What is an Outrigger Canoe?

Outrigger canoes have an extensive history throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Indonesia as well as throughout New Zealand. This style of canoe has lateral floats on either side that can be fastened directly to the main hull of the ship.

Smaller and thinner fashion canoes can often deploy these outriggers in order to have extensive stability since they choose to open water. Some of those smaller canoes that are built for speed have just a single Outrigger that’s located on the port side however larger design canoes that are often needed to outriggers at a double hull or catamaran configuration.

These types of canoes could support not only some excess weight but could achieve some extra performance especially when they took to the ocean. These are boats which are still always used now throughout these islands. In many cases they can also be outfitted with specialty items such as sails for faster performance or even lashed together to creating floating platforms for fishing and lounging.

These Outrigger canoes are getting to be far more popular in other areas of the world too. A standard style canoe or kayak works especially well for surfing rapids in addition to moving up and down rivers, but with the added stability of outriggers or stabilizers it’s possible to have a much more versatile ship.

These glorious vessels have been modernized as well such as holes which are now produced with glass reinforced plastic rather than wood. Modern fiberglass, carbon and plastic fiber/Kevlar enforced Outrigger canoes are some of the fastest wind and paddle powered ships in the open sea now!