The Kīkaha

Kīkaha was born out of our desire to share the sport with others. Whether you’re teaching someone to connect bumps, spending time with your family in the ocean, or doing a downwind race-- the Kīkaha OC2 will accomplish that with comfort and speed.

The first step in designing an OC2 was coming up with an effective hull design. Like all of our canoes, we designed it with the goal of performing well in both glassy conditions or in 25 knot downwind seas. The round, narrow, and deep hull minimizes surface area and wave drag while maintaining the characteristics that make a canoe surf well. We believe it’s the most optimized OC2 ever made.

But, an OC2 is about more than just the hull design. For comfort and compatibility, we packed in two Pueo style cockpits that utilize our time tested foam Pueo seats. After testing multiple positions for the ama, we realized that different conditions and paddlers require different ama set-ups. In big surf, many paddlers like the ama in the front which helps keep the nose from burying and the tail loose. While others like the security of having the ama rigged in the back which allows both paddlers to lean back onto a ‘iako. Rather than compromise on one single set-up, the Kīkaha is the first OC2 that can rig in both the front and the back using the same set of ‘iako. And we’ve developed a novel rudder assembly that allows front or back steering that can be quickly changed with no tools.

Lastly, we’ve tested and tested and tested. We almost never got around to producing a production model, simply because we were having too much fun with the prototype. But now, after 18 months of refinements, we’re finally ready to share it with the world.

FAQ

Are there footwell drains?

Both the front and back cockpits have the same scupper style footwell drains that the Pueo has.

What are the weight and layup options?

We are currently only offering one layup option. Because OC2s often end up being utilized for years (or even decades) by families, we’ve optimized the lamination to be as durable as possible at a weight of about 30 pounds. While we’ll try to talk you out of it, if you want to get a lighter canoe, we can discuss options for a custom lay-up. But it will be more fragile.

How to Buy

There are two ways to purchase a Kīkaha:

• Off-the-shelf canoes are sometimes available for purchase. A current listing of available canoes is continuously updated at the Kamanu Store.
• Custom canoes are available to order. To place an order, go to store.kamanucomposites.com. A $1000 deposit must be made at the time of order. Delivery time can vary from 2-6 months depending on the waitlist. Please inquire for a better estimate.