Hale Pai
Pacific American-News Journal
Iulai-July 1996 Volume 2 Issue 7
Kahekili - The Thunder
by Moana Huddy (Lokahi Ohana O Hawaii, Inc.)
After several Portuguese sausage sales, candy sales and yard
sales, Hui Heihei Wa`a raised enough money to purchase a Hawaiian
outrigger racing canoe and canoe trailer. Our canoe
"Kahekili" was purchased from Spencer LaVea of Kahekili
O` Ke Kai O.C.C., Foster City, CA and our trailer came from Adam
Kramer of Mountain Home O.C.C., Portland, OR. Kahekili is
classified an OC6. This is the class of canoe used in the World
sprint Races held each year throughout the world. This years race
will be held in New Caledonia. Kahekili was built in 1992 for the
World Sprint Races held in Sacramento, CA. Kahekili is 44' -
3" long and seats six paddlers. Kahekili was built for the
smooth waters found in the Puget Sound. Our canoe trailer is 41'
long and can carry two outrigger canoes. It is quite a sight to
see a 44' - 3" Hawaiian outrigger canoe being pulled down
I-5.
Hui Heihei Wa`a will participate in several races during the
summer and hopefully sponsor a race this August in Silverdale,
WA. We will field girls, boys and mens crew and hopefully a
womens crew. We haven't even started practicing yet, and it
appears that we will need to raise money to buy another canoe. We
are on file with the State of Washington as a non-profit
organization, so we will be contacting businesses that might be
interested in sponsoring our club through monetary donations or
services. Our canoe and trailer would make a great mobile
advertising bulletin board for our sponsors.
Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling has became an international
sport. There was recently a request from a group in Saudi Arabia
and France looking for used Hawaiian racing canoes. To my
amazement, there are several clubs in the Pacific Northwest with
Hawaiian outrigger canoes. Washington State currently has four
outrigger canoe clubs, Hui Heihei Wa`a (Silverdale), Seattle OCC
(Seattle), Skamania Kayak & Canoe (Stevenson) and a club in
Everett. There are also four or five clubs in Oregon and seven
clubs in Vancouver/Victoria B.C. There is also an outrigger
racing association (Pacific Northwest Outrigger Racing Canoe
Association) based out of Portland. This group is responsible for
organizing canoe races, set standards for canoe specifications
and race rules and to unite all outrigger canoe clubs in the
Pacific Northwest (Washington & Oregon). P.N.O.R.C.A. is part
of an international racing association called I.P.C.F.
(International Polynesian Canoe Federation). The racing season in
the Northwest starts in January and the final race is scheduled
in October. For those of you "on line", check out the
Pacific Northwest Racing Canoe Page at: http://www.nwcanoe.com/. Just
about everybody who has anything to do with canoe paddling in the
Northwest is on this page.
As you drive along the Puget Sound don't be surprised if you
hear "hup, ho" or see a Hawaiian outrigger canoe
gliding through the water, it's not memories of Ala Moana Beach
or the Ala Wai Canal, it'll be Hui Heihei Wa`a or one of the
other canoe clubs perpetuating the art and sport of Hawaiian
outrigger canoe paddling in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information on Canoe Racing in the Pacific Northwest
-Washington and Portland areas contact Moana Huddy (360) 692-5032
Send mail to halepai@punawelewele.com
with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1996 Hale Pai Pacific American-News Journal
Last modified: February 28, 1998
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