I'm writing a paper for school on the 1976 Moloka'i and the impact that the Tahitians sweeping the top four spots had on Outrigger Canoeing. The paper is going to focus on the race itself, and the questions on canoe design that arose because of it and the efforts to keep the sport culturally connected through design regulations, and why Hawai'i imposed such strict regulations while Tahiti seemingly didn't have any problem with advancing their design.
It seems to me that 1976 is the start of modern canoe racing in Hawai'i. And what i want to do with the paper is explore why that is the start, and what is the true impact that that race had... maybe that's a wrong assumption to make, and anyone who thinks so please let me know why.
So...
i was wondering if anyone on here was at the 1976 Moloka'i race... and could let me know anything about it--- even if you weren't in a top crew-- anything that you remember from the race would be awesome.
And.. i'm pretty sure that this has been talked about before, but not for awhile, and I think it's interesting enough to bring up again...
what are peoples thoughts regarding design regulations in Hawai'i? There are plenty of arguments on both sides-- just curious to hear what people think. What is the difference between the cultural links between the sport here and in Tahiti based on our differing design restrictions... ? Why did Hawai'i stop the development of canoes at an arbirtrary point in time while the Tahitians didn't..... they just kept on developing their designs...?
Last time that Tahiti was brought up on the forum--- it brought out a lot of... negativity. I'm not trying to do that again-- just trying to foster discussion....
.
Submitted by luke on Thu, 02/15/2007 - 11:06am
consider yourself lucky...i have to write an essay on gender and what each genders role is in society...
#1 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 11:24am
Luke;
I paddled in the 1976 Molokai Race for Outrigger and I can fill you in with quitee a bit of info about that race as well as the preceding and following years!
#2 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 11:54am
Hey, Luke.
Interesting topic but I know jack about design regulations. Are you talking about restrictions and limitations on length, width, height, materials and stuff like that?
Snarfblat
#3 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 3:33pm
Tahitians are way cooler. Look at how much more popular paddling is in Tahiti. It is unfortunate that Hawaii decided to keep things so tightly regulated. Perhaps that is part of the reason that one man paddling has become so popular in Hawaii. There are no limits on design or materials. Boats can be as lean and light as the paddlers/makers want. Seems like people are naturally drawn towards sports where there are always more design improvements and greater oportunties for more speed.
Luke you gotta post your paper when you're done...
#4 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 3:51pm
nb1376... i've put my time in on boring papers.... but the beauty of UH is that i can write my senior history thesis on paddling and have my professor be stoked on the topic.... just be sure to mention derrida and foucoult (sp?) and you'll do fine on your gender paper....
and yeah, i was referring to restrictions as you mentioned.... there are restrictions on waterline, rocker, length, width, weight etc... correct? which gives the boat builders little creative room to.. explore with. i'm not putting the restrictions down, i'm just curious what people think about those restrictions and how/why they arose in terms of the link between paddling and culture in Hawai'i being different than the link in Tahiti... what happened to make the two go in different directions... will it really change the cultural connection if we make 200 pound canoes with longer waterlines..? and now that jc9_0 has mentioned it... are one-mans eroding at the cultural connection? any thoughts on any of the subjects would be appreciated--- the focus is still on the 1976 moloka'i and its impact though.
I dunno about posting the paper-----seeing as this is a... controversial subject, i'm a little scared to post it.....
nah.. hopefully it will be of.. high enough quality to post... we'll see we'll see..
and (Jc9_0 im not plugging these products... just mentioning them) for anybody who hasn't checked it out yet, you guys should read Moloka'i- O'ahu through the years by Peter Caldwell and that new kanu culture book... guide to outrigger canoeing. I've been slowly going through them at work for the paper.. and they're both really well done books.
#5 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 4:25pm
Haha thanks, I'm sure that this isn't going to be the hardest paper I'll ever write in 2 days,
maybe i'll just have to go to UH then, assuming i get a good enough grade on my essays to get in haha...good luck with your paper...i just finished mine...now i can go back to thinking up ways to talk my mom into letting me do the solo this year...
#6 Thu, 02/15/2007 - 5:21pm
How much faster would the Tahitian boats be in the channel? Does the mirage abide by these regulations? I think it's kind of cool that OHCRA requires the use of Koa canoes in the regattas. I have so many awesome memories of paddling these boats in everything from Waikiki to the Channel, I think it would be a shame if future paddlers were denied this.Luke, I think you've correctly identified that race as a major turning point in paddling history. At that time, it also seemed like Tahitians would dominate forever...
