Sea Scout FAQs
The following sections address many of the questions frequently asked about Sea Scouts in general, as well as questions specific to the SSS Yellow Creek. Please feel free to contact us if you have additional questions about our program!
What is Sea Scouts?
Sea Scouts is a program started in the United States in 1912 as an augment to Boy Scouts to expand the opportunities for older youth. Instead of a focus on camping and the wilderness, Sea Scouts focuses on nautical skills and activities. Today it is a program for young men and women ages 13 and a graduate of the 8th grade to 21.
Is the Ship co-ed?
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.
When do we start and what is the schedule?
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 do Sea Scouts do?
You mean, aside from sailing, right?!
Other activities required for an elective for advancement to Quartermaster (the highest rank) include:
- Swimming
- Marlinspike Seamanship (knots, lines, splices, etc,)
- Leadership
- Cooking
- Piloting & Navigation (Charts, Rules of the Road, )
- Deck Seamanship
- Paddlecraft
- Marine Engineering
- Maritime Traditions
We also have the potential to take long ‘cruises’ and other trips with the proper planning and preparation.
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, $158 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?
For the first year, we’ll have a ‘crew uniform’ (consisting of a hat and t-shirt with our logo on it) for all Ship activities. Beginning in June 2024, we’ll plan to begin implementing the official Sea Scout uniform for use in the monthly ship meetings and other events, when appropriate.
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 Mates, who directly interact with our Scouts 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 marine, nautical, boating, naval, or related background that are willing to help guide our Scouts.
Your help in these ‘below deck’ activities help keep our Ship stay ship-shape!