Research into the early Polynesian voyages, and the inhabitants of the Pacific islands, has mainly been focusing on proving from where the indigenous Polynesian population originated, and by which routes they sailed to the islands. Research into traditional Polynesian navigation and seamanship has, on the other hand been very limited, actually it is in the recent years that this issue has got attention. This is possibly due to the fact that the large double-canoes and the knowledge of how to sail them has almost disappeared.

Eventhough there are still isolated islands where the population sails and navigates from small outrigger-canoes, the research is mainly based on source material from the early European explorers. The explorers saw the double-canoes in function, and interviewed the navigators of that time. Based on the source material it is possible to make computer simultations, and replicas of the canoes.