#7 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 5:44am
I understand that in 1976, almost all of the Koa canoes in Hawaii were measured by a few members of the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association. The intent was to gather the dimensions of existing current and older canoes built by Hawaiian canoe builders. Those measurements would be used to determine not only design specifications, but also to help define a traditional Hawaiian canoe. The Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association had defined a "Hawaiian" canoe prior to 1976, but it was not a measured canoe. It was basically greater volume aft of center, no "V", concave, or flat surfaces, continuous curve from front to back (rocker), and weigh over 400lbs.
That is it in a nutshell, but the Tahitians in 1976 not only helped us determine a "Hawaiian" canoe, but also showed us there are faster designs, and faster paddlers. Blazing Paddles did the same thing a few years later in the Molokai Hoe with the "T" top, and angled blade paddle.
It's important to understand your past, and preserve it.The Tahitians helped us to understand what defines a "Hawaiian" canoe, and also showed us through competition, we can all learn.
#8 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 9:02am
I don't know diddly about the actual reasons but I can think of a few reasons why requirements are imposed in canoe racing as they are in just about any other sport:
Of course, some of these problems can be addressed simply by creating more class divisions to allow participants to compete at different levels. I'd like to see an open class with no restrictions on weight and hull design. Imagine racing with a full carbon OC6 with carbon iakos and ama, etc.....
#9 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 9:27am
It would be very interesting to get a Tahitian paddlers opinion on this. It must drive them nuts to come over here every year and paddle the comparatively heavy, tubby, "old" boats that Hawaii uses. Luke you gotta try and interview some old school tahitian paddlers too. Although that might be a bit difficult for your time frame.
As far as perpetuating culture. Which is better, to have a sport which is kept from evolving fully, but remains true or real? Should the sport remain a bit smaller but more real? Or should it spread over the world and expose people to the Hawaiian sport of paddling in any way possible? I'm sure even the boats we use today in Hawai are pretty far emoved from the original canoes. We use cotton rope, carbon fiber paddles, carbon fiber and fiberglass to strengthen our canoes, epoxy and polyester resins, laminated iako, so many koa trees have been harvested that most koa canoes are patchwork from several different trees, are the seams in a koa canoe stitched together or glued...the list goes on. It almost seems now that one man canoes are more popular than six mans. Is this because of how fast, light, and easy to use they are?
I'm pretty sure anyone who has seen a paddling race in Tahiti would also attest that the events are still VERY cultural, even though they use light boats and modernized equipment.
Also I think we've touched on this fact before, in any sport, what are more spectators/atheletes drawn towards? The old school/cultural division, or the unlimited division. How many people still race in the Malia division that is offered in races? Would elite atheletes prefer to race in a Honu Division in Kanaka races, or if given the option to race in the fuze division? (no offense to those who have a honu or endorsing the fuze) Perhaps the lone exception to the Malia idea is the ILH. All teams are required to race in a Malia. Do you think the paddlers would want to be in one if they didn't have to? I can tell you in practice the kids sure as hell RUN for the Mirage or Bradley if they get the chance.
To Hawaii's credit, they've chosen a course and stuck with it. Is it the right course? Who knows?
Sorry that got a bit off track there. Just thinking to myself. Tahitians still rule in my book. Not that my book is very good or authoritative on any subject.
#10 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 9:36am
Luke, be sure to check out the book "the Hawaiian Canoe" by Tommy Holmes. it has a lot of info in it about canoes and the design regulations. Great book.
#11 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 10:31am
One of the most significant aspects of canoe racing is the builders talent and creativity. These are also significant aspects of culture and tradition.
Canoe builders will look at the water and weather conditions present, the intended use of the canoe, and the materials available. If the cane is to race in calm water, it wil probably be lighter, longer, straighter, and closer to the water.
If it will race in rough water, it will probably have a noticeable rocker or curve from front to back, sit a little higher off the water, and not have an extreme v shape in the front or back. It will also probably be a little bit thicker and heavier. If it is to turn in the race, there are other design traits applied.
If the canoe is designed to travel, or carry weight, it will be wider and heavier.
Luke, you have a pretty cool paper to write, good luck.
