Va’a Motu, a Tahitian Style Outrigger Canoe

Gary Dierking has made a speedy project of his latest outrigger canoe, and this one might be his most beautiful yet. The scale model of Va’a Motu was completed July 10, and the real thing launched Sept. 21, just over 9 weeks later!

I’ve been working on a new 20’ (6M) design lately that borrows some features of the Tahitian va’a motu.  The hollow clipper bow, the raised transom stern, the mixed attachments between the ama and the iakos, and the curved gull wing iakos are seen on the fast lagoon sailers in Eastern Polynesia.

Gary documents the build on his blog, Outrigger Sailing Canoes.