Fai vs Timi vs Aukahi vs Pure

just thought i'd see what everyone's unbiased non salesman type opinions are of the four most common rudderless canoes in Hawai‘i. fresh off of seeing them all being paddled i'm curious what people think.

i can start off by saying I like the Aukahi for it's simple rigging and Kamanu's solid construction. it takes a lot of attention to keep it under control though. more so than the Fai3 i used to own.

the Fai3 felt easier to paddle to me. but i'm not sure if it was any faster.

never gotten to paddle the Fai3x that tiger makes, but at the RATH they looked pretty nice. top notch build.

i currently have a heavy lay up Pure Canoe. it's hard to measure up against boats that are 1/2 to 1/3 it's weight.

has anyone ever compared these canoes head to head?

Submitted by jc9_0 on Thu, 07/09/2015 - 2:33pm



Thanks to HVA's Race around the Hat, I had the pleasure of trying every one of these canoes.

Pure/Viper Venom - is good, the one I tried was maybe 26 pounds? maybe a little heavy for super competitive races. It drops really easy on small surf and is easy to control. Theres a bit more keel in it than the Aukahi, and Fai3x. Im not sure how it is in big surf, but from the videos Ive seen it looks like it surfs good, and Revi just won the Junior division at Heiva in it.

Fai3x - is really a good all around canoe as well, really easy to catch waves and stays in the spot nicely. A bit tighter than the Aukahi in my opinion which for me not being used to it was hard to control at times. I dont think that canoe is super fast in flat water. It was really comfortable, and Tigers Build quality was unreal.

Aukahi - was as good as always, and the RATH surf was easy enough to not worry about spinning out on a high angle. The Aukahi seems faster than my Timi in super flat (maybe my rigging could be adjusted) Its also faster in small easy surf, and much faster in Big "NOT" easy surf. Kailua type water that peaks up from every angle, the Aukahi is super loose, and for a novice guy like my self might be hard to control at times. But when you really need to be able to whip it back and forth, this canoe can do wonders.

Timi Carbon - 17# is really really nice, but a hinderance if not taken care of. I had the chance to see what happens when a random kid sits in a canoe that is sitting on the ground. "small kine damage" I would bet alot of money that the aukahi (atleast a heavy layup) would handle.
Timi is much faster in really high angle surf, straight surf and side lagoon type surf with side wind. it surfs wake like a motor boat, and you can sit on waves with out poking really easily.

How ever for me it is harder to control in big kailua type surf. (here on Kauai its Kapaa surf straight out into the Easterly and straight back in) really peaky surf gives the Timi a hard time because of the Keel, a lot of side bump when trying to go straight on a big bomb is kinda hard. it also has a different drop in point which im still trying to figure out.


#1 Fri, 07/10/2015 - 8:03am


Just my opinions…

Aukahi – Compared to Tahitian boats, this boat has a lot more volume above the waterline, mostly near the cockpit and in the tail. It’s great for big conditions, larger paddlers, and light winds. However, in strong side/angled winds I felt like the boat is more affected by wind. It could be because I’m light and not strong. I know other people paddle this boat just fine. Not as much V in the hull as ARE and Venom and Timi. Snap in iako is a great time saver!

Fai3/Fai3x – I like the fit of the cockpit, not too big or small. Gunnels are a good height. Even in big surf you don’t need a skirt, but a foot pump is very nice to have. Less V in the hull than ARE and Venom which makes the side wind sections harder, but easier to maneuver in the surf, chop, and U turns. The 3x seems to have a little less volume in the deck than the 3. I’m not sure about differences in the hull. Bill Oliver could probably explain a lot.

ARE – Narrow, low volume, skinny cockpit near the knees. Great for sprints, flat, and small – med straighter surf. Gunnels are lower than other V1s so more water in the cockpit in the surf. The V in the hull is similar to the Venom, only a portion near the center without V. Tracks really good, but makes wide U-turns.

Venom – Reminds me of the ARE with a little more volume and higher gunnels. The deck is low in front of the cockpit which makes changing over easy. Tracks well which is good and bad depending on how you line up the bumps.

Timi – V along the entire hull. I never tried one, but I really want to!

I think all boats have tradeoffs. Just gotta find something that fits your paddling style and the conditions you like to paddle in… flats, big surf, wake, or all around.


#2 Fri, 07/10/2015 - 1:21pm


good info! I had someone ask me about what canoe would be best after the RATH. but i couldn't really give a clear answer since i'd never truly compared all of them. i'm curious to see what guys in other parts of the world say about the Aukahi since it's obviously quite different.

Vance, you're probably on to something. pretty sure the wind has a smaller effect on a guy my size. that, combined with all the hours I spent in the Aukahi, is probably the reason why I like it most. i'd be really curious to see if Kamanu could make any improvements to an already good design. i saw pictures of another new V1 coming from the Big Island in the near future. it will be cool to see what Odie learned from his first go around.


#3 Fri, 07/10/2015 - 12:49pm


I paddled an Aukahi on the Bay of Fundy, the home of the BIG tides, and mega currents. I don't have much experience with other V-1s, so can't comment on much else. Because of my limited skills and experience on a V-1, I stay out of nuking windy days--that's when the OC-1 comes out! But I feel very comfortable and safe with my Aukahi in pretty much all other conditions. The canoe feels easy to move and to correct in most conditions--even easier now that I've installed a foot brace. With stiff side winds, it's definitely a much tougher workout--I suspect that all canoes suffer from some weathercocking. The high cockpit keeps water out even in the steep standing waves that we get here during the fast rush of mid tides along the shoreline, around headlands and over shoals. I also got a foot pump system recently that I'll install on that foot brace--some day soon--and that will add a comforting level of safety to a canoe that already feels very seaworthy in rough conditions. The workmanship of the Aukahi is topnotch. It's all good.


#4 Sat, 07/11/2015 - 9:14am


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