#12 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 10:36am
I totally agree with jc9_0 on this topic. The reason the ancient Hawaiians made wood canoes that weighed 400 lbs. wasn`t to perpetuate "tradition", 400 lbs was as light as they could build them and still be seaworthy.
I f you could put a 180 lb. carbon fiber canoe in a time machine and send it back to old Hawaii , do you really think the locals would opt to paddle the old hollowed out log, I would doubt it.
#13 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 10:37am
What's also an interesting fact about present day koa canoe's is that hardly any trees big enough for a soild koa canoe exist anymore. When they built the voyaging canoes, they had to go to alaska to get the tree.
I think evolution is an inherent part of any sport or any aspect if life for that matter. The fact that we are still using koa boats shows a strong committment from the community in perpetuating the culture. We don't see any koa surfboard these day.
Maybe its time for HCRA to take a hard look at the canoe restrictions and revise them. We all know some of the rules are kinda outdated. I don't think restrictions inhibit creativity. In fact I think it takes a lot of creativity and wit to make a fast boat under heavy restrictions.
Dats all fer now.
Poops
#14 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 11:27am
how much faster could humans go in an outrigger?Didn't the winners last year average six something miles? I'm curious to hear from the design people on this matter. jc9, poops, AlanC, Buehler,Buehler...Buehler....?
#15 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 12:16pm
Hi Luke
One of the best sources of information for this topic, which has been of great discussion here in Australia, is From Steve West from KANU CULTURE. Drop him an EMail, he is probably the most researched authority on the history of Outrigging.
One thing you have to ask yourself about all these "regulations" on weight and design was probably to stop the Tahitians competing in Hawaii. They were at the time and even now paddling more superior craft. They were unbeatable.
One other thing to ask yourself is if the sport is so cultural, why impose limits and regulations on the future advancement of outrigger design. I'm pretty sure putting Boundaries limiting the evolution of the canoe is against the "culture" of the sport, and against the Tahitians belief of cultural evolution?
I dunno, thats my 2 cents worth.
Grant M
#16 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 1:48pm
Lukas-san,
Talk to Gale Berengue and Paul Gay about this. Gale was on the specs board for a long time and both were top paddlers during that time frame....and would love to talk story with you. Call me and I'll get you their numbers...though maybe you can just stop by to talk to them since they both live within 5 minutes of you! :)
Happy Aloha Friday!
#17 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 2:10pm
thank you very much for the responses.. i dont think i really have anything valuable to add to the discussion, but i appreciate the different views.
Actually--- as long as i'm making a post.. i might as well get out a couple of thoughts.
I think Koa canoes in regattas are awesome.. paddling a Koa canoe is a different type of experience, and that needs to be perpetuated. The art of making Koa canoes, as well as having a Koa canoe being a sort of... focal point of every club, that is awesome and something that should not be lost. It's a beautiful thing to watch 14 completely different Koa canoes racing each other at states..
however... a fiberglass canoe made to feel like a Koa canoe is a different thing.
what are the reasons.. culturally.. to keep the restrictions? I know that there has to be some good reasons-- but what are they..?
What is the cultural part of paddling...? is it the act of paddling or the canoe itself? Are one mans decaying the cultural link to paddling because they are nothing like a traditional canoe?
Though the canoe is the focal point of paddling, i, personally, do not think that it is the shape or weight of the canoe which determines if it's cultural or not. And what is the point of stopping the evolution of the canoe at an arbirtrary point in time... The question i guess, is where do you stop it... do you let the sport keep on evolving restrictionless until you end up with a surfski...? i dont think so...
Anyways------------- for me, the point of the paper is to get to the heart of the difference between paddling in Hawai'i and Tahiti---- and i dont know what it is... so again, thank you guys for your responses.
And Jamie-- i'd love to talk to them.. especially if they live close to me...
mahalo,
#18 Fri, 02/16/2007 - 8:48pm
I'm very glad to see this being discussed.
Obviously, it's not only a complicated issue (and a highly political one) - it's also an important one when looking forward.
Three things to keep in mind when writing the paper.
1 - While it might kind of suck to be Tahitian and have to paddle a "tub" (as described above) I'm sure it's far more annoying to have something that is a fundamental and central part of their culture (paddling) treated as if it "belonged to" someone else's culture. At a certain level - it is this clash ("ownership" and cultural identity at an iconic level) that sustains the issue.
