Escort Boat Information
Thank you for helping keep Paddle for Life safe on the water. Each paddle team must be paired with an escort boat for the Maui to Lānaʻi crossing and return voyage.
Escort boat captains can find the required forms, safety protocols, deadlines, and key event information below.
Registration forms are due Friday, September 18, 2026.
Please complete one Escort Boat Registration & Vessel Declaration form for each escort boat and return it by:
Friday, September 18, 2026
Completed forms and required attachments should be emailed to:
paddle4life@pacificcancerfoundation.org
The registration form collects the vessel, owner, insurance, captain, crew, availability, and safety information required for the event’s escort boat roster and DLNR/DOBOR Marine Event Permit compliance.
Required Attachments
Please include:
Insurance card or declarations page
Vessel registration or USCG Certificate of Documentation
Hawaiʻi Boater Safety Education card
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential, if held
Please do not send driver’s licenses.
Escort Boat Registration
September 18
Escort Boat Registration Forms due
September 23
Final escort boat roster prepared for DLNR/DOBOR compliance
September 29 at 6:00 PM
Mandatory safety briefing for escort boat captains
October 3–4
17th Annual Paddle for Life
Important Dates
Escort boat captains are responsible for vessel readiness, crew management, and coordination with their assigned paddle team.
Before the event, please make sure your vessel has:
USCG-approved PFDs for everyone aboard, plus extras
First-aid kit
Charged fire extinguisher
Throw line at least 12 feet long with float
Working boarding ladder
Visible capacity plate
VHF radio
Navigation lights
Anchor and rode
Bailer or bilge pump
Sound signal or horn
Visual distress signals
Escort boats will be audited before launch by Safety Services Hawaii. Missing required equipment must be corrected before the fleet departs.
Before You Launch
Boat Numbering
Each escort boat will receive an assigned boat number that corresponds with its paddle team. During radio roll call, captains should respond using their boat number rather than their vessel name.
Return to Maui After Day 1
All escort boats must return to Maui after Saturday’s crossing. Escort boats may not remain overnight at Hulopoʻe Bay or Mānele Small Boat Harbor.
VHF Channel 74
Escort boats must monitor VHF Channel 74 throughout the voyage and maintain continuous visual contact with their assigned canoe.
New for 2026
All escort boats must follow Paddle for Life marine wildlife and environmental protocols, including:
Maintain at least 50 yards from spinner dolphins
Maintain at least 100 yards from humpback whales
No wake in Hulopoʻe Bay and near shore
No contact with turtles or coral
No anchoring on coral or live substrate
No overboard discharge
No alcohol or controlled substances aboard
Protecting the Channel
For questions about escort boat registration or event logistics, please contact:
Pacific Cancer Foundation
paddle4life@pacificcancerfoundation.org
(808) 242-7661
Safety Lead
Gordon Gillis
Safety Services Hawaii