The Newport Aquatic Center has christened a new outrigger canoe in honor of the paddlers who built its program from scratch more than two decades ago.

The canoe, named Hōkū O Legends, carries racing number 206 and a color scheme that replicates the original five Bradley canoes that launched NAC's outrigger fleet. The names of the honored founders are inscribed inside the bulkhead, according to a tribute published Thursday, July 17 on NAC's website.

"Hōkū O" means "Star of" in Hawaiian. Each of those original Bradleys carried a name beginning with the phrase, and the new canoe's number was reused from one of those boats that has been part of the fleet for more than 20 years.

The four honorees span the program's history.

Jon Van Cleave, NAC co-founder alongside Billy Whitford, was a pararescue jumper, Olympian, gold-medal athlete, attorney, and pilot. He served on NAC's board and spent decades shaping the center's community before his death in July 2023. In its tribute, NAC wrote that its story "cannot be told without mentioning JVC."

Sam Couch III coached outrigger at NAC for decades and mentored many of the program's current leaders. He was one of NAC's first coxswains and one of the few athletes to compete in every watercraft the center offers at a national level.

John Rader helped bring Hawaiian outrigger canoe culture to Newport Beach and was instrumental in building what NAC describes as one of the country's largest paddling communities.

Hal and Kay Rosoff have supported NAC since its earliest days. Hal has been one of the harbor's greatest outrigger advocates, and the center holds an annual Hal Rosoff Classic race in their honor each winter.

NAC teams have competed in the Kaiwi Channel crossing, the 41-mile Molokai-to-Oahu route known as the Channel of Bones. The center was founded in 1982 and built in 1987 at North Star Beach on Upper Newport Bay.

The All Grit, No Quit JVC Rodeo, a three-discipline event featuring a 5K erg, 5K run, and 5K paddle honoring Van Cleave, is scheduled for Saturday, July 26 at 1 Whitecliffs Drive in Newport Beach.