2013 Steinlager Kaiwi Solo

60+ people racing! first thing that jumps out to me is no Karel Jr or Kai Bartlett in the field. it'll be fun to see how things pan out with two of the OC world's most dominant athletes missing. my vote is for Manny to break through for a victory.

#1 Fri, 04/05/2013 - 6:02pm

Keizo?1?! He hasn't raced in two years. If he wins I'll be the first one to say he's cheating.

I"m worried about him and the guy from Texas.

#2 Fri, 04/05/2013 - 11:15pm

haha healthyearth, that would be funny. Unfortunately I do not have to the discipline to do secret training. I was just testing the registration form and apparently I'm still on there. Manny get me off of that list! :)

#3 Fri, 04/05/2013 - 11:39pm

Last October I watched Keizo paddle 40 miles nonstop from seat six during Molokai. If he's secretly training, paddlers should be worried.

I've gotta point out that there's a New Yorker on the list: Jeremy Grosvenor. It was not a warm winter up here to be training for the solo, so it must have taken some extra resolve to get out on the water on those cold, dreary days.

Also great to see Texas, Japan, France and Australia on the list. Hope to see some Latin America guys showing up for Hawaii races in the next few years as well.

#4 Mon, 04/08/2013 - 3:38am

Victor is Latino he eats Jalepeno's and puts the juice in his Aqua during races. He fits fits 20 compadres (all eating aros con frijoles) in his 10ft dingy escort boat. They shoot pistolas int the air and all while bandanas wife beaters. It's quite a sight to see. A lot of people here do the race just so they can the floating fiesta.

I'm excited to see Danny Ching on the new Ehukai canoe.

#5 Mon, 04/08/2013 - 1:03pm

Ha! He's going to do fine. You DO know that the Ehukai is a Pueo replica, right?

OK, maybe a 9.9% design alteration in the deck.

#6 Tue, 04/09/2013 - 8:39am

As builders/designers gain more knowledge on making the perfect hull I imagine all hulls will start to look more and more alike. I think surfski's are a good example of that. It's more difficult for me to tell surfski's apart than one mans and I think that is becuase their design is further evolved than one man design. I don't know much about racing bikes, but to me they all look alike. I bet racing bike design is more evolved than surfski design.

Upside down the Hiko looks very similar to Pueo, though on the top it looks different.

Natural evolution in design seems to be at play here more than copycat design.

#7 Tue, 04/09/2013 - 4:36pm

healthyearth, I applaud your willingness to believe that it's natural evolution. But the makers of the Ehukai have openly admitted that they didn't just "copycat" the Pueo, but deliberately and accurately replicated it. I mean, why not? It's the best selling one man there is. And the Pueo is freaking expensive since Kamanu employs local paddlers to hand build them all. Ehukai's are basically going to be cheap (cost wise) Chinese made Pueos. Something you'd probably never be able to buy from Kamanu.

#8 Tue, 04/09/2013 - 7:05pm

Dumbwaka, your facts are way off and need correcting. Johnny's new canoe I assure you is very different. It sure is sad to see the level people go to especially on OCPADDLER. What a shame!

As far as the Ehukai is concerned it will have a similar layup to the storm. Meaning its made with the most advanced technology, similar to how they are making the new boeing 787 airplane (All composite materials). Having tested a protoype (cut up heavy canoe of johnnys) against the boat i won the Molokai solo on, I can tell you with 100% certainty that the new design is amazing. Add to it that the new boat will be lighter, stiffer, and more maneuverable, I can't wait. As far as the solo is concerned Danny Ching will be racing on Johnny's cut up prototype because the new canoe will not be here yet. Johnny has been working harder than ever to get the canoe here for the relay which Danny and I hope to race on then.

Unfortunately due to my new job taking me away for the solo I will be unable to compete in this years race. I wish everyone a safe crossing and I will miss being out there battling it out with the best of you.

#9 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 8:43am

DW- Thank you for applauding my willingness to yadi....yadi....yadi.

