Jay Dowsett readily admits that current economic conditions make fundraising for the restoration of a traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe an iffy proposition.

Still, the renowned canoe builder and Friends of Hokule‘a and Hawaiiloa board member was hopeful that the community at large would respond to his group’s efforts to raise approximately $325,000 to restore and relaunch the Hawaiiloa, the only double-hulled canoe constructed entirely of native materials using traditional Hawaiian tools.

That effort got off to a spirited start Sunday as more than 200 people gathered at Bishop Museum for an evening of educational presentations, musical performances and hula benefiting the ongoing Hawaiiloa restoration project. The crowd included several sailors from the seven pan-Pacific crews who arrived on Oahu Saturday following a voyage across the Pacific on traditional voyaging canoes inspired by Hokule‘a.

"It’s a tough time for all of us, and there are a lot of organizations that need money right now," Dowsett said. "But (Hawaiiloa) is a cultural icon, and it has a cultural value. We hope the community will be willing to dig deep — without cutting themselves — to help us out."

The 57-foot canoe, built by the late Wright Bowman between 1991 and 1993, completed ocean journeys to the Society and Marquesas islands but has been undergoing needed repairs for the last couple of years.

"All of the parts needed to be rebuilt or restored," Dowsett said. "The whole boat has been taken apart."

Dowsett explained that the Sitka spruce logs used for the hulls of the canoe (a donation by a coalition of Alaskan tribes) do not hold up well in tropical climates. Fiberglass covering will be used to keep the original hulls intact.

Koa, ohia and other native woods were used to construct other parts of the vessel.

Dowsett said he and fellow canoe builder Jerry Ongies hope to complete the restoration within the next two years, in keeping with Polynesian Voyaging Society Executive Director Nainoa Thompson’s goal of taking the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a around the world.

"For (Thompson) to be able to do that, he’ll need to train 30 to 40 crews, so having the Hawaiiloa back in the water will help him do that," Dowsett said. "After that it can be part of a learning platform right here in Hawaii."

Billy Richards, a member of the original Hokule‘a crew, said a restored Hawaiiloa can help younger generations experience history in a unique and powerful way.

Richards, who was on hand for yesterday’s canoe-lashing demonstrations, said his interest in ocean migration was sparked by early readings of Peter Buck’s "Vikings of the Sunrise." But it was his experiences aboard Hokule‘a in his 20s that brought a greater understanding of what his Hawaiian ancestors were able to accomplish with their seafaring technology.

"The value in preserving this knowledge is that it inspires us to reflect on our own ancestors and their beginnings," he said. "We’re all migrants. This helps us to have a deeper appreciation of what our ancestors experienced."