Moloka'i Hoe

Flags, buoys, boats, and practice sites…
Season pau, but the work continues. Anyone else spring cleaning?

From the sky, you can feel it — the pulse of Hawaiʻi, the energy of the moana, and the rhythm of hoe wa’a across the Kaiwi Channel. No matter how far we travel or how many channels we cross Hawaiʻi will always be where our heart beats the strongest.

Our journey to the Molokaʻi Hoe began in 2013 with a simple goal — bring Kauaʻi’s top paddlers together into one canoe to compete at the highest level and strengthen a culture of competitive paddling on our island.

Because we come from all parts of Kauaʻi—and almost all of us have young kids—finding time to train together isn’t easy. But we make it work.

For more than a decade, we’ve paddled under the banner of Kauaʻi Waʻa. While I think we’ve been successful on both fronts we set out to achieve, I’ve realized that my own goals have evolved.

I still love the competition. I still love pushing my body to its limits. And I still love the challenge of working together as a team to move a canoe across the channel as fast as possible. But more than anything, I love paddling with my friends—and the lifelong relationships that have come from it.

Paddling isn’t just a sport. It’s a way of life. -Luke

Our journey to the Molokaʻi Hoe began in 2013 with a simple goal — bring Kauaʻi’s top paddlers together into one canoe to compete at the highest level and strengthen a culture of competitive paddling on our island.

Because we come from all parts of Kauaʻi—and almost all of us have young kids—finding time to train together isn’t easy. But we make it work.

For more than a decade, we’ve paddled under the banner of Kauaʻi Waʻa. While I think we’ve been successful on both fronts we set out to achieve, I’ve realized that my own goals have evolved.

I still love the competition. I still love pushing my body to its limits. And I still love the challenge of working together as a team to move a canoe across the channel as fast as possible. But more than anything, I love paddling with my friends—and the lifelong relationships that have come from it.

Paddling isn’t just a sport. It’s a way of life. -Luke

Te Tane Hāna Hoe spoke through the water — a voice of Hāna carried by the rhythm of six men and the hands of a master who shaped her, Leon “Fafa” Toofa.

This year’s race was a tribute — to Uncle Fafa, to Uncle Robert Malaikini, and to every hand that has touched wa‘a in Hāna.
Finishing third in the Koa Division, the crew proved that when legacy leads, the ocean listens.

The koa canoe carries power — not just from the wood, but from the hands that shape it. Few understood that better than kahuna kalaiwa‘a Leon “Fafa” Toofa.

His work demanded precision, patience, and deep respect for both the tree and the ocean. Every line of his canoes carried intention. Te Tane Hāna Hoe, his final creation, stands as proof that true craftsmanship doesn’t fade — it endures in the water, in the paddlers, and in the legacy of those who refuse to let tradition drift.

Didn’t get a chance to grab your race gear?
This is your last chance!

A few final pieces of official race merchandise are still available online — limited stock only. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Shopping link in bio…

There’s something deeply moving about seeing a koa canoe cross the Kaiwi Channel — the way it cuts through the water, carrying not just its crew but generations of spirit, craftsmanship, and connection.

This year, we honor Hana Canoe Club, who not only entered the race but did so in one of the four koa canoes on the course. Their journey represents far more than competition — it’s a tribute to tradition, to their waʻa, and to the hands and hearts that built and cared for it.

Mahalo to the boys from Hana for reminding us all what it means to race with purpose, pride, and aloha.

Strong. Steady. Hawaiian.
The first of our Hawaiian crews make their way through Maunalua Bay.

No filters. No fear. Just grit, speed, and the open ocean.
This is the Kaiwi Channel.