Sacred White Sculpture, 2013
Plywood, Mahogany, teak, bamboo, fiberglas, epoxy resin, Dacron, Nylon, polyurethane topside paint, cleats, blocks, plastic, stainless steel, brass
240” x 130” x 264” (610 x 330 x 760.5 cm)

Between August 2012 – April 2013, I constructed a 22 ft. (6.7m) Proa (a Polynesian styled outrigger sailing canoe) at the University of California, Irvine. My Proa is fashioned after the mid-sized island hopping Proa's of the Marshall Islands and also mixed with traits of other Polynesian Proas.

Upon the closing of the exhibition, I spent a month tuning the rigging and conducting short test from Newport Aquatic Centre. On June 13, 2013, Hawaiian elder Thomas Kalama lead a traditional canoe blessing ceremony preceding the maiden voyage to Dana Point.

Distance: 14 Nautical miles (16 miles)
Duration: 3h30m
Temperature: 73 °F (22 °C)
Visibility: 10 miles (16 km)
Wind speed: 9-10.5 knots 10-12mph
Top cruising speed 9 knots (10.36 miles/16.67 km).

June 24 - July 12, documentation of the ceremony and voyage were exhibited at ForYourArt, Los Angeles.

**Special thanks and endless gratitude to Billy Whitford and everyone at the NAC, Dolph Gabeler, Mo Morrow, Natalie Kovacs, Kat Hamrock, Jason Stepina, Sophie Oda, Minney's Yacht Surplus, and many others who made this project possible.