Nā runga i ngā waka kaiwai whero kōwhiri ana hei tūranga moe, ka hangaia he waka kaiwai mō te hīkoi o te wai, e pai ana mo ngā tūranga mahi, ā-taone me ngā tūponotanga ā-wāhi. I hangaia i raro i ngā pokonui whero, e āhei ana enei waka kaiwai ki te whakatika i ngā momo kino, kei te whiwhi i te mana haere me te pono nui, e āhei ana ki te takahi i te taumata me te pāpori o ngā pūnaha wai nui i te wā o te hīkoi. Ka noho ngā pokonui whero i roto i ngā momo kaweke anti - rūstau rānei, ko ngā kaweke tiaki rānei, hei whakamutu i te rūti, hei whakapakari i te wai kia kore rawa e tae ana ki te mate. Ki te whakatūria he pūngao pai, he pūhoro, me ngā pūtonga, ka whiwhi mai i te tino wāhanga, te hīkoi, me te whakawehi i te wai. Ko ngā tohu haumaru, pērā i ngā pūtake tirotiro, ngā mōhiohanga pūnua, me ngā pūtango āpōpō, e whakatakoto ana ki te mahi pai, me te kitea ai he waka kaiwai whero pai ki te hīkoi i te wai i waenganui i ngā wheno.