Sailing-canoe season
opens with 2-day
celebration on Maui

The Hawaiian Sailing Canoe
Association begins its season
with this weekend's regatta

The voyage wasn't meant to last 18 years. But when the trip has combined Hawaiian culture, competition, excitement and fun, it was an easy one to book for Mike Kincaid.

Kaanapali Beach Resort Regatta Open to the public SATURDAY At Kaanapali Beach Opening ceremony: 9 a.m. Hoolaulea: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Triangle race: Noon. Sailing canoe rides: 2:30-4 p.m. Luau: 6-9 p.m. SUNDAY Launching ceremony: 7 a.m. Race (Maui to Kailua, Oahu): 8 a.m. UPCOMING EVENTS » Na Holo Kai, Haleiwa to Poipu, July 30. » Kendall Pacific Challenge, Kalapaki to Waimea, Aug. 20. More information: www.hsca.biz

The Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association kicks off its season this weekend with the Kaanapali Beach Resort Regatta. It will be a two-day celebration that includes sailing-canoe rides for beachgoers, a triangle race offshore, a hoolaulea, cultural activities and the launch of the season's first race -- from Maui to Oahu.

A dozen standard sailing canoes are entered, as well as several holopuni (four-person sailing canoes). The captains, including Kincaid, have years of experience and hundreds of nautical miles to their credit.

It's a far cry from the initial discussion in 1985 of reviving Hawaiian sailing canoes in order to celebrate "The Year of the Hawaiian" in 1987. The concept was to cross the Kaieie Channel between Oahu and Kauai, creating more than a competition.

The race -- Na Holo Kai -- was to demonstrate canoe sailing as an important aspect of Polynesian life and celebrate the prowess of Polynesians as ocean voyagers. But first there were sailing canoes to be created, vastly scaled-down versions of the Hokule'a, and lots of experimenting with rigging.

On Aug. 8, 1987, nine canoes set out from Pokai Bay for Nawiliwili at 4 a.m. under a full moon, with crews that included veteran watermen Kincaid, his young brother Jimmy, Sol Potts, Nick Beck, Mike Spalding, Mike Muller, Nappy Napoleon, Cappy Sheely and Buffalo Keaulana. It was the first race of its kind in more than 100 years, according to historians.

"It's that first race that really got me hooked," said Kincaid, who is half-Hawaiian. "It had such a profound effect on me. It had all the right ingredients.

"To be able to reconnect with both Hawaiian history and culture, I was on a cloud for weeks, months and, yes, now years."

The HSCA was born out of the race and Kincaid was the organization's president from 1987 until this year. The association has remained small, but the impact has been huge, with the members sharing the cultural aspects of the sailing canoes at all the places they launch and land.

Traditionally, the sailing canoes have made the trek up the island chain with monthly races going from the Big Island to Maui, Maui to Molokai, Molokai to Oahu and Oahu to Kauai. This season, the revised schedule has two channel races (Maui to Oahu and Oahu to Kauai) and the year-ending Kauai coastal race from Nawiliwili to Waimea.

"The first generation -- Uncle Mike's generation -- had the goal of reviving sailing canoes," said new HSCA president Terry Galpin, who has been competing for 10 years. "I feel my generation's responsibility is to make it more visible, having key events on islands and bring it to the public."

Galpin expects 1,000 spectators this weekend. Television crews from British Columbia, Canada, and Sacramento, Calif., will also be filming.

The 58-year-old Kincaid said it was time for the change.

"I'm grateful to have been able to do this for all these years," he said. "It's a great feeling to know we were there in the beginning and have been able to contribute to make it what it is today. I am happy that somebody else is leading the charge. It was time.

"My life changed at 40 because of this. (Brother) Jimmy was a big-time paddler, I had sailing experience and when they brought up the race, we said, 'Shoots, let's go.' We had a canoe and rigged it for sailing. I knew instantly when we got under sail that this is what I wanted to do. And I knew when other people got involved, they'd become enthralled with it, too."