Keaulana: ‘It was beautiful.’

First cruise proves craft a humdinger

By BUNKY BAKUTIS
Advertiser Staff Writer

After the dust had settled from the day’s ceremony and the crew relaxed around beer coolers and luau food, Buffalo Keaulana, one of the two steersmen for the sailing canoe’s maiden voyage, summed up the brief cruise: “It was beautiful.

“It (the canoe) turned real easy. And when the paddling was right and the canoe was moving, it was a breeze to handle,” said Keaulana, who has been practicing sailing a smaller version of the double-hulled canoe this past year in preparation for the Tahiti trip.

SOME OF THE PADDLERS for yesterday’s ceremonial cruise into Kaneohe Bay also sung the craft’s praises.

“When we were able to get into rhythm, then it really moved out,” said one crewman. “In fact when we were coming into shore we were moving so fast, I thought we’d have to back-paddle to slow down,” he said.

Most of yesterday’s crew was enthusiastic about the possibility of taking the round-trip voyage to Tahiti.

“I’m going to fill out as many applications as I can, just so when they select people they’ll see I really want to go,” said one paddler.

There are about 20 spots to fill.

Asked how he thought the sailing canoe would hold up on the voyage, Keaulana said, “I think it will make it. But between now and then, when we take it out in the channel, you can bet some things will get broken.”

(Star-Bulletin & Advertiser, 5/9/1975, p. 3)

Sunday Star-Bulletin and Advertiser, Page A3, March 9, 1975.