Sea Scouts (Scouting America)

Sea Scouts is a program of the Scouting America for coeducational teenagers and young adults ages 14 (or 13 and have completed the eighth grade) through 20.

Aims and principles

In addition to the Scout Oath and Law, Sea Scouts also subscribe to the Sea Promise.

Sea Promise

<poem>As a Sea Scout, I promise to do my best:

To guard against water accidents

To know the location and proper use of the lifesaving devices on every boat I board

To be prepared to render aid to those in need

To let those less able come first.</poem>

Organization

The ship is the fundamental unit of Sea Scouts, consisting of five or more Sea Scouts and the adult leaders. Ships are numbered and may adopt a name.

Each ship is sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, private school, labor group or religious institution. The chartered organization is responsible for providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. A chartered organization representative manages the relationship between the ship, the chartered organization, and the BSA.

The ship committee is a group of adults, led by the ship committee chair, who guide the ship program and activities and manage record keeping, finance, leadership recruitment and registration. The ship is led by youths who are elected to the positions of boatswain, boatswain's mate, crew leader, assistant crew leader, yeoman, purser, and storekeeper. Skipper and mate provide guidance while allowing the youth to lead the ship.

Above the ship level, committees are organized to support the program at the Council, Area, Region, and National level.

Annually, the Sea Scouts National Office in conjunction with the Boat Owners Association of the US (BoatUS) award one ship the honor of being the National Flagship. BoatU.S. created the award in 2002 to mark the 90th anniversary of Sea Scouts. It is presented in recognition of excellence in program quality, youth achievement, and adult commitment.

History

Sea Scouts is the BSA's implementation of the Sea Scout program, initially developed in 1910 by Warington Baden-Powell in England. The founders of Sea Scouts in the United States are Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts, and Charles T. Longstreth of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both leaders independently established Sea Scout groups in the summer of 1912. This accomplishment was recorded in the inaugural issue of Scouting.

In 2016, Sea Scouts became an independent program within the BSA. From 1998 to 2016, it had been part of Venturing, and prior to that part of Exploring.

In 2018, Sea Scouts was designated as the official youth program of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Uniform and insignia

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In 2012, the National Sea Scout Committee introduced the Official Sea Scout Uniform, previously known as the New Century Universal Uniform. This universal uniform is the same for youth and adults as well as men and women. It is flexible enough to be used as an all purpose uniform and is authorized for wear at National Events. The uniform is made up of a dark blue shirt, dark blue pants, a black ball cap or the traditional "Dixie Cup" hat, an optional dark blue neckerchief or "Tar Flap" neckerchief (youth only), a black belt, and black shoes.

Insignia are as follows:

The local council shoulder patch (CSP) is worn on the left sleeve just as it is worn on other Scout uniforms.
Below the CSP, the ship numerals are worn. Below the numerals the badge of office is worn. Below the badge of office is the Long Cruise patch, with segments in red and white for addition cruises (red=1 additional award, white=5 additional awards).

The legacy adult uniform resembled US Navy officer-style uniform: the dress blue and summer whites. A white combination cap is worn with blues and whites. The wearing of adult uniforms is optional for those with the Quartermaster rank. If worn, the uniform is worn in the same manner as that of a Navy Chief Petty Officer.

Quartermaster is the highest rank attainable by a Sea Scout and is equivalent to Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America). The Sea Scout must attend at least three-quarters of all Ship meetings and special activities over eighteen months, demonstrate marlinspike seamanship and leadership skills, demonstrate the ability to teach Sea Scouts skills, complete a Quartermaster Leadership Service Project (community service project) and pass a council level board of review. The Quartermaster emblem is a medal consisting of the Sea Scout emblem on a ship's wheel that is suspended from a solid dark blue ribbon that is in turn suspended from a bar bearing the design of a double carrick bend knot. In 2011, 40 Sea Scouts attained the rank of Quartermaster, compared with over 51000 Eagle Scouts.

Sea Scouts who earn this rank are entitled to wear a uniform similar to that of a United States Navy Chief Petty Officer (CPO), and can enlist in the U.S. Navy or United States Coast Guard at the pay grade of E-3.

AMR takes place over the course of Memorial Day Weekend each year. Various ships from across the western region gather to partake in a friendly competition, including ships from SoCal, NorCal, Hawaii, and sometimes even Idaho and Arizona. The regatta is intended to enhance one's maritime skills, including marlinspike, charting, sailing, safety, and many others. In addition to advancing, the regatta also contributes to socialization and fellowship with events like a movie or a dance at the end of each day.

Other similar regattas exist, such as the Old Salts Regatta and the Southwestern Rendezvous. The latter takes place over Thanksgiving Weekend, and was once located at Camp Pendleton, California. In 2018, the regatta was relocated to the Cabrillo facility and has since been dubbed "Cabrillo Rendezvous" rather than Southwestern Rendezvous.

Training

Sea Scouts take specific Sea Scout training for youth and adults.

Youth Training

There are several training opportunities available to Sea Scout youth including Quarterdeck Training, Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships (ILSS), and Sea Scout Experience Advanced Leadership (SEAL) training. The SEAL program is a week-long course designed teach leadership skills while underway. Safety at Sea is a joint U.S. Coast Guard/BSA hands on training event that teaches advanced maritime skills to Sea Scout youth.

Sea Scouts may also obtain the boating licenses and safe boating training certifications offered at the state and local levels and are encouraged to qualify in first aid, CPR, lifesaving, SCUBA and US Sailing certifications. Ships are encouraged to affiliate with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons enabling Sea Scouts and Scouters to obtain additional training.

Adult Training

A trained Sea Scout Leader has completed Sea Sea Scout Adult Leader Basic Training. Supplemental training includes Long Cruse Planning, Introduction to on the Water Leadership Skills, and Advanced on the Water Leadership Skills. Seabadge is an advanced leadership unit management training targeted to Sea Scout leaders.

References

External links