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Double hull canoes

A proud vessel that made it possible for our ancestors to reach the shores of Polynesia about 2,000 years ago, the double hull canoe, ancestor of the catamaran for which it was the direct inspirator, is rightfully considered as the Ma'ohi's best achievement. Indeed, the first European navigators when they arrived in Tahiti, were very surprised to discover this new type of vessel that was at the same time light and fast, easy to handle and much more stable than the African canoe.

To conquer the unknown waters of the great Pacific, our ancestors had the need to design vessels at the same time efficient, reliable but also with large capacity. This is how they managed the feat to build double hull canoes over 30 meters (100 ft) long, that could accomodate up to 100 passengers. During long migrations, these same canoes loaded less passengers in order to store food, tools, animals and plants to colonise new desert land. Between the two hulls 6 to 8 meters (about 20 ft) apart, a light but solid deck was built, topped with two covered shelters. This deck could measure 15 to 20 m (50 to 60 ft) long by about 10 m (30 ft) wide. Both masts were located in the front and back and held large triangular sails made of pandanus leaves. The canoe was steered with a long oar used as a rudder. The man in charge of steering stood on an elevated platform to increase his maneuvering power. With perfect knowledge of the stars, the Ma’ohi were excellent navigators. They had no fear to see land disappear from their eyes. They knew how to find their way with their inborn knowledge of astronomy. On the vessel's prow another platform was used by the "lookout" to watch the horizon. At the center of the canoe, the women maintain a permanent fire between basaltic stones inside a "bucket" filled with water to avoid accidental fires. There, meals were also prepared and passengers would keep warm during the long watch nights. These intrepid discoverers were thus ready for journeys that lasted several weeks, to conquer new islands.

Double hull canoes were also used for inter-island transportation but also... to wage war. Thinner and lighter, these latter canoes were also faster. Sails were brought down for better handling and to better suprise the adversaries. On all canoes, prows and sterns proudly pointed at the sky and decorated with grinning sculptures of ferocious tiki. Today, the double hull canoes of the old days have disappeared... At least, it looks that way... They have been replaced by the catamarans of today's yachtmen, who often without knowing it, pay tribute to this typically Polynesian way of sailing, just as pleasant also to visit the lagoons. 

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