedly worked with the vessel’s owner to develop and execute the salvage plan. Several factors contributed to delays in the boat’s removal including high winds, inclement weather and the tide.

According to the state, finding a company to tackle the salvage was also a challenge, and after a weekslong search, Cates Marine Service signed on for the job. Owner Randy Cates is a veteran with decades in the boat salvage business.

The Cates team handled the removal of the luxury yacht Nakoa from Honolua in 2023. Two years later, almost to the day, again with help from Foss Marine, they managed to tug Hula Girl free from the rocks.

Rigging lines and other preparations on Hula Girl were finalized Thursday and early Friday. Just after noon Friday, and on the incoming tide, the Foss Marine tug arrived. Notice was given to surfers and snorkelers in the water to avoid the area. Once the lines were connected between the tug and Hula Girl, the catamaran was successfully freed within an hour.

An initial damage assessment by a state dive team suggested no coral, fish or invertebrates in the bay were harmed. Another assessment is planned now that the Hula Girl has been moved.

The state says it appears at least initially that no fuel or oil was spilled, and no reef was scarred.

Hula Girl’s next stop is a designated mooring offshore at Māla small boat ramp, where it will undergo an evaluation for temporary repairs before being towed to O’ahu.