General term for a plank-built boat* or a ship. One that sails is a pahi ie; a steamboat is a pahi auahi. Early travel¬ers described the pahi as an oceangoing double canoe. The double canoes of the Society Islands were larger and more imposing in appearance than most of those used in New Zealand or the Sandwich Islands but not so strong as the former nor so neat and light as the latter. Plank-built of short lengths sewn together; wash¬strakes added; strengthened with frames; "V" cross section; shallow keel. Hulls equal or unequal, secured by discontinuous platforms and braces at each end or by a large, open platform that covered most of the hulls; on the former, 2 platforms extended outboard on each side. On some, both ends were tall, terminating in stylized tiki figureheads; on others, only the stern was tall. One or 2 huts on the platform. Steered with a sweep. The paddles of the Tahitians are plain having a smooth round handle and an oblong shaped blade.Their canoes having no rudder are steered by a man in the stern with a paddle generally longer than the rest In long voyages they have two or three steering paddles including a very large one which they employ in stormy weather to prevent the vessel from drifting to leeward. Generally stepped 2 vertical masts between the hulls; some placed both masts forward of amidships; on others, the masts were on the 2 platforms that extended outboard on each side, one about a third of the way in from the bow, the other near the stern. Tall, narrow sails extended well above the masts; luff above the mast was crescent-shaped; boomed at foot and vertically along the leech. Feathers ornamented the mastheads and chains of feathers or leaves served as wind vanes from the top of the vertical booms.Reported lengths 9-23m.
French Polynesia 2013; 75f;100f; SG?. Grenada 1991г; 25с; SG2224. Grenada-Grenadines 1996; 1$; SG2205. Source : A Dictionary of the world’s Watercraft from Aak to Zumbra. http://books.google.ru/books?id=wPD2yF3 ... +Polynesia