Outrigger Canoe Singles

Aloha spirit flows at Luau, Longboard event where Dennis Carson will be honored

Sunday culminates a year of hard work by more than 100 volunteers who have been working to make the annual Luau & Longboard Invitational happen.

It’s also the day that Dr. Dennis Carson, who this year went back to the lab after eight years as director of the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, will be honored at the event that has raised more than $5 million. He’s now working on finding drugs to treat breast and ovarian cancer and leukemia at the UCSD facility, one of only 40 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute.

Carson, known for discovering and pushing through to clinical use a novel anti-cancer agent marketed as Leustatin, will accept the Rell Sunn Award given each year to “the person or persons who best embody the true aloha spirit and display the qualities shared by Rell and the Luau & Longboard Invitational — the battle against cancer, combined with unselfishness, compassion and a dedication to helping others,” according to the event website.

Known as the “Queen of Makaha,” where she surfed and paddled outrigger canoes and helped children, she fought the disease for 15 years before passing away in 1998. That was the first year the award was presented in her honor.

Carson said for years he’s watched the luau and surfing contest, which features teams from the biotech, medical and financial communities who are joined by surfing legends who go “Surfing for a Cure.” There’s even a team of “Thrivers,” who are all cancer survivors. “The event is unique to San Diego and attracts a different group of supporters,” he said, noting that many are still working, younger and active in the business community. “Many haven’t ever thought of cancer or estate planning.”

As director of the center, he saw the good that the funds raised at the event have done. Funds go to the director’s discretionary fund, he said, and can be used for pilot projects and early research, recruiting and support for patient services that insurance does not cover. Cory Reynolds, a business development manager with Manpower Inc., and Taylor Peterson of CONNECT are co-chairs of this year’s event and began working on it at 3 p.m. Aug. 20, 2010, when they were introduced at the end of the luau. That day lasted until dark, he recalled.

Articles 20VN | One Man Trigger Canoe - The Outrigger Canoe For ...

Canoeing is an activity that can serve as a good way to pass the time at a lake or river, although you can also turn it into a competitive sport of sorts. For whatever purpose, there is the one-man trigger canoe that is among the types of outrigger canoes with lateral rigs. This canoe can have a single or double outriggers to provide balance while spars (iako) are provided along the gunwale which extends over the sides and end with the ama (flotation devices).

Going solo in the waters

Otherwise known as the solo outrigger, the one man trigger canoe is designed to seat a single person. The seats are commonly found in the middle of the canoe to promote balance and a more centered weight. The length of solo outriggers are usually from 19 to 21 feet, but there are also variants that are as long as 27 feet.

In the case of longer solo outriggers, the rockers are lower so you maintain stability when canoeing on flat waters. The weight of these canoes also depend on the materials that they are made of. Basically, standard fiberglass canoes can be as heavy as 17kg to 20kg and those made of composite materials are lightweight and can be as heavy as 12kg.

Not just for racing

The one man trigger canoe can also be used for racing and, in such cases, a lightweight one is most suitable. Apart from racing, lightweight outrigger canoes are easy to propel without making you exert too much effort on your paddle. Just make sure that the lightweight materials are of good quality so durability and stability are not taken for granted. Basically, you can go for carbon fiber materials although they can be a bit expensive. If that is the case, polyethylene is a cheaper yet sturdy alternative.

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