2 - If paddling had not be "taken away" from the Hawaiian culture for a large chunk of time (Missionaries, Christianity, "civilization") this might be a different situation. In general, resistance to change around a cultural artifact like this (especially when it ties so strongly to cultural identity) is far stronger when that cultural identity has been threatened or damaged or lost -- and seems to become strongest when you are trying to "recreate" a lost cultural artifact (ie when you don't have the continuous history but are trying to recreate from records, best guesses and story).
3 - At a cultural level, I don't know if there is any real record of racing being central back into history. As I understand, racing is usually considered a reasonably recent invention.
#19 Sat, 02/17/2007 - 3:44pm
Racing a recent invention? As long as there's more than one boat,it's on! Do you really think it's ever been different? Or is that just how my evil, competitive, western mind sees things?
#20 Sat, 02/17/2007 - 5:27pm
Malachi I read something similar online @ www.coffeetimes.com/july97.htm LUKE check em out!
"When Captain Cook arrived in Kealakekua Bay in the year 1779, he reported seeing at least 1500 canoes! At the time, Hawaii must have numbered between 6,000 and 12,000 canoes for a population of 175,000 to 225,000. Here was a culture, who, dependent on the ocean, lived their life around the ocean's vehicle, the ancient canoe. The voice of the ocean was the voice of life. Understanding its language was understanding how to live.
This was hard for the white man to grasp. The Hawaiians, always easily impressed with newer inventions, soon lost their taste for their own canoes. They greedily adopted European ways. And while at first they continued surfing the waves and challenging each other in races, the missionaries deeply frowned on this heathen behavior. Naked bodies in water asked for sin, and as far as the gambling that accompanied any sport in Hawaii, that was a route to hell.
Gradually, both the Hawaiian canoe and the water sports surrounding it, disappeared. An underground movement, loyal to its past, lived on."
Canoe racing would be different if the missionaries didn't come! Then I wouldn't be distracted by all the naked chicks on the beach.
#21 Sat, 02/17/2007 - 10:56pm
funny that gambling should be mentioned as well. from what i hear the gambling aspect is still alive and well in Tahiti also.
#22 Sat, 02/17/2007 - 11:26pm
1500 canoes? Must've had some serious contact that day-Racin' is Rubbin'!
#23 Sun, 02/18/2007 - 3:37am
A kamaaina view of the Koa canoe.
When I arrived in Hawaii I was very fortunate to meet people who loved Hawaiian outrigger canoe racing.
They had a deep pride in what their ancestors had done, and an even deeper pride in being able to perpetuate that.
The Koa canoe to them was a family member, and treated with the same respect and aloha as a tutu or uncle, or any other family member. The Koa canoe represented not only the past, but also the life on land being able to be a part of the life on the sea. That Koa canoe carried a spirit shared by any one lucky enough to paddle in one.. When you paddle in a Koa canoe you carry the spirit of the life the tree had on the land into the spirit it shares with the sea. It truly is alive.
Learning about the sport, the culture, and the traditions, the Hawaiians were, and still are, very ingenious at utilizing materials available to them. At some point, the "traditional" canoe did not use materials found only in Hawaii. It is impossible to determine when that was, but it is possible to determine what was the Hawaiian canoe builders idea of a racing canoe.
Understanding that original Polynesian settlers in Hawaii had an idea of canoe shapes based on their home islands, they chose shapes in Hawaii probably best suited to prevailing Hawaiian conditions. Part of the tradition of the Hawaiian canoe is it's shape being unique to Hawaii.
Marshall Island canoes look different than Tahitian, which look different than Fijian, which look different than New Zealand, and so on. In certain conditions certain shapes perform better.
Perhaps the major concern with HCRA in maintaining the traditional Hawaiian canoe, is allowing fiberglass, carbon fiber, kevlar, etc. into the structural construction of the hull. The feeling is that once the hull itself has material other than wood (rules currently do not allow any non wood materials other than an epoxy or resin type finish used only as a finishing coat), the next step could be a fiberglass shell with a veneer finish.
The HCRA rules in place now are almost entirely for the HCRA State Championships, a regatta race.
All of the other associations in Hawaii follow the HCRA rules to a point, but because each association is different, they adopt and adjust the rules accordingly.
There are more and more opportunities to race in canoes from different parts of the world by travelling to those places. The paddlers there are proud to share their canoes. We can also, as suggested earlier, create divisions for other canoe designs.
