Why don't Hawaii's islands have regular ferry service between them?

Despite being an archipelago, Hawaii lacks regular ferry services between most of its islands because of the distances involved. As of 2024, there's only one ferry service operating between the nearby islands of Maui and Lanai. For travel between any other Hawaiian islands, flying is the only realistic option, with carriers like Hawaiian Airlines dominating inter-island transportation. This situation is unusual compared to other archipelagic regions worldwide where maritime transit is common, suggesting unique challenges that have prevented successful ferry implementation in Hawaii.