The article Koa indicates that outrigger canoes, used in Hawaiian history and
still used in the state official team sport, can no longer be made of koa because
koa is in danger of becoming extinct.
there are not enough koa trees of the needed size and straightness available.
the plantations for koa want to use the wood for other things.
surfboards are much more popular with young people.
Othere is not a demand for outrigger canoes from koa because they can be built from
fiberglass