Cutting edge and out of the box. Those were the thinking tools that Tommy Conner kept handy in his Waimanalo workshop garage.
As his understanding of outrigger canoe paddling grew, so did his understanding of the ocean. The avid surfer loved big, fast waves and, as he transitioned from stroke to steersman, he took that search for speed back five seats, from No. 1 to No. 6.
"No one had really looked at the ‘ama (outrigger float) design outside of its function to keep the canoe from flipping," Kainoa Downing said. "We were using pretty much the design as the ones created in the ’60s. He looked at the shape as a hindrance and started redesigning and reshaping it.
"His first one was this big white beast of a thing that we put an eye on it. We called it ‘Moby’ (after Moby Dick, the white whale from Herman Melville’s classic novel). It was revolutionary. We were winning with it. I really think, though, that he did it primarily to make steering easier. He wasn’t a great steersman at first, but he was really good at reading the water. As he aged, he learned and got better."
So much better. And better than almost everyone else in the sport.
Conner, who died March 28 at the age of 68, was an integral part of 11 winning crews in the prestigious Molokai Hoe outrigger canoe race from Molokai to Oahu, nine with Outrigger Canoe Club and two with Tahiti’s Faa’a. His six victories as a steersman ties him with Waikiki Surf Club’s legendary Blue Makua, and the 49-year-old Conner’s win in 1994 — the second of two consecutive with Faa’a — made him the oldest victorious steersman in the race’s illustrious history.
Conner also coached four women’s crews to first-place finishes in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai, three with Outrigger and one with Hui Nalu, and won several solo and relay crossings of the Kaiwi Channel. He also was the head coach at Outrigger and Lanikai canoe clubs.
Conner is credited with bringing the surf ski to Hawaii from Tahiti, and later transforming it into a one-man canoe by attaching ‘iako and ‘ama. His ‘C-Ski’ was much in demand in the 1980s as the one-man paddling took off.
"He was always busting out new boats with radical hull designs," former Outrigger teammate Marc Haine said. "He was always on the cutting edge, such a forward thinker.
"But what made him such a such a great steersman was his water knowledge and confidence. He just had this way of picking the right course and had this feel for the water."
Conner was born Nov. 24, 1944, in Mountain View, Hawaii island. He played volleyball at the University of Hawaii and at Outrigger Canoe Club, the latter where he first began his paddling career in 1967.
A year later, Conner made Outrigger’s Molokai crew, which survived a rare ‘ama-under hui mid-channel to finish the 40.8-mile race in record time.
Conner went on to decorated careers in the Honolulu Police Department as a detective and Honolulu Fire Department as a fire and rescue captain. Later, he worked at the Honolulu International Airport in security, continuing to work through his cancer diagnosis before going into St. Francis Hospice.
There seemingly is a story to go along with every race Conner entered. Mark Rigg, another crew mate, has canoes full of them.
"We spent a lot of time paddling together," Rigg said. "He steered the last koa canoe to win the Molokai (1990). He was so motivated to do that, had us all motivated."
The Kaoloa, with Conner steering the entire way, crossed the finish line of Duke Kahanomoku Beach in 5 hours, 19 minutes, 38 seconds. Offshore of California, in a fiberglass canoe, was nearly 10 minutes behind.
"I don’t think there will be anyone coming along that will be as successful as Tommy was," Rigg said
Conner is survived by wife Rene’e, sons Vaimana Ikaika, Kalena Tamananiatua and Kalaeloa Taitere; daughter Kananilehua Vaihere; step-daughters Jana Mahina Wale Lia Goo-Akaka and Kira Kapiolani Kaloi; sister Maureen Lehualani Conner; eight grandchildren; and former wife Lesline.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Lanikai Community Park. Casual attire is suggested.
