Pacific Paddler October 2017 - 28

as China's manufacturing grew. Leading the way
meant there were several big-time carbon prepreg
suppliers. I followed the prepreg there, and being by
the ocean made being away from Maui easier.
We've been there for over 12 years now. It's easy
to remember because I started the company there
the same year Keala, my daughter, was born. After
moving the shop or production 10 times from 1991
to 2005, ten times in fourteen years, twelve years is
a long time. It's been great.
A lot of the first people that we hired when we
started are still there. That's key.
We've also had a string of capable people managing
the factory. George Dralus got everything up and
rolling. George rode his bike from England to Hong
Kong. Bernie Brandstatter came over from North
Sails and ran the company for a few years. Brian
Dalbey is running things now, and has precisely
the unlikely skill set required to run a canoe factory

abroad. Brian has really done a great job.

Q) So when do Kai Bartlett and Johnny Puakea come
on board?

Kai Bartlett threw in with us when I set up the
factory, and his designs have been the backbone of
our sales as the Hurricane and Tempest got tired. A
good designer has got to be all in. I think that's his
real strength. The guy is 100% into paddling. He
loves the sport.
Johnny came on board over a beer at Ale Hale in
Kahului. The timing was perfect. The Pueo had
been a big success. Johnny had already started work
on the Ehukai, and we had just worked out the kinks
of one-piece construction developing the Storm. It
was magic. Things just lined up. Brian was hitting
his stride in the factory. The OIS was working.
Wendy was on top of customer service. Through all
the years and all of the iterations I've always been
a dissatisfied with some detail. Not this time. We

New 2-person outrigger
Gemini OC2

were also in the final stages of setting up production for unlimited OC6 canoes, and the Malolo just
plugged right in.
Kai probably saw us turn a corner and began
paddling the Ozone-built Pro Model Kai Wa'a
canoes, and putting his team riders on them as
well. I've been trying for years to get him out of
the shop. We're all better off with Kai mentoring
others through clinics and camps, racing and just
being Kai Bartlett.

Q) Going back in time what advice would you give
your younger self?

Ha, funny question. If I could go back in time,
knowing what I know now, I'd probably not offer
advice. It was a long hard road and time away from
family. If I knew the trials I would face I probably
would have given up. I think that it's through the
pain and struggle that you ultimately acquire the
skills to succeed.

Q) Do you ever think about bringing production
back to Hawaii or the US?

I'd love to bring it back to Maui, but it's a fantasy
right now. We would have to take either a huge
step backwards, or a huge step forward. It is
simply too expensive to do what we do in Hawaii.
We are just beginning to investigate robotics, and
how we can apply them to our processes. One day
we could build canoes in a more automated environment, but not yet.
While our roots are in Hawaii, our goal is to make
boats for everyone. While Hawaii is our home, we
can serve everyone better from Weihai.

Q) Where do you see the sport growing now?

The first OC-2 design from Kai Wa'a

We had this dream of having an OC-2 in our quiver for some time now, and we are very excited that
we are now able to offer it to you.

Our goals with the Gemini is comfort, performance, control and appearance. We feel we have accomplished our goals. In the flat water, she glides well and cuts through the headwind chop with ease. In
open ocean, the Gemini has a lively performance into the swell and maintains great glides running
with the swells (bumps). The steering control allows you a lot of freedom with maneuverability.
We took two Ares cockpits and footwells and dropped them in place plus widened the seat area to
give paddlers maximum comfort and allow the paddler the feeling of being locked in to the canoe.
The Gemini will be the first seamless OC-2 on the market. Built with Ozone's innovative monocoque
100% carbon construction.
https://www.mykaiwaalife.com/canoes

PACiFiC PADDLER OCTOBER 2017

When the unlimited canoes started happening on
the Big Island, I thought 'I want in'. It brought new
life and possibilities. Unlimited canoes now are
just a glimpse of what they might be in a decade.
Even in their current form they are a more fun to
paddle. I want to help follow that path..
We have traditions that need to be honored. I
agree with that 100%. Seeking a balance seems
the best way forward. Hold on to the culture,
move it forward. I understand that there are some
who are strongly opposed to unlimited canoes. I
think that words on paper defining our sport have
been mistaken for the essence of outrigger, I see a
sleek Hawaiian unlimited canoe gliding down an
open ocean swell as the essence. I think it is that
feeling, and the culture that created it that needs
to be honored. That's it, not a table of waterline
measurements.
I could go on and on retelling what people have
told me the unlimited canoes have done for them,
their crew or their club. It's really good.

Q) Over the recent years we have seen new canoes
and designs coming from Ozone, what are your
goals as a company now?

In the past it was easy to get consumed by the
minutia and wondering if we would make payroll
etc. It can be easy to get caught up in this part of
the business and lose sight of the customer experience. We're putting more energy into the little
things that make paddling fun.
The mantra is to hold on to the core of what we do
- to keep refining and improving and help people
enjoy their time on the water.
Personally, I'd like to get back to "We built canoes
and paddled a lot." The lifestyle was great.

https://www.mykaiwaalife.com/canoes

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Paddler October 2017