Sailing vessel coming to Maui to teach young women maritime and traditional navigation skills

A unique double-mast canoe will be coming to Maui. She is a Mayflower 40, built of teak by American Marine in Hong Kong in 1957. It is the first of 10 sister ships designed by Hugh Angleman and Charlie Davies. As a gaff ketch, she has seven sails.

This double-mast sailing vessel was a gift to ʻĀnela Gutierrez of the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society (Kīhei) from Capt. John Stone of Coupeville, Wash. The vessel will be used to teach young women maritime skills, traditional navigation, Hawaiian protocol and ocean stewardship.

The crew set sail on Sunday evening, June 29, from Friday Harbor, Wash., to her new home in the waters of North Kīhei. The crew consists of eight voyagers: four from Maui, two former Hawaiʻi residents now living in the San Juan Islands, Grandmaster Navigator Sesario Sewralur of the Micronesian Voyaging Society and Aunofo Havea, captain of the Tonga Voyaging Society.

The four members of the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society include Executive Director ʻĀnela Gutierrez of Kīhei, Franny Durham of Kīhei, Kiana Rowles of Makawao and Wendell Martin of Haʻikū and Chicago.

Two of the voyagers currently reside in the San Juan Islands but are former Hawaiʻi residents: Jas Ikeda (Kauaʻi) and Matt Wickey (Oʻahu).

Under the leadership of Grandmaster Navigator Sesario Sewralur (son of Mau Piailug), they will be using traditional navigation to sail from Neah Bay, Wash., to Maui, Hawaiʻi. The crew members will learn navigation skills from Capt. Sesario Sewralur and maritime skills from Capt. Aunofo Havea.

The public can track the voyage on Facebook, Instagram or the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society website at www.WeAreVoyagers.org.

Funding for this program is provided by the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network, Coast Salish Land, Sea & Place, Maui County Office of Economic Development and generous private sponsors.