Kioe, Pōhaku Stone

In pre-contact Hawai’I, surfing was enjoyed by all, with skilled surfers favoring boards like the kioe. Its shape allowed riders to surf steep wave faces while standing, kneeling, or prone, using their hands and feel to control speed and direction and stay close to the curl. The traditional kioe and kiko’o shapes later inspired surfer John Kelly’s Hot Curl- a breakthrough in modern surfboard design.