Product Overview
Puakea Designs and Outrigger Zone delivered the first production model Kahe Kai OC1 canoes to Hawaii just days before the 2016 Molokai Solo, but team riders (at the time) Jimmy Austin and Daniel Chun liked it so much they decided to race the new outrigger canoe design for the race that year.
The Kahe Kai, built by Outrigger Zone, is ideal for men and stronger women weighing 140 - 250+ pounds. The canoe displaces 10 more pounds of water than the Ehukai. The Kahe Kai is 1/4” wider and has less rocker than its predecessor.
Volume has been moved further forward, and several changes were made to keep the Kahe Kai drier during surfing. The bow is 3/4 inch taller; the cockpit rails are taller as is the footwell cover. The seat placement has not changed, but we did make it 1/4 inch wider and 1/4 inch lower. The rudder was moved up 3 inches and the foot wells are narrower and deeper than the Ehukai.
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.
reviews
“I’m so glad that I didn’t listen to the rumors that the Kahe Kai was a guy’s canoe! The Kahe Kai has the best glide. It continues to glide, when other canoes seem to stall out. Even though it feels like other canoes get up to speed quicker than the Kahe Kai, once the Kahe Kai is up and running she just wants to go! Kind of like a turbo on a diesel engine. I feel like the extra length in the nose of the Kahe Kai acts like a balloon that floats and pops the nose out of the water quicker. The thing I like best about the this canoe is how it allows me to catch bumps that I thought I missed. It stays on the back of the bump and gives me a second chance to catch a bump. So many times I feel like I missed the bump and then to my surprise with one more stroke I’m surfing the bump that I thought I missed! I love this canoe.”
- Julie Wolfe (Southern California)
Specs
Type: Standard OC1 (Single Outrigger Canoe)
Length: 20 ft. 8 in.
Width: 16 in.
Hull Weight: approx. 18 lbs.
Rigged Weight: approx. 23 lbs.
Material: 100% Carbon Fiber
Manufacturer: Outrigger Zone (Ozone)
This model is no longer in production, but parts are still available through Ozone.
