A detailed view of the concealed lashing gunnels to hull on a 32" Opelu type fishing canoe. The gunnels, or rims, and also called washstrakes, are the yellowish sticks of wood topping the darker koa hull of the model. The uniquely Hawaiian concealed lashing gunnel to hull is visible on the inside of the hull but not on the outside, and still, the thread runs through the gunnel, down and through the hull wall and up again to the gunnel and so on....until the entire lenght of the gunnel is attached to the hull of the canoe. Whether on the real size canoe or on its model, this procedure is extremely time consuming. In the old days it took the entire village to do this type of lashings on the larger double hull canoes.

A clear view of the stern top or manu overlapping the hull of the canoe. This top is a two-piece tightly sewed together in accordance with the ancient art of lashing manus

Concealed lashing rims to hull in a 32" long Dowsett type Hawaiian fishing canoe. Note the yellowish color of the Ahakea wood, which is a native tree, and the most favored wood for the construction of canoe rims in ancient times.

In this view of a 32" (81.2cm) Opelu type canoe, two pieces were carved, shaped and tightly sewed together to form the stern manu covering the hull and joining the rims. This method of joining a two piece manu was in use in pre-contact Hawaii till the end of the 19's century. The stern cover ends a few inches short of the very tip of the hull proper, always leaving a projection called the moamoa. Consult my blog about this projection.

A traditional lashing iako (outrigger) to ama (float).

This is FP's signature stand for all single hull canoe model up to 24" in lenght. The same design stand is used for longer models, but instead of forming the "wave" with laminated wood, 1/2" acrylic is used so that it can withstand the weight of the model. Unless otherwise commissioned, the type of wood used for the solid rectangular base is either Koa, Hawaiian Mahagony, Koa veneered Hawaiian Mahagony or Lacewood. All the canoe models are signed by the artist. Plate are optionals.

A standard 18" long Opelu type fishing canoe model with single color sail and traditional float. Delivered with the artist's signature stand. Price: $ 1650.00

An 18" model fitted with a light striped sail. Unless otherwise commissioned, the thread used in lashing the fishing canoe models is either white or dark green, but not purple. $ 1750.00

The ancient Hawaiian canoes were fitted with a uniquely Hawaiian form of sprit sail called a "crab claw" made with plaited lauhala. But after the discovery of the Islands and the dawn of trading between the English and the islanders, canoes were gradually fitted with European type sprit sail using cloth or canvas. The above 18" long model is a beautiful exemple of such a type of rigging. $ 1750.00

This 18" model is fitted with a conceptual sail. Rather than follow a traditional set of visual criteria in making the sail, FP has always been dreaming of fitting a model canoe with a sail through wich the sun's rays are gleaming. The material used for this sail is an extremely thin cross cut slice of Norfolk pine. Price on request