Team Moana MoProblems

Team members: Tyann Zehms
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Race vessel: Wa’apa outrigger canoe
LOA: 24′
Human propulsion: Pedal (Prop)
Connect: instagram, tiktok

Moana MoProblems is one woman, one homemade Polynesian outrigger canoe, and one very real fear of being eaten by a whirlpool. She built the boat in her basement, carved a path to daylight, and is pointing it towards Alaska—not for speed, but for the joy of the ride and the bragging rights of crying at whales in international waters.

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What’s the biggest unknown for you right now?
First, how I’m going to react when/if I see whales from my teeny tiny boat. I reckon it’ll be a mix of ugly crying with joy and pure shock. Second, how well I’ll be able to navigate the tidal currents. It’s not something I do everyday so getting the swing of things will take some time.

What’s the story behind your boat?
I’ve been itching to build a boat for ages. About 4 years ago, I decided to finally scratch that itch. I wanted something unique that I’ve never sailed before, which is why I chose the wa’apa outrigger sailing canoe. I started the build in my basement, and eventually had to remove a bit of a wall around the staircase to move her to a larger space to complete the build. (No, I didn’t blow a hole in the wall like that dude from NCIS…). She started life as a Pacific proa, with an oceanic lateen rig (if you’ve never heard of ‘shunting’, I suggest checking it out. It’s wild). For the race, I swapped over to a more simple tacking rig – it has fewer moving pieces and will hopefully be easier to handle for the trip.

Confidence Level
86%

Duct Tape Fixes (Linear Feet)
27