Our new lightweight carbon OC6 has been ordered. The Puakea Malolo weighs in at around 65kg and will arrive in club colours. Not shown on the picture is that the club name will be on the side with room left at the bow for the waka name and perhaps a logo. Stay tuned for news on how we decide on a name for our new addition to the family. We hope to see her around the middle of 2022.
Congratulations and big thanks to everyone who worked so hard over the last 12 months to make this happen
Below are some canoe details from the manufacturer’s website:
product overview
The Puakea Unlimited, or the Malolo OC6, is a slightly modified design of the Makika, the outrigger canoe that was built specifically for the 2013 Olamau Race in Kona. To accommodate the various waters in this Big Island race, the Makika was an unlimited canoe built to handle well in the rough water yet also perform great in the flat. Happily, this prototype was Shell Vaa’s canoe of choice for Olamau, and they won in it on all three legs of the race. The crew was truly stoked with how it handled and performed in the varying conditions they encountered. This endorsement was very rewarding and professionally validating, coming from a team with such success, professionalism and knowledge of good boat design.
Similarly, the Puakea Unlimited is built for speed and ease of use. Countless hours were spent making this canoe as comfortable as possible, and allowing for the most efficient paddling from any seat. Unlike other unlimited canoes, the Malolo OC6 features a sleek, comfortably narrow hull at only 18 1/4″ in at the widest point of the waterline and only 16 1/2″ inches at the widest seat in the middle.
This OC6 is built from Outrigger Zone’s unique one-piece construction to create a very light yet strong hull. With its streamlined design and weight of about 145 lbs, the Malolo accelerates quickly to top speed, and it requires much less effort to the catch bumps and maintain the momentum. The fact that it is so lightweight also makes for much easier to transport. The Malolo is an excellent all-conditions canoe.
construction
Whereas conventional canoe manufacturing methods use vacuum bagging technology, Ozone’s pre-preg one-piece bladder mould and autoclave technologies enable superior material strength. Unidirectional pre-impregnated carbon composite fibers around core-cell foam create an ideal resin-to-fiber ratio for a cleaner lamination with less material waste, while the autoclave uses atmospheric pressure and high heat (220 degrees) to create a stronger material bond with greater PSI. This strong bond also minimizes lamination distortion from the heat and sun over time.
specs
Type: OC6 Unlimited (6-man Outrigger Canoe)
Length: 44 ft. 1 in.
Waterline Length: 39 ft. 6 in.
Width: 16.5 in.
Waterline Width: 18.25 in.
Hull weight: 145 lbs.
Material: 100% Carbon Fiber
Manufacturer: Outrigger Zone (Ozone)
Includes: Hull, ama, iako, footbraces, spray skirts, 2 electric bilge pumps, rechargeable battery packs and paddle holders.
Its never too early or too late to start paddling waka ama
We always welcome new members to the Maitahi Outrigger Canoe Club.
We have social and racing waka ama crews catering for a wide variety of ages and abilities.