Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia are taking a break from the water and will undergo maintenance.
Meanwhile, the Moananuiākea Voyage has been paused as crew members return to Hawaiʻi for the holidays.
On Monday, Bruce Blankenfield of the nonprofit Polynesian Voyaging Society traveled to New Zealand, or Aotearoa, to meet with the mechanics.
It's been about six months since the Polynesian voyaging canoes left Hawai'i Island to sail across the Pacific Ocean. The canoes need a bit of touch-up after sailing through changing climates and biting winds.
“You have to do that annually,” Blankenfeld said.
Dry docking is a crucial part of maintaining sailing vessels. It requires taking the canoes out of the water and onto land so crew members and mechanics can examine the waʻa.
Blankenfeld said the wood on the canoes may need to be refinished
“They need to be sanded and have a coat to finish them, either clear finish or epoxy and varnish or paint,” he said.
He also said other dry dock tasks include touching up fiberglass, inspecting rigging or chafing, possibly replacing the lines and repairing rips in the sails.
Blankenfeld added that the safety vessel Hikianalia will also be inspected during its dry dock period.
“She has motors, so we'll have a really good mechanic go over her and just take a look at her and make sure she's good to go,” he said.
Crew members will fly back to Aotearoa in mid January and stay there for at least two weeks to work on the canoes.
Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will be back in the water in the first week of February. Then, the canoes will be idle in Aotearoa until April or May before tentatively sailing to Tonga, Sāmoa and American Sāmoa.
After the New Year, crew members will resume training while the canoes are in dry dock.
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