NEW!!!
April 10, 2024
HOST Hawai’i is pleased to announce that the American Canoe Association has acquired additional stickers for distribution to its membership! Great work, ACA! You can visit the ACA’s Scan If Found sticker page here: https://americancanoe.org/scan-if-found/
April 9, 2024
Delighted to announce the participation of HCRA (Hawai’i Canoe Racing Association) in promoting of HOST Hawai’i’s SCAN IF FOUND sticker program! The Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association was formed for the purpose of engaging in charitable, educational, cultural, and recreational activities associated with Hawaiian canoeing, including the promotion of outrigger canoe racing and the construction and preservation of authentic Hawaiian Koa canoes. https://www.hcrapaddler.com/
March 6, 2024
HOST Hawai’i is pleased to announce that our PSA has been accepted by Pacific Media Group and will be shared by the following radio stations:KAGB WaimeaKAPA HiloKDDB WaipahuKJKS KahuluiKJMD PukalaniKKBG HiloKLEO KahaluuKLHI KahuluiKLUA Kailua Kona
February 28, 2024
HOSTHAWAII’s Public Service Announcement (PSA) for our “Scan If Found” sticker program is now being read on KMNO 91.7FM! Mahalo to Mana’o Radio for their support!
“When our first responders find kayaks, dive floats, and boards drifting at sea, they immediately start searching for someone who needs help. Every year, thousands of responder hours are wasted chasing gear that’s simply lost. HOST Hawaii is proud to introduce our FREE, “Scan If Found” sticker program. Scan your sticker’s unique QR Code and register your info in seconds, then put the sticker on your personal watercraft. The sticker acts as a virtual ID tag for your gear which helps our first responders AND helps you get lost gear back. Visit hosthawaii.org/sticker to learn more and where to pick up your stickers at locations across Maui. This program is funded by the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.”
February 18, 2024
In our latest video, HOST Chairman Michael McDonald and Secretary Gabe Nelson talk about HOST and the SCAN IF FOUND sticker program. Special thanks to Motogawa Music Entertainment for having us on his Retro 97.1FM show!
Pick up your FREE “Scan If Found” stickers
On O`ahu at:
POP Fishing and Marine – 1133 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu HI 96817
West Marine – 420 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu HI 96817
Surf N Sea – 62-595 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa HI 96712
Windward Boats, Inc – 789 Kailua Rd, Kailua HI 96734
Island Divers Hawaii – Schofield Main Exchange 694 Cadet Sheridan Rd Schofield Barracks, HI 96857
Honolulu Scuba Company – 670 Auahi St Suite A-1 Honolulu, HI 96813
Kewalo Harbormaster Office – 1125 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814
On Maui at:
Maui Sporting Goods Wailuku – 92 N Market St, Wailuku, HI 96793
Adventure Sports Maui – 400 Hana Hwy, Kahului, HI 96732
Kanaha Kai Maui – 49 Amala Pl, Kahului, HI 96732
Hi Tech Surf Sports – 425 Koloa St Shop, Kahului, HI 96732
Second Wind Sail Surf & Kite- 111 Hana Hwy #110, Kahului, HI 96732
Tri Paddle Maui – 54 N. Market Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
Maui Marine Center – 1976 Wells St, Wailuku, HI 96793
Aloha Maui Diving – 130 Kupuohi St D-4, Lahaina, HI 96761
Naish Hawaii – 810 Haiku Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
Quatro International – 375 W Kuiaha Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
Coldwell Banker (Paia) – 35 Baldwin Ave, Paia, HI 96779
Quatro International (Haiku) – 375 W Kuiaha Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
DLNR Office (Ma’alaea) -101 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI 96793
On Lana`i at:
DLNR/DOBOR Office at Manele SBH, Lana’i: 911 Fraser Ave, Lanai City, HI 96763
On Moloka`i at:
DLNR/DOBOR Office at Kaunakakai SBH, Moloka`i
On Hawai`i Island at:
DLNR DOBOR Hilo Office – 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo HI 96720
On Kaua`i at:
DLNR/DOBOR Kauai District Office at Nawiliwili SBH – 2494 Niumalu Road, Lihue HI 96766
Every week, the Coast Guard, State, and Lifeguards are forced to launch search and rescue missions that don’t need to happen, and it hurts their ability to save lives at sea.
When a dive float, kayak, dinghy, or SUP is found drifting in the ocean, first responders leap into action and begin searching for the owner, who might be lost at sea. Sometimes, there’s a person in the water who gets the help they need, but most of the time, it’s a simple case of lost gear. Either way, Coast Guard helicopters, airplanes, and boats head out to search.
HOST has partnered with the State of Hawaii DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and the US Coast Guard to create the free “Scan If Found” sticker program. If a watercraft is found drifting, these stickers help first responders identify the owner of watercraft/equipment and verify that the owner is safe. Each sticker has a unique number that the US Coast Guard has access to, if the finder of the lost item deems that the situation is a life-threatening emergency, there is also a toll free 24 Coast Guard emergency number that can be called. The US Coast Guard can then match the unique number to the owner of the item.
The stickers also help people return lost gear to one another through an anonymous messaging/relay system & help owners ID their equipment. No account needed, just scan a sticker and you’re in. The videos below show how easily it all works.
Many mahalos to the State of Hawaii DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) for funding the 10,000 stickers currently being distributed Statewide!
Here’s how to scan and register your stickers:
This is what it looks like when someone finds your gear & wants to return it to you:
Here’s how to use a QR code:
Please email questions about the “Scan If Found” to info@hosthawaii.org