Sea Scout FAQs
The following sections address many of the questions frequently asked about Sea Scouts in general, as well as questions specific to MEC Ole’ Yeller. Please feel free to contact us if you have additional questions about our program!
What is a Maritime Explorer Club?
Maritime Explorer Clubs (“MECs”) are a special-interest Exploring program that offer boys and girls water-based adventure and career exploration. Adventures include an emphasis in, on, or under water such as sailing, paddlesports, scuba or other types of boating. Career discovery includes maritime-related fields such as oceanography or STEM. Youth learn from experienced practitioners and professionals, as well as thru hands-on maritime experiences. This is lifelong learning, one exploration at a time. Character-building experiences plus life skills and career exploration meet fun and adventure in an exciting, informal format.
Is the Club co-ed? What is the age range?
Provided that a sufficient number of male and female adult leaders come forward, we would like to offer the program as a co-ed one.
Sixth, 7th, and 8th grade boys and girls who have have not completed the 8th grade are eligible to join a Maritime Explorer Club. The age range for participation within these grade levels is 10-14.
When do we start and what is the schedule?
In general, our meetings will be closely tied with the Sea Scout Ship (heck, we need their boats to find Ole’ Yeller, right?). For 2023-2024, we plan on holding a single monthly meeting beginning in September. Beginning in June 2024, we’ll also begin holding weekly meetings (generally at the sailing base), which meetings will continue until the end of August. This will hopefully avoid most of the potential conflicts with other scouting units. Monthly meetings will continue throughout the year.
Do I actually get to skipper a boat?
Yes! One of our goals is to help all our Scouts become competent sailors, so you’ll certainly be spending plenty of time at the tiller. You’ll learn how to rig and launch, sail upwind, conduct an overboard rescue and much more. Sailors will have the opportunity to earn US Sailing small boat certification and a Pennsylvania Boating License.
What will our Club do?
Weren’t you paying attention? Learning the skills we need to find Ole’ Yeller. These can include things like:
- Swimming
- Seamanship
- Navigation/Charts
- Environmental Sciences
- Paddlecraft/Sailing
- Marine Engineering
- History & Investigation
We also have the potential to take trips with the proper planning and preparation to see how others have searched for seldom-seen creatures.
What are the costs of the program?
For Scouts already registered in another BSA program, no additional registration fees are required.
For other youth members, $128 is required to cover fees required by the National BSA organization as well as our local council. Financial assistance is available to help defray some or all of these costs.
Please note that this does not include the costs of awards, activities, uniforms, etc., which we’re working on determining and will have better defined in June 2024 when the program really kicks off.
What about a uniform?
We’ll have a ‘club uniform’ (consisting of a hat and t-shirt with our logo on it) for all Club activities (how else can we tell who we can trust with what we learn about Ole’ Yeller?).
As a parent, how can I interact with the program?
We’d love to have you come aboard!
We have a Committee, which assists in planning social events, fundraisers, and other critical aspects of our program.
We also have the Sponsors, who directly interact with our Explorers and are the front line in making sure our program has wind in its sails.
Finally, we have Consultants, who are those that have some related background and are willing to help guide our Explorers.