Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Kainoa McGee, a famed North Shore of Oahu waterman, and KMBCo. won the People’s Choice Startup of the Year award presented by Hawaii Business Magazine at the Hawaii Venture Capital Association Awards Gala. KMBCo helps individuals with physical disabilities get into the water through paddling.

Chris Gardner, race director of the North Shore Swim Series, says, “We are stoked for Kainoa and the wonderful program he is providing. He helps improves the quality of life for persons with disabilities while sharing the ocean’s healing properties and the freedom paddling provides.”

McGee created KMBCo. to help people with disabilities enjoy the ocean. Versatility Krafts is a half-surfboard/half-canoe with stabilizing arms on each side similar to an outrigger canoe that offers stability and ample room for individuals and families to paddle together.

“There is a bigger need than I initially thought,” McGee explained. “There are people in walkers and wheelchairs who look at how big stand up paddle boarding is today and think ‘I can never do that.’ Our Krafts crush that myth.”

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