The voyaging canoes Hokule'a and Alingano Maisu, with escort motorsailer Kama Hele, were scheduled to leave Yap at midday yesterday for Palau.

The canoes, which spent several days at Yap while crews cleaned the canoes, performed maintenance and repairs, and restocked, were in good condition to continue sailing, said crew member Na'alehu Anthony.

The canoes expect to take three days to get to Palau, where they will participate in environmental education programs.

Hokule'a skipper Nainoa Thompson, concerned about the number of new sailors on board, has adjusted watch schedules to ensure at least two veteran sailors are on duty at all times. The four senior crew members, Attwood Makanani, Ka'iulani Murphy, Na'alehu Anthony and Keoni Kuoha, will be split into pairs and will stand six-hour watches. That means they will be on watch for six hours, get six hours off and then be on again for six hours.

The remaining crew members will stand four-hour watches, meaning they are on duty for four hours and off for eight hours before coming back on watch.

The crew members on watch are charged with the actual steering and sailing of the canoe. Other duties, like cooking and washing dishes, are performed by off-watch crew members.

Alingano Maisu will sail with an all-Micronesian crew, with the exception of one Tahitian crew member.

Hokule'a's crew includes Thompson, Palau President Tommy Esang Remengesau Jr., Dr. Vernon Andsdell, Makanani, Murphy, Anthony, Kuoha, Pauline Sato, Dennis Eric Co, Emily Fielding, Pomai Bertelmann, Patti Ann Solomon, Nanakuli High School student Waimea McKeague and Kamehameha Schools student Aaron Akina.

The Polynesian Voyaging Society listed Kama Hele's crew as captain Mike Taylor, Lee Taylor, Mike Cunningham, Bill Beadle, James Hadde, Sam Monaghan and Erik Norris.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.