It's not an easy thing to do at times, but let's keep our pride in Hawaii and things Hawaiian. We can do that with forums like this.
Mahalo for the opportunity Luke.
#24 Tue, 02/20/2007 - 11:26am
Just happened to be in Costco in Lihue yesterday and noticed a book there that might be worth a look:
Molokai-Oahu Through the Years: A History of the Molokai Outrigger Canoe Race
#25 Tue, 02/20/2007 - 11:40am
I just stumbled on this paper that I wrote exactly six years ago (I must've edited it at some point in 2007 because it references the 2007 Moloka'i) as I was cleaning out my computer. I was a bit intimidated to post it here when I wrote it, as it makes some bold statements. But now that six years have passed I think it's safe to post. Caution though, before you read it, here are a few pre-emptive excuses:
1) It is very biased towards my viewpoint regarding open class canoes.
2) It was written before any modern open class canoes were in competition.
3) Any inflammatory statements were written by an earlier, more inflammatory, version of myself who no longer exists.
4) There's a lot of interesting info, but it's a bit disjointed.
5) Apparently I was in love with using lots of commas.
6) It is completely unedited since 2007. There are a lot of things that I'd change now, but it's more interesting (IMHO) that this was written on the eve of the Tahitian domination of the Hoe and before open class canoes really existed in large numbers.
7) And, lastly, I was a young and naive college student when I wrote it.
Thank you to all who originally answered my query for help on here and through private message. A lot of the ideas actually came from this discussion here and from other OCP discussions. It is particularly relevant considering the fact that OHCRA still does not allow open class canoes in the Moloka'i Hoe. And that there is a canoe race next week with $50,000 in prize money that will have 22 open class canoes on the line....
This link should work:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By0WxH-xOLVEUFFMS1RWalktblk/edit?usp=sha...
#26 Tue, 06/04/2013 - 3:29pm
Well written.
It's quite apparent that we have been handicapping ourselves in the OC-6 division by sticking to the HCRA spec canoes. Hawaii, however. leads the world in ruddered OC-1 design, especially those designed for surfing.
Are the Tahitians, by their determination to stay with the rudderless va'a one person canoe handicapping themselves similar to what we did with the OC-6?
Can a top Tahitian win the Molokai Solo race, using one of our designs, on a big day in the channel with a ruddered OC-1? Just throwing it out there, but it hasn't happened yet, and I wonder why.
#27 Tue, 06/04/2013 - 4:20pm
perhaps schedule or money? there's big money involved in the major rudderless races. maybe they have something else going on around then? or maybe they just don't care to do it.
#28 Tue, 06/04/2013 - 6:58pm
Gezzas Luke, cant believe you sat on that for 7 years...haha, thanks for posting, great read.
#29 Tue, 06/04/2013 - 7:02pm
Good paper Luke. It is a basic account of what happened relative to the hull specifications being implemented. Your final statement is absolutely accurate. There's a lot more detail on this subject that has never been recorded. Perhaps at some later time.
#30 Tue, 06/04/2013 - 8:52pm
Great Read Luke....I'm impressed. Just a side note on canoe spec's. Back in the early 80's I had a chance to sit on the HCRA state board with Gaylord Wilcox and with the help of Dick Rhodes (Gaylords friend, professor at UH, engineer that did all the spec drawings in Tommy Holmes book), we tried to introduce a dryland method to do canoe measurements for HCRA. The thought was it would be easier for the canoe builder to know before the canoe went into the water, that his canoe would meet HCRA specs. We went across the state and used Dick Rhodes method to dryland spec all the koa canoes we could get our hands on, canoes that met HCRA spec's and canoes that did not. On the big island at that time, almost all the koa canoes did not meet the waterline spec's. I later crunched the numbers for all the HCRA approved koa canoes and came up with averages from the canoes measured, then proposed the dryland method along with proposed numbers to be used at the different stations of the canoe for the measurements. Gaylord and I spent a lot of time getting this done. When I came up with the numbers from the approved HCRA boats, then plugged in the numbers from the koa boats that did not meet HCRA spec's (basically, all the big island boats), I was suprised to see that more than half of those boats would have met the dryland spec's method.