Since you brought up the building here in Hawaii Vs China that reminded me of a thought that I had and have.
Many people seem to believe that it is a more noble thing to have the canoes built here vs. China. I understand that stance on the surface and I like it's intention. But, a huge part of me believes that having canoes built more expensively here in Hawaii is 1. holding the sport back 2. holding the world back from innovation. #1 we probably can all figure out on our own. #2 I'll explain. The more money that Keizo/Luke have allwos them to free their minds to create more great things they could offer this world. Money give minds the freedom to execute on their ideas and experiments. Great minds without the necessary tools to execute their vision or their dreams are a waste (to an extent). It's like having Lebron James or Kobe Bryant on your basketball team. If they never get the ball (which is the tool that gives them the power to most effect the game) then they can't be as effective using all their skills to change the direction of the game. Yes Kobe and Lebron will still have an effect on the game without ever touching the ball, but the effect will not be nearly as powerful.

So by JP outsourcing the mundane job of building canoes himself he can spend his time and his freedom (giving to him by having more money) creating new designs/processes or whatever great things his mind comes up with.

When I go to the shop and I see Keizo sanding down a seat. I think - is this really the best use of his skill set that evolution (please hold the applause DW) gave him. If Keizo (with Luke who I also find bright/innovative) had more money and time to free his mind to do what he was desinged to do- what great things he might come up with.

A good example of this is in the Steve Jobs book. Steve Wozniak wanted to give his first computer away to all the computer geeks- seems noble right. Steve Jobs said no because they needed to money (the profit) to go on and create a computer that can be more easily used and given to the masses. Steve Jobs said if we give it away then the only people that will be using and accepting computers would be computer geeks that understand how to use the computers and code/write software. I can't rememeber exactly this next part. I believe Steve Wozniak reflected on this and realized what he thought was a noble gesture really wasn't that at all and it was actually a negative to society. The last part dont' quote me exaclty.

#10 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 10:54am

Over the years I have watched this website and seen some very interesting posts. Many times I have wanted to chime in but held back and just watched. But this one is personal.

Dumbwaka, your post couldn't be farther from the truth. As the sole designer of the Pueo, I can tell you that the Ehukai is very different than the Pueo. My goal is not to copy or look for the easy path. It is and has always been to think outside of the box and come up with better designs and better ways of making canoes. This push for quality and ingenuity is one of the reasons I am working with Ozone and their new technology. Mike Giblin over the years has been pushing the envelope on technology and I believe that he has now gone through many of the growing pains and is on to something really good. His bladder mould technology with prepreg is above and beyond anything else out there. Without getting into detail, I can say that the Ehukai will be the lightest,strongest, fastest, most maneuverable OC1 I have done yet

#11 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 11:41am

healthyearth, e kala mai. My applauding you was honest and not meant sarcastically. I think it's a genuinely good quality to believe the best about others. I feel that way about Keizo and Luke and Kelly. I completely understand your points about using their talents efficiently, and that maybe they're not really doing that to the best of their abilities. But they abide by their principles, and if that means keeping jobs here in Hawai'i, and sacrificing some profit to do so, then at least they're doing it for a good reason. They may be "holding the world back from innovation" as you put it, but I'm sure it's not because they are hoping that paddling will stagnate, but because they're busy working their okoles off to make a product that they can be proud of, in a manner that fits in with the way they want their company to be run. As far as the prices go, well like most paddlers I'm no millionaire. But we should all remember that every time we purchase anything, we are creating a demand for the way we want things to be produced. If we don't buy locally made products, one day there won't be any locally made products. We can't just sit back and let others keep our families and friends employed, while we spend our dollars on stuff made overseas.
As far as replying to Kimo and Johnny, I stand by what I said. It'll be obvious to everyone once the two canoes are side by side. But no joke, that prepreg carbon, seamless construction shit makes a pretty lightweight canoe. And although the construction method, and weight will be really different, that wasn't the issue I brought up. It's the design of the canoe that I said was copied.

