This past weekend the Puakea Foundation sponsored the Makapo blind racing crew from the Makapo Canoe Club in California at the world famous Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race in Kona. This crew took third place in the Koa Division, Women 40+ and is an outstanding accomplishment by any measure. (Uncle Bobby also donated a hand-made paddle to help them fund raise for this trip!)
This is one of the globe’s most popular long distance canoe races. And one of the most challenging as it is an “iron” race – meaning there are no crew changes and each paddler commits to the entire 18 miles from Kailua Bay to Honaunau near Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The foundation would like to thank Kirsten Williams and Mike Atwood for joining us in making the opportunity available!
During the race weekend, Uncle Bobby also gave a two hour workshop about wood-working and the art of paddling and canoe-building. Many other blind paddlers joined us and were able to feel for the first time the rigging of the canoe and the texture of various woods immersed in water.
The entire weekend gives a whole new meaning to shining a light on this traditional polynesian sport!
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- Uncle Bobby & Friends at the Queen Liliuokalani Race
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- Uncle Bobby and Paddler at the Queen Liliuokalani Race
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- Feeling the different wood textures
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- Makapo Crew Race Prep = Smiles!
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- Makapo crew paddling out of the harbor at sunrise
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- Makapo Crew coaches Kirsten Williams & Mike Atwood
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- Puakea Foundation Board Members
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- Rigging demonstration
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- Ricky and Bobby rigging the canoe
Kialoa Paddles is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a special event at their Battle of the Paddle Standup Race at Duke Kahanamoku Beach May 14-15 and they are sharing their success with the Puakea Foundation of Hawaii, Inc. A special welcoming party and aloha concert for competitors will be hosted by Quiksilver Waterman Collection on Friday evening, May 13, featuring local musicians. Event proceeds will directly benefit the Hawaiian Community.
In 2006, the Masters Women raced the Ho’ola, a koa canoe built by Bobby’s dad in the 1950′s, in Kona for the big 
One of the goals of the Puakea Foundation is to race the koa canoes whenever possible. For example, there are many communities that have never seen a koa canoe, even though the sport of outrigger canoe racing is well-established. It is also a goal of the foundation to support paddlers of all ages in racing activities.