The Lake Havasu City Outrigger Canoe Club (LHCOCC) was formed to encourage, maintain and perpetuate the Pacific Island culture and traditions that are rooted in the sport of outrigger canoeing with Honor and Respect. Most of all, just to have fun! You will learn the safety techniques and how to paddle in a 6-man outrigger canoe with five other paddlers for recreation or competition. Our club is a member of the Southern California Outrigger Racing Association, (http://www.socaloutrigger.org/)SCORA), where our competitive paddlers can compete in different CA, AZ and NV venues. We have six 6-man outrigger canoes, paddles and floatation devices. Bring your friends and family and expect to get wet. For further information or questions, call David Vidad at 928-855-5565, or email info@lhcocc.com.

Driving Directions Coming from 95 north or south turn on Smoketree Ave heading to Rotary Park and the lake. You will pass by a pay booth (free most of the time). Click on the red dot to view Rotary Park . Mahalo

Our Founders
In November 2003, David & LIz Vidad were on vacation in Maui. David noticed a sleek vessel on a pick up truck. He struck up a conversation with the owner and learned about outrigger canoes. Specifically the OC-1. In the Summer of 2004, David purchased a used OC-1 in Maui and had it shipped to Lake Havasu. He had never paddled in an outrigger canoe, but something was calling him.

David was born in 1952 in Los Angeles, CA. He moved to Inglewood at the age of 1 year old. His parents were from the Phillippines. When his parents didn't want him to understand what they were saying, they would speak in their native tongue. He never picked up on the language, culture and history. He was Americanized.

David began paddlling his OC-1 in Thompson Bay, Bridgewater Channel, under the London Bridge and eventually around the island in Lake Havasu. He would start paddling around 5:30 am. He would watch the beautiful sunrises on those mornings and he was the only one on the lake.
Eventually, he found out about the OC-6's. David visited Na Leo O'Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club, in Phoenix, AZ, where he first met Lono and Louise Navarro in August 2004. David paddled in an OC-6 for the first time. He decided on the spot that he wanted to start a club in Lake Havasu City. Lono invited David to attend the Lake Las Vegas Regatta that October. With a half an hour of paddling in an OC-6, David was in his first sprint race. Within 1 minute, he was exhausted, in a race that lasted almost 15 minutes. It seemed like eternity to him. At the race, Lono and Louise explained to David the in's and out's of starting and running a club, through their own experience. They introduced him to some of the people involved with SCORA. Billy Whitford was one of them. Billy and David talked for awhile about his club, NAC. It took David 2 weeks to weigh all the information that he learned in Lake Las Vegas. In November 2004, David started his trek to start an outrigger canoe club in Lake Havasu City.