LAHAINA — The Dougie Tihada Memorial Regatta is always a special day for Napili Canoe Club.

When it is the Maui County Hawaiian Canoe Association championship regatta — as it was Saturday at Hanakao’o Beach Park — it is even more festive for the black-and-yellow-clad club from West Maui.

As it honored Tihada, one of the club’s founding fathers who died in 1989, Napili held on to third place in the season-long standings. The club boasts a membership of more than 250.

“Oh man, it feels amazing, I mean I love paddling in these waters, paddling in my boat, paddling with these people on my crew,” said Kaulana Tihada, Dougie’s grandson who was in seat 5 for the Napili boys 18 crew that won for the fourth time in seven regattas this summer. “We’ve been paddling since we were like 8, 10, 5 years old even, so this feels nice, paddling with my boys every day.”

Kaulana Tihada knows all about Dougie Tihada — Kaulana’s uncles Nori and Kelii Tihada, and his dad Joey Tihada make sure of that.

“He was a real tough guy, but was a real caring and loving guy,” Kaulana Tihada said of his grandfather. “Even though he used to mess around, play around with all his brothers, he always made sure to love them, care for them.

“It’s definitely a special day every year. All of us just coming together as a family. … The intensity is always there, especially when it’s championship day.”

Eugene Tihada, 79, who is two years younger than his brother Dougie, joined the club in 1978, two years after it was founded.

“He would be very happy the way the club has turned out,” Eugene Tihada said. “I think he would be very happy, looking around at all his kids and all the Tihadas still involved. … That’s why I’ve been with this club for a long time. … It’s very special for us. I know he’s very proud, my bruddah would be very proud of how the club turned out.”

Eugene Tihada looked down the crowded beach and shook his head.

“It’s unbelievable, there’s a lot more people here than there used to be,” he said.

Joey Tihada is Napili’s head coach — his brothers Kelii and Nori are both assistant coaches and their mom Irene Tihada helps at the official canopy tent every week.

“The season has been going real good,” Joey Tihada said. “The club overall we’re in third place, the bottom line is just trying to get everyone to buy in to what we’re doing, the new guys and the kids and adults and stuff — making this a fun atmosphere and a fun time for them.

“But it’s just about working together as a club and taking care of the keiki, the kupuna and, again, just coming out here and having fun.”

As far as competition, full attention now turns to the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association championships, Aug. 5 at Hilo Bay.

Hawaiian Canoe Club has won every MCHCA summer-long title since 1985 and the 15-time state champions appear ready to make a serious run at their first state crown since 2017.

There are 44 races at the state regatta and HCC is set to fill nearly all of them — the MCHCA gets two lanes per race on the 14-lane state slate, but there will be the chance to buy lanes that are not filled by other associations across the state.

“We came in with 38 (crews in state-qualifying positions), but last year at this time we had, like, 29 or 30,” HCC keiki coach and statistician Paul Luuwai said. “We’re ecstatic about that number. In our club, we feel like we’re a little bit stronger this year.”

Hawaiian, the state runner-up last season, scored 167 points Saturday to finish the seven-regatta season with 1,190. Kihei was second Saturday (85) and on the season (574).

Napili finished fourth on Saturday with 61 points, six behind third-place Na Kai Ewalu, but Saturday’s host club claimed third place overall in the MCHCA standings with 440 points.

Lae’ula O Kai was close behind with 421 and Na Kai Ewalu was just six more points back.

Lanes that are not filled in the various state races can be bought by MCHCA crews that finished third in their event. HCC will use that route to try to place a crew in every state event.

“We’re looking at Lanikai and Hui Nalu and Kailua — they have most of the crews in that we want, so they’re not going to be competing with us to buy lanes that we want,” Luuwai said. “Anybody with 30 crews should be a (state) contender. … Lanikai has 42 out of 44, so they’re really good, but we also know that we’re better than last year. … We still have 25 first seeds, last year we had 18 or 19 at this time.

“So, we know we can purchase some of the lanes where we’re not qualifying. We’d rather qualify outright, but we’re in a good position. We’re just trying to do the right things and keep our club together and we’re trying to peak at the right time.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

DOUGIE TIHADA MEMORIAL REGATTA

Saturday’s Results

At Hanakao’o (Canoe) Beach Park

Hawaiian 167, Kihei 85, Na Kai Ewalu 67, Napili 61, Lae’ula O Kai 52, Lahaina 38, Wailea 36, Kahana 4.

MCHCA season (through 7 of 7 events)

Hawaiian 1,190, Kihei 574, Napili 440, Lae’ula O Kai 421, Na Kai Ewalu 415, Lahaina 274, Wailea 248, Kahana 28, Hana 5.