Ama

AH-mah

Canoe Part

What is an Ama?

The ama is the outrigger float attached to the side of a Hawaiian canoe. It is connected to the main hull by two poles called iakos (crossbars), forming the characteristic T-shaped or angled outrigger assembly that gives the outrigger canoe its name and its stability.

In Hawaiian paddling, the ama is always mounted on the left (port) side of the canoe. This means that when you look from the back of the canoe toward the front, the ama extends to your left. The side of the canoe closest to the ama is called the "ama side," and the opposite side is called the "non-ama side" or "huli side."

The ama is typically a narrow, torpedo-shaped float designed to minimize drag while providing enough buoyancy to stabilize the canoe. In competition, the ama ideally skims just at or slightly above the water surface — fully in contact when needed for stability, but light enough to avoid creating significant drag.

Why is the Ama Important?

Without the ama, an outrigger canoe hull would be extremely unstable. The narrow, streamlined hull that makes outrigger canoes so fast in the water is also inherently prone to rolling over. The ama solves this problem elegantly: by extending laterally from the hull, it acts as a counterbalance that resists capsizing (called "hulling" in paddling culture).

The ama is the defining structural feature that makes an outrigger canoe different from a standard canoe or kayak. Remove it, and you no longer have an outrigger canoe — you have an unstable hull that would require dramatically different paddling technique to keep upright.

The design of the ama — its length, volume, and the angle of the iakos connecting it to the hull — significantly affects how the canoe handles in different water conditions. A properly set ama allows the canoe to flex and respond to waves while maintaining stability, whereas a poorly adjusted ama setup can cause the canoe to feel sluggish or unstable.

Ama in OC6 Racing

In OC6 racing, the ama's position has practical implications for how each seat paddles and for overall boat balance:

• Ama side paddlers (seats 2, 4, 6): These paddlers sit on the left side of the canoe, facing the ama. Their paddle strokes pull the canoe toward the ama side. Paddlers on the ama side often need to be strong and consistent, as their strokes help maintain straight tracking when the canoe tends to pull away from the ama.
• Non-ama side paddlers (seats 1, 3, 5): These paddlers sit on the right side, pulling the canoe away from the ama. The balance between ama-side and non-ama-side strokes is what keeps the canoe tracking straight between hut calls.
• Ama lift: In surfing conditions or steep swells, the ama may lift out of the water as the canoe surfs a wave. Skilled crews manage this carefully — if the ama lifts too high and drops suddenly, it can cause instability or even a huli (capsize). The steersman watches for this and adjusts course and hut timing accordingly.
• Crew weight distribution: How paddlers are positioned relative to the ama — and their combined weight — affects the canoe's balance and how efficiently the ama does its job.

Traditional vs. Modern Amas

The construction materials for amas have evolved significantly over the centuries:

• Traditional amas: Carved from a single log of wood — often wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) in Hawaii, chosen for its lightweight and buoyant properties. Traditional amas were works of craftsmanship, shaped by hand and often decorated. They were heavier and more prone to waterlogging over time, requiring regular maintenance.
• Fiberglass amas: The first generation of modern racing amas, introduced as fiberglass canoe construction became common in the mid-20th century. Lighter and more consistent in shape than wood, fiberglass amas brought significant performance improvements to competitive racing.
• Carbon fiber amas: The current state of the art for competitive racing. Carbon fiber amas are extremely light, stiff, and precisely shaped, optimized for minimum drag and maximum performance. High-end OC6 canoes for competitive clubs typically feature carbon fiber amas and iakos.

While materials have changed, the fundamental role of the ama has not. It remains the feature that makes outrigger canoe paddling possible — and one of the most recognizable elements of Hawaiian paddling culture worldwide.