KAWAIHAE, Hawai'i — A powerful, gusty wind lifted the pale coral dust off the roads around Kawaihae Harbor yesterday, reinforcing the decision by voyaging-canoe leaders to delay the departure of Hokule'a and Alingano Maisu.

On Hokule'a, the crew lashed into place a repaired canvas tent that covers the port side hull. The canvas had been torn near the front of the canoe Friday as the vessel made the passage to Kawaihae from O'ahu and encountered heavy weather in the 'Alenuihaha Channel. Nainoa Thompson, who was serving as captain at the time, said heavy waves crashed across the canvas onto the canoe's deck. One of them caused a rip just above the deck.

On Maisu, final touches were being made on the 36-foot boom. Fittings to allow quick reefing, or securing of the sails, in heavy weather were among the added features. In the late afternoon yesterday, the crews met for a ceremony at the old Mahukona Harbor, about 10 miles north of Kawaihae. The original plan had been for the canoes to sail to Mahukona for a departure ceremony before setting off on their voyage into the western Pacific. But with weather holding up the departure, they decided to do their ceremony on schedule and then have the flexibility to leave when the weather is right, Thompson said.

"It's bringing the voyaging community together, bringing together all our families and well-wishers who have supported the program. It's a key edge. It's a place where we can take a moment to give aloha to those who are going to sea.

"Everyone knows there is risk in going on these voyages. With this, the crews know their community is behind them," he said.

The canoes will wait for the rugged 'Alenuihaha to quiet down.

There is nothing that voyagers can control about the weather and seas once they're out in it, but they do have the ability to choose their departure time.

"If you have the ability to control the departure, who would not take the time? The first few days is a time where everybody gets into the voyaging zone," and it is valuable to let people become accustomed to their lives at sea before facing heavy weather they assume they will inevitably face, he said.

One issue is that the channels around the Islands are in many ways rougher than the open ocean, he said.

"Right now, at this point in time, the roughest place between here and Palau is 'Alenuihaha," he said.

Channel weather is made more difficult by strong winds and currents funneling between Islands, as well as by cross-seas caused by ocean swells reflecting off hard island shores.

Thompson said the voyagers are not predicting their departure date. They will stay ready and will let the winds decide, he said.

The two canoes, along with the escort motorsailer Kama Hele, will leave Kawaihae, swing by Kaho'olawe island and head southwest for the atoll of Majuro in the Marshall Islands.

There, they will change some crew members and take an island-hopping route to Satawal, the home of Mau Piailug, who taught noninstrument navigation to Hawaiian voyagers. The canoe Alingano Maisu is a gift from the Hawaiian voyaging community to Piailug.

Later, Hokule'a will sail on a goodwill mission to Japan.