At the HCRA annual meeting that was held in Hilo in the 80's sometime..cannot remember the year..because Hilo was going to serve as the State Regatta site, we made a presentation to the membership. As pointed out in your well written research paper, two big island boats, the Mahoe and the Maeha'a (means twin in Hawaiian & Tahitian) were the boats that all of the paddling world was talking about and the boats that basically all the Oahu clubs at that time, were afraid of. At the end of our presentation at the annual meeting, during the discussion phase, Baby Bell, Healani canoe club, stood up and ask us a question....with this new measuring method, would the two big island canoes pass the spec's?? The answer to the question was Yes. Baby then said, "if that's the case, we not interested." And...it died right there. I cannot remember if it even came up for a vote. It might have been tabled. Sad because the Mahoe and Maeha'a was well within the numbers, as compared to a few other big island boats that were not.
About a year or two before Mike Tongg passed away, I found my folder with all the numbers, all the canoes we measured, all the files that I had kept, and I gave it to Mike. Mike was on the board when we tried to push that through and I gave Mike the stuff thinking that maybe HCRA would revisit the idea, but nothing happened.
This does not help with the discussion about canoe specs and how it has kept our sport from growing, but it's just another titbit to add to the history of canoe specs, issues dealing with spec's, and a little more history.
#31 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 9:15am
Luke. Great paper. Really informative. This pdf should be kept around and accessible. Is salsa a wood or did you mean balsa in regards to the Tere Mata'i? I have a few questions and comments.
Again thanks for the history.
Jason
#32 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 9:57am
Ratchet Jaws, I hope I get to meet you some day. you've always got so much history to share and i always find myself wishing that your stories were longer.
@swell, i can partially understand the fears people have with price going up as canoes get lighter/better/faster. but if we use single person canoes as an example we see this isn't so. the prices have only gone up in relation to the rise in material prices and inflation. new one mans back in the 90's were $3500+ with custom boats selling for more. correct me if i'm wrong but i think today's boats start under $3000 for a china made one and go up from there. from the 90's till now construction and design have gotten better AND weight has gone down. if we consider the prices being charged for a new unlimited or non spec boat as compared to a spec boat you are looking at a difference of maybe a $1,000 at the most. bear in mind that when buying a non spec boat it is completely set for racing. spec boats still require the purchase of a canvas. the durability aspect of the canoes could be an argument. but to date the boats that were raced in the first ‘Eono are still alive and well and are highly competitive.
sorry to get of subject. thanks again Ratchet for sharing.
#33 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 10:34am
Thanks for the responses. Again, I've been a little self-conscious about this paper for the last seven years. So it's good to finally post it. I also should've thanked Island Paddler in my original post. I wrote this while working there in 2007. I couldn't have had a better place to do research, as all the books are there for sale. And, most importantly, the ideas expressed in there are also very much expressed by Tommy Holmes in "The Hawaiian Canoe" and Steve West in all of his Kanu Culture books. All I really did was compile them.
Alipp--It's a good question, but I don't think they are handicapping themselves by using the V-1. Yeah, they're not as good on an OC-1 as we are, but to them it's a completely different sport. It's like saying that we're handicapping ourselves by paddling an OC-1 instead of a surfski. Yeah, surfskis are faster, but it's just not what we're interested in. I imagine a Tahitian could answer that better though?
Rambo-- ha! thanks. In the paper I come across a little bit as a pretentious college student who thinks he knows everything. So, by waiting this long, I can remove myself from that earlier form of me :)
Bill-- I wish I'd known you seven years ago! It wasn't the focus of the paper, but there is a major lack of talking about open class canoe development over the last 20 or so years. The paper was stuck in the 70s.
Ratchet-- wow. Super interesting. And disappointing. Is every HCRA approved canoe still waterlined, or just the first from the mold? As an aside, any idea where those two canoes are? Would be neat to compare those open class canoes (including Tere Mata'i) with modern ones. I imagine the Tere Mata'i had something like a 45' waterline. I really wonder how it compares to something like the Livestrong canoe with the inverse bow. It's like we (except for Bill Rosehill) put ourselves on a 30 year hiatus, and we're just now getting to where we left off 30+ years ago.
Swell-- Funny you mentioned the "salsa" wood. I had forgotten about that. It was referred to as "salsa" wood in either Tommy Holmes' book or one of the primary sources I used, and I couldn't find anything else referring to it as balsa. But, I also said it was made out of breadfruit in the opening paragraph which must've come from another source. Unfortunately, both aren't cited... Anyway, I remember a fair amount of inner turmoil trying to figure out what exactly the canoe was made out of and if there was a such thing as "salsa." I ended up splitting the difference and saying it was built of breadfruit in the opening paragraph and "salsa" in a later paragraph. Anyone have "The Hawaiian Canoe" book? Does he call it Salsa?
