PCC UPDATES ITS PLANS FOR IOSEPA AND ITS HAWAIIAN SAILING CANOES

The Iosepa, BYUHʻs 57-foot waʻa kaulua, or traditional twin-hulled wooden Hawaiian sailing canoe, is very much a part of the Polynesian Cultural Center and its educational program for our local students here in Hawaii as well as for our guests,” said Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe, PCC Vice President of Cultural Presentations.

 It’s been 25 years since a crowd of thousands gathered to launch the Iosepa at Hukilau Beach in Laie on November 3, 2001.

 Sailing and training plans: “For example, we have a sailing plan in conjunction with Brigham Young University–Hawaii for it to go to either Moloka’i or circumnavigate Oʻahu in June 2026.”

 “This yearʻs sail will also be part of the process of training new captains to create more depth within Iosepaʻs leadership. We have several individuals who have expressed interest in doing whatʻs needed to become one of the captains.”

 “They are involved in planning the upcoming sail, and theyʻll also captain one of the ʻlegsʻ of the journey, which will be a great learning opportunity,” she added.

 Meanwhile, Moe stressed that Ka ‘Uhane Holokai (“the Soul of the Seafarer”), the PCCʻs quarter-scale working fiberglass model of Iosepa, continues to be used for various training purposes at the Center and elsewhere on Oahu. Its smaller size allows a robust pickup truck to more easily transport it on a standard-sized boat trailer from the PCC to any Oahu launching ramp.

 For example, Ka ‘Uhane Holokai most recently participated in a sailing canoe educational event at Kualoa Regional Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026, under the direction of Mark Ellis, PCC director for voyaging experiences.

 A new role for Ellis: However, Moe said, with the recent passing of well-known Hawaiian Hōkūle‘a canoe captain and pwo (navigator) Shorty Bertelmann, who was also a member of the Makali’i canoe ‘ohana that sails out of Kawaihae harbor, Island of Hawai‘i, and participated in helping train the Iosepaʻs original crew and captains, the Polynesian Voyaging Society asked Ellis to accept a full-time position with them. (He previously sailed with the Polynesian Voyaging Society before joining the PCC staff.)

 “Mark’s last full-time day with PCC will be March 13,” Moe said. “But both he and PVS president Nainoa Thompson have agreed Mark can continue to help us on an on-call basis. Nainoa is very supportive of Iosepa and wants to make sure it continues to succeed.”

 “We’re very grateful to Nainoa and the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Moe continued. “Mark will continue to attend our Wednesday afternoon training sessions in the Hawaiian Village hālau waʻa, and he will also be involved with the upcoming sail in training our new captains and other critical issues.”

 Another PCC scale-model training canoe:Moe also announced the PCC plans to build another scale-model training canoe, but larger than Ka ‘Uhane Holokai, to make it “more accessible for guests to come aboard and participate in hands-on experiences.”

 She added that developing plans for the new, larger training canoe, “which will possibly be built next year, will take the remainder of this year.”

“Weʻre very excited about expanding the Cultural Centerʻs Polynesian voyaging and wayfinding experiences,” Moe said.