The AMATASI is used as a deep sea fishing and travelling canoe that became extinct toward the mid 19-th century.
The canoe was used in the Samoa Islands and Central and Western Pacific.
It was a very fast canoe, and often used to catch dolphins.
Multipiece strakes added to the keel piece, sewn so that stitching showed only on the inside.
The hull was U shaped in cross section, hull deepest near the bow.
Raked concave stem, with gripe at forefoot. Stern elongated terminating in a small notched piece.
Stem and stern were decked, tops decorated with a line of cowrie shells.
Multiple outrigger booms lashed across the gunwales; long float, extended farther forward than aft; float and booms attached by divergent stanchions and lashings.
Balance board opposite outrigger.
Steered with a paddle
The mast was stepped to a raised rim on the bottom of the canoe and lashed to the middle boom, she carried a triangle sail, with a spar along each sides.
The apex of the sail was held back to the stern and during a tack the canoe made, the apex was swing around to the bow. The sail were made from woven pandanus leaves.
Reported length 15 – 30 meters.
Penrhyn Island 1981 1c sg166, scott?. 1984 4c sg338, scott?
Source: Aak to Zumbra, a dictionary of the World’s Watercraft.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-B ... d2-d2.html
