Support Kona's Youth and Ocean Conservation

Aloha! I’m Commodore Joe Scarola, Commodore of the Kona Sailing Club.

On the Big Island, we know the importance of the ocean — it’s where we work, play, and live. It’s the very ocean that guided the first Hawaiians to discover and settle these islands. For generations, Native Hawaiians were master navigators, using the stars, wind, and waves to find their way to Hawai‘i.

Today, through our Youth Summer Sailing Camps, we honor that tradition — teaching keiki to sail, respect the ocean, and build confidence, leadership, and aloha. It’s a chance to get outdoors, off devices, and connected to the past.

If you’d like to help share the spirit of aloha, you can make a charitable donation that goes toward scholarships, instructors, and equipment — like purchasing a dinghy, which costs about $2,000.

Plus, Kona Sailing Club is revolutionizing ocean conservation with the invention of our Buoy Bot (SAM) — a cutting-edge, GPS-powered buoy that stays in place without ever touching the bottom or destroying the coral!

Designed right here by our very own Director of Education and local keiki in Kona, this innovation is a game-changer for preserving our precious reefs. It’s a big step forward for ocean conservation in Hawai‘i. We welcome anyone that finds this exciting to get in touch with Kona Sailing Club so we can get more Buoy Bots on the ocean.

When you support Kona Sailing Club, you help pass down the wisdom of wayfinding, stewardship, and aloha to the next generation.

Mahalo