#12 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 12:31pm

DW- Ok maybe I got a little Jumpy about the Applaud.

The rest wasn't directed to you because you didn't seem to be taking a side, you were just making a statement about how the each operates. I was just speaking something that had been on my mind. I wasn't judging either of them on how they decide to operate, I was just saying that maybe neither way is more noble than the other way and there are +/- to either way to operate.

#13 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 1:02pm

O.K. I just got a big question answered of sorts from JP's note vis- a- vis one word that we also have in our own bodies.

To Johnny and Mike .... This is damm cool.

aloha,
pog

#14 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 7:32pm

If it is windy you'll probably see Kai and Karel as it is all for fun with them and flat water isn't fun

#15 Wed, 04/10/2013 - 11:08pm

Healthyearth,

Glad to hear that you think people who build and design canoes are "mundane" you've insulted just about every canoe builder in the history of the sport.

I beg to differ on the claim that outsourcing labor encourages innovation. Quick, name two of the most innovative and cutting edge canoe builders in Hawai‘i today. Pure Canoes and Kamanu come to mind for me. Both of those companies design and build their own prototype OC-1, V-1, and V6. These two operations by themselves have spawned a revolution in building. More has happened in the last 4 years of canoe design than I can remember seeing in the previous 20. All while they've been bogged down by what you call the mundane task of building a Hawaiian outrigger canoe. Go figure.

I stand by my original prediction. This is the year of the Manny.

Edit: post shortened because I was rambling and to stay on topic with a prediction.

#16 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 1:34am

Aukina3, what does "cut up prototype" mean... what was "cut up"? Forgive me for meddling in a conversation that is way over my head, but I want to learn... someday... mahalo.

#17 Fri, 04/12/2013 - 9:58pm

This thread is so far off topic now that it doesn't matter if I continue on the same tangent.
To all concerned- Please don't succumb to bitching about "Who designed what? Who built what?"
It just diminishes everyone involved, The paddling community is small enough so that everyone knows who has earned their stripes , who's done the work, who will back their product.
If we want a glimpse of the future of canoe design and production maybe we should look at the world of Paddles.
You can buy a mass produced , cheaper paddle of the rack today or wait for the guy who hand makes them to get to your order.
I know which one I want.
Back on Topic,
May the best prepared win ( I hope it's Manny)

#18 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 1:03am

Manny, Pat or Danny. Kai and Karel stay good in the surf, but they past their prime...yup, i said it. Wheres big Toddy this year?

#19 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 12:38pm

HOot HOot De-Lally!
Jimmy Boy and Little John
running through the forest
Laughin' back and forth
At what Kamanu has to say
Reminiscin', This-'n'-thattin'
Havin' such a good time
HOot-de-lally, HOot-de-lally
Golly, what a day
Never ever thinkin' there was danger in the water
They were shaping', going faster than I ever did in my day
Never dreamin' that a schemin' sherrif and his posse
Was a-watchin' them an' gatherin' around
Jimmy Boy and Little John
Runnin' through the forest
Racing races, peeling my stickers off
An' tryin' to get away
Contemplatin' nothin'
But escape an' fin'lly makin' it
HOot-de-lally, HOot-de-lally
Golly, what a day
HOot-de-lally, HOot-de-lally
Golly, what a day

#20 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 12:52pm

Have fun Pueo
https://

#21 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 1:18pm

FUN THREAD

#22 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 1:57pm

Webcast?

#23 Sat, 04/13/2013 - 6:12pm

looking like a repeat of the Hoe, light southwest winds...
http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/mokapu_point_kailua_bay

long day

#24 Tue, 04/16/2013 - 11:38am

Wow, I got too much information while trying to figure out what canoe Danny won on today......yikes.

#25 Mon, 04/22/2013 - 11:56am

Congratulations to Danny Ching on his win in the most difficult conditions. He's a true champion.
His canoe- Ehukai? cut up demo? Pueo? I can't tell. Can you?

(sign in to see the pictures posted below)

#26 Tue, 04/23/2013 - 7:01pm