About Fly The Ama

Casual apparel inspired by outrigger culture,
built for the ocean paddler lifestyle.

Fly The Ama is a clothing line created for the outrigger canoe community and everyone who lives for time on the water. We make casual, race-day-to-beach-day apparel that celebrates the grit, fun, and camaraderie that keep paddlers coming back.

Born from a growing love for outrigger canoe racing and the culture around it, Fly The Ama is designed to feel light, wearable, and real. It is for early mornings at the harbor, long training days, post-race laughs, and the kind of community that feels like family.

About The Owner

Derek Kane is the Founder and Managing Director of NationalStreetTeams.com, a 25 year guerrilla marketing agency representing thousands of brands and events across hundreds of major cities nationwide. 
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Growing up his favorite show was the original Hawaii Five-O. In the opening scene they showed an outrigger team paddling hard through the ocean, to him it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. Later in life to his surprise he saw the same style canoes training in his local Tempe Town Lake in Arizona, he immediately tracked down the clubs who ran those teams and joined as fast as he could. After that a life long passion was born and his goal is to bring growth and awareness for the sport and community.
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“At every race while at the starting line I always take a moment, look around at all the canoes and look up at the sky and say….WOW, I can’t believe I get to do this!” - Derek Kane

What “Fly The Ama” Means

In outrigger canoeing, the ama is the outrigger float that keeps the canoe balanced and fast. It is part performance, part identity, and part culture.

“Fly The Ama” is a phrase that captures the spirit of paddling: staying light, staying steady, and pushing forward when it counts. It is also about the feeling, being in sync with your crew, moving over the water, and having a good time doing it.

Our Inspiration (the why behind the brand)

Outrigger canoe racing is more than a sport. It is a mix of competition, tradition, and community. You can feel it at races, practices, and beach days: the support between crews, the stories, the inside jokes, the shared grind, and the shared joy.

Fly The Ama exists to represent that culture in a way that is wearable and approachable. Not overly serious. Not overly “salesy.” Just authentic to the paddler lifestyle.