NĀ MO'OPUNA

I spent the Covid-19 Lockdown finishing Nā Mo’opuna (Hawaiian for The Grandchildren), a 9′6″ Nutshell Pram. I wanted a sturdy boat that was suitable for my grandchildren to ease into confidence in themselves and their skills, much as I was taught by my Dad, and as I taught each of my own children. Joel White’s design met my needs perfectly. With a beam of 4′ 4″, the smooth lines and simple, yet capable, balanced lug rig offered a proven classic. Working from the WoodenBoat plans, I built Nā Mo’opuna in my garage, and launched her for sea trials on July 6th. The construction followed the plans closely, although I added buoyancy chambers fore and aft to make the boat more easily recoverable from a capsize. I took four of the five enclosed photos, with the fifth taken by my wife, Anne, right after launching. With 10 grandchildren ranging from 2 months to 10 years old, we anticipate a world of adventures with them in Kaneohe Bay, on the windward side of O’ahu, Hawai’i.