Regarding canvas spray covers-- I don't own the book "The Hawaiian Canoe," but there is definitely a picture of that first Moloka'i crew to win the channel. Maybe someone who owns it can check if they had canvas? Definitely by the 70s all of the canoes were running with some type of canvas. As far as truly historic? I can't imagine that there could've been much inter-island crossing without something to keep the water out. Either that or they had really high gunnels. I've always always been curious about the low gunnels of the Malia. It's impossible to take one out on an average tradewind day without swamping. Further, because decks are outlawed in HCRA, I wonder if there is any evidence of wood decks in traditional canoes?
I would disagree with your sentiment about auto-bailers. I think that any electrical device in a canoe goes agains the spirit of paddling. A venturi like bailer used in sailing canoes (and in use in most modern unlimiteds) works well enough downwind and doesn't need electricity to run. Also, with a deck, the unlimiteds take in much less water.
Yes, I think the balance point is hard to find in regards to progress and keeping big money from ruling the game. It needs to be about the paddlers and the spirit of the canoe, and definitely not about who has the most money to build a lightweight canoe. Any club can go and build their own one-off unlimited 200 pound canoe (just ask the Hui Nalu guys) just as well as a manufacturer. But, once the weight starts coming under 200, it's when money, high-end materials, and sacrifices in strength come into play. The price difference between a 200 pound canoe and a 150 pound canoe is probably more than the difference between a 400 pound canoe and a 200 pound one. That last 50 pounds of weight savings comes at a huge financial cost and results in a more fragile canoe. Olamau has definitely opened up the ballgame as far as testing our limits. But, in my humble opinion, I think those limits need to ultimately be reigned in slightly just in regards to keeping it affordable. $30,000 canoes will put a quick end to the burgeoning unlimited class.
Regarding change races... I couldn't agree more. Not to mention they are fricken dangerous.
#34 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 10:54am
@jc9_0 and... if you draw an analogy with automobiles, which continue to get more and more advanced, although sometimes reluctantly. You still have old car aficionados who spend enormous amounts of money to restore and keep original automobiles... throughout the history of the automobile. In other words, if we embraced new models of canoe, I do not see all the clubs just getting rid of their Koa Canoes and forgetting their history.
@luke I totally agree. I do not advocate electric pumps. I would love to see "venturi" style suckers for distance season though. Correct me if I'm wrong, the open class canoes are not allowed to have "venturi" balers are they? I have paddled a canoe with an auto-baler and it was fantastic... not a lick of water at your feet... and that sucking sounds gives you a reference to how fast you are moving. I also paddled with electric balers (in Catalina) and they are complicated, don't work very well for small amounts of water, and break down, and as you say, not in the spirit.
nervous laugh...
#35 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 11:30am
There are no real set unlimited rules.
2010 and 2011 (I believe?) 'Eono didn't allow venturis. Because so many of the canoes had them from Olamau 2012, the 2012 'Eono did allow Venturis. The 'Eono has also had a 200 pound weight limit, whereas both Olamau's have been basically completely open as far as specs (within 45' and six paddlers). It's only a matter of time before we see a rudder on a V-6.
#36 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 11:53am
I have to jump in with the crowd and also say that this was an excellent essay on the evolution of the sport. Thanks for posting it.
One aspect that I have to wonder about, and I know that it has been brought up endlessly before; since there is an "equality" in the canoes that race the Molokai Channel every year, what are the differences between what the Tahitian paddlers are doing to make them so good year in and year out and what everybody else is doing?
I personally think that their desire to paddle in a rudderless va'a keep them at a higher level than the paddlers that train just as much on a ruddered OC1.
Now that I've possibly derailed the conversation off-track, I will say that I hope that Hawai'i and all other wa'a paddling areas go back to the mindset of putting the canoe before the paddler. How can we improve the canoe? How can we make the canoe surf better and go faster? Can we make the ama lighter? These are questions that I hope that we can revert to, to move forward with the development of outrigger canoe racing.
