Keli’i stopped by as Dallas and I were building Dallas’ canoe and knew, then and there, that he wanted an outrigger fishing canoe! I shared a list of changes that I wanted to work into the next design and he basically gave me free reign to build the canoe as I thought best (I love that kind of customer!!) But… he wanted it to be all fiberglass. I have never built a fiberglass canoe so this was a first…

There were a lot of firsts on this outrigger fishing canoe! The first canoe I have built with no wood, only foam board, fiberglass, and polyester resin. The first curved deck. The first ‘spattered’ interior finish. The first paddles I’ve made. So it was an exciting and engaging build! With the Pandemic I had some free time and was able to complete this canoe in one month! This is my take on an updated version of the mid-1900’s opelu canoe – it is wider and the sides are higher. This should help it withstand more open ocean conditions/rougher seas…

Four planks, like Dallas’ canoe, but has a deeper “V” towards the bow.

Constructed of Divinycil foam board (made from pvc). Here I have scarfed together the two 1/4″ side panels.

Fiberglassing the inside floor with Knytex/Vectorply – a heavy duty fiberglass cloth. You’ll be able to drop fishing gear on this with no damage!

Curved bow deck. I laminated two 1/4″ sheets of divinycil together with the bend in place.

White background with orange spatter finish. Used my brand new paint sprayer – another first!

The matching ‘ama are ready for glassing.

I originally cut the transom for a long-shaft outboard, but later Keli’i told me he purchased an extra-long shaft. Using the foam board and Knytex it was a simple thing to build up the transom.

Paddles made from clear Douglas fir and redwood. My new ‘fish’ design! Even though the canoe has an outboard it’s good to have paddles as back-up. I made these with straight shafts so they can hang under the seats and stay flat against the wall of the canoe.

Keli’i and his son Kanoe – first day on the ocean at Hanalei Bay!!