Kenneth Pratt was elected to Life Membership in the Outrigger Canoe Club on February 20, 1989 at the Club’s Annual Meeting. Ken joined the Club in 1924 and was fully involved in Outrigger’s canoeing, swimming and volleyball programs. He rejoined the Club after World War II in 1948, and began serving on Club committees.
Olympian Buster Crabbe taught Ken to steer a canoe and he was in charge of the surfboard water polo events held in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in the 20s and 30s. He spent his free time sanding and varnishing the Club’s canoes. He served on the Canoe Committee and was in charge of selling and donating some of the Club’s excess koa canoes. Some ended up with other canoe clubs and some decorating hotel bars.
In the 50s when he was chair of the Canoe Surfing Committee, he arranged for the state to remove some of the coral heads in front of the Halekulani Hotel at Popular surf so canoes and surfers would be safe.
Ken joined the Historical Committee in 1977. In 1978 he took over the Oral History Program and conducted interviews with nine long-time members.
Historical Committee
1977 Member
1979 Member
1980 Member
1982 Member
1983 Member
1984 Member
1985 Member
1986 Member
1987 Member
1988 Member
1989 Member
Nominating Committee
1952 Member
1953 member
1954 Member
1958 Member
1959 Member
1960 Member
1961 Member
1962 Member
Canoe Racing Committee
1958 Chair
Canoe Committee
1958 Chair
Men’s Entertainment Committee
1952 Chair
Canoe Surfing Committee
1960 Chair
Volleyball Championships
1948 1st, Men Open 6
1950 1st, 4-Man