#37 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 1:30pm
Why has HCRA had an "Open" class canoe in its rules since day 1, but doesn't allow such to be raced? Or, if what I'm told is accurate, allows it but only if it starts no less than 2 hours after the rest of the field?
#38 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 1:35pm
Luke: Regarding the disposition of Maeha'a and Mahoe that Ratchet refers to above. Ratchet is correct both names mean Twin in Tahitian and Hawaiian. The reason for these names was because they both were hewn from the same log which was obtained from Honomalino, South Kona. They were built by a Tahitian crew at the then Kai 'Opua halau at the Old Kona Arpt. Both were originally built to 40' 9". Maeha'a was subsequently lengthened to 43' 10" and finished 1st in many State races with various crews. It was sold to Keahiakahoe about 20 years ago.
Mahoe is owned by Kai 'Opua and is on display in the lobby of King Kamehameha hotel. It never saw a State race because one station in its bow was shy by 1/8". All other measurement criteria passed. Both canoes had infamous notoriety for being very fast. This may have been the reason for Baby Bell's remark Ratchet refers to.
#39 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 2:19pm
@luke I found this site called Kamanu Composites that says Tere Mata'i was balsa wood... ha ha. Could not confirm anywhere.
In Tommy Holmes book there is canvas on the boats in all three pics from 1952, '53, and '55. It looks a lot better in '55 than in '52.
#40 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 4:12pm
The covers used at that time were usually lauhala mats retrofitted any way possible.
#41 Wed, 06/05/2013 - 8:37pm
Ratchetjaws, I believe the year that you're thinking about is 1982. States were held in Hilo in both `1982 and 1986.
1982 was the year that Hanalei came in and swept the men's division, with I believe, the same 6 paddlers winning the Freshman through Senior races. They pulled miles somewhere around 7:20 or so. At that time anything under 8:00 was considered good. Of course, seeing a canoe move that fast, there was a good deal talk of the boat being illegal, and possibly not even being Koa (the color of the canoe was much lighter than most other Koa canoes).
I don't know what came of the canoe protest, but I do remember that as a result of the sweep, paddlers could no longer move up en masse, and were limited to only 2 upper division races.
Does anyone else remember that race, or can they fill in any details or inaccuracies from my recollections from 31 years ago?
#42 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 9:25am
I remember it clearly...Hanalei killed it. Lead by the now infamous Tricky Nicky Beck. As a neighbor island paddler from Molokai, I thought it was great!! But, as a HCRA board member, we had to deal with the fallout and the mass rule changes that came after. Wasn't there a Lipp in the crew as well?? I think Gaylord was involved, Skip Forrest, probably Baker as well...some of the Hanalei renegades. Needless to say, we had some heated HCRA board meetings after that.
#43 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 10:27am
No Lipps in the Hanalei canoe that year. I did do the channel with some of the Hanalei renegade guys in 1994 (as Tui Tonga) and again in 2000.
#44 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 1:07pm
Jaws, do you recall the reason for the rule change that resulted in us only being able to race twice in the same day?
#45 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 1:16pm
Billy...exactly as Lipp pointed out....Hanalei coming over with only a handful of paddlers, paddling in multiple races, and walking away with the state championship. Racing twice is a good rule. However, I cannot understand that stupid Classified and Unclassified part of the rules. It should be two races period, and throw out the classified and unclassified crap.
#46 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 3:00pm
Thanks. Sounds like the same thing when the Tahitians blew us out of the water in '76....change the rules.
#47 Thu, 06/06/2013 - 3:20pm
Makule-- I'm glad you found that source. I'll generally always take the word of Kamanu Composites as the ultimate truth, so we'll go with Balsa :)
Bill-- I had no idea that that canoe in the lobby of King K is the Mahoe. I've walked by it every year since I was a kid without looking too closely. Even though it's not on the water, at least it's sitting in a place of honor.
#48 Fri, 06/07/2013 - 12:51pm
Luke, I feel the Mahoe is wasting away collecting dust. If she were to be raised, widened, and lengthened, she would easily regain the stature she had in the 70's with many more years of notoriety to claim. Just my opinion but, as we know, we all have one. Enjoy your weekend.
#49 Fri, 06/07/2013 - 8:14pm
I'd rather see a canoe on the water any day. But, if the choice is between nice and polished in a hotel lobby or rotting away in a yard somewhere, I'd choose the lobby.
#50 Fri, 06/07/2013 - 9:55pm