The Molokai Crossing August 16 th 2003 - Hawaiin Sailing canoe powered by a kite

Kitesailing with a Hawaiian outrigger canoe sounded kind of unique. When Martin Lenny gave me a phone call and said I was steering his 32 foot canoe across the Pailolo Channel which sits between Maui and Molokai , I said to myself this is going to be interesting. I have sailed many times across the state of Hawaii in a traditional sailing canoe, but this time we are going to be pulled by a kite designed by Naish and Don Montague. With Don at the control bar, and Todd Carle and Barkley Bastian for ballast and also to keep the canoe from sinking with their expert bailing skills. The canoe was rigged one week before the race and we spent the time testing Don's Naish kites at the secret testing area on the north shore of Maui , with test pilots Pete Siracusa, Jerry Shalhoob, Leonard Guidroz, Todd Carle, Barkley Bastian and Martin Lenny. Testing was successful and we had a good chance of making it to Molokai .

At race day we lined up with five other canoes and ventured into the Pailolo Channel. We had a great beach start and when we hit the wind line which was right off the beach, the canoe sailed like a dream.

The Pailolo Channel is one of the roughest bodies of water between two islands in the world. It can produce open ocean waves up to 25 feet and winds exceeding 50 knots on a out of control day. We were lucky, we weathered 15 to 45 knots and seas ranging from 6 to 10 feet. It was still enough to hold your ass for 10 miles.

The 12 meter Boxer kite performed well with the canoe and we were able to surf waves for several hundred yards and reached speeds up to 17 knots. Every canoe team did a great job and we made it to Molokai safely. The world of kites and boats is going to be an awesome thing in the sailing world so get ready to have some fun.

Aloha,
Lock Eggers