Vakas to voyage to Hawaii powered by North Sails
by Zoe Hawkins on 7 Apr 2010
The Vaka project presented a different challenge for North Sails SW
In 2009 seven double-hulled canoes, or Vaka, were built in Auckland, destined for special projects in the Pacific Islands culminating in a marathon voyage to Hawaii. The boats, which utilise a combination of traditional flax sails, and modern sails including gennakers built by North Sails, have made their mark in some very important ways.
Almost a year after the first vaka was completed, seven canoes have been built. Each of them has her home island including Fiji, Tahiti, Western Samoa, Cook Island and New Zealand.
Last year the New Zealand Vaka, Te Matau a Maui, undertook a 3000nm voyage from Samoa via Tonga and Fiji back to New Zealand, in order to thoroughly test the boat’s performance and design, and a further 2000nm of testing and training in New Zealand.
'We are close to get where we want in terms of equipment and design, of these boats that successfully blend modern technology with traditional craftsmanship,' writes Vaka Skipper Magnus Danbolt.
The eco-friendly method of travelling now includes a solar power system for auxiliary propulsion system on two of the canoes. Eight large solar panels power two 10kW electrical motors. These aid harbour entries and also allow the Vaka to travel at speeds of 2.5kn using only solar power - a feature that will assist the vessels with navigating the doldrums in good time.
Two of the vaka joined the league of vaka in Waitangi during Waitangi Day. This was the first initiation of the newly designed vaka hourua (sailing canoe) to the existing family of voyaging canoes.
Currently the vaka are being fine tuned and the multinational crews are anticipating the opportunity to get through their first big challenge. In April the Vaka will depart from New Zealand to Tahiti, Cook Island, Samoa and Fiji. In each island a Vaka will stay behind and a local Voyage Society will train crew and use the vaka for cultural and educational purposes. In 2011 the seven vaka will have a reunion in New Zealand. By then, the crews will be fully trained and ready to undertake the long and challenging voyage to Hawaii via Tahiti. The arrival in Hawaii will mark the end of the first part of the project to help recapture traditional Pacific voyaging skills.
The twin hulled boats are 72 foot in length. The hulls are constructed from fibreglass and resin, but most other aspects of the boat, are traditional.
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