Rank Advancment Requirements
- Long Cruise Patch
- Small Boat Handler
- Qualified Seaman
- Ship Award
- BSA Lifeguard
- Mile Swim
- Snorkeling
- Boardsailing
- Venture Award
- Eagle Scout
- Fitness & Sport
- Religious Emblems
- Other Awards
ORDINARY
Ideals
1. Give an explanation of the Sea Scout emblem and tell how and why it is used. Prove that you have a general understanding of the customs and courtesies of the sea.
2. Give a brief history of the U.S. flag and show when to fly it and how to hoist, lower, fold, display, and salute it.
Active Membership
3. Attend at least 75% of your ship's meetings and special activities for six months.
4. Complete quarterdeck training, either as a petty officer or as a prospective petty officer, as provided and required by your ship and council.
5. Recruit a new member for your ship and follow through until the new member is registered and formally admitted.
Special Skills
6. BOATS: Know the identifying and special advantages of 10 of the following types of boats: canoe, catamaran, dinghy, dory, kayak, motor cruiser, motor lifeboat, motor sailer, motor whaleboat, prem, pulling whaleboat, punt, runabout, self-bailing surfboat, skiff, trimaran. Name the principal parts of the type of craft commonly used by your ship.
Know the proper display of boat flags and courtesy on small boats.
Demonstrate your ability to handle a rowboat.
7. MARLISPIKE SEAMANSHIP: Using line appropriate to the craft you normally use, tie the following knots and explain the use of each: overhand knot, stevedore's knot, bowline on a bite, timber hitch, rolling hitch, marline hitch, midshipman's hitch, and double bowline(French bowline).
Name the various materials used for rope, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and the characteristics of laid and braided rope. Understand the meaning of lay, thread, strand, and hawser.
Demonstrate the ability to secure a line to pilings, bitts, and rings, and to coil, flake, and flemish a line. Know how rope is measured and sized. Demonstrate how to cut and heat seal a synthetic line.
8. GROUND TACKLE: Describe five types of anchors. Describe how each type holds the bottom, the kind of bottom in which it holds best, and any other advantages or disadvantages.
Name the parts of a stock anchor and a stockless anchor.
9. PILOTING: Explain the degree system of compass direction. Explain variation and deviation, and show how corrections are applied to correcting and uncorrecting compass headings assigned by your consultant.
Name the relative bearings expressed in both degrees and points. Be able to report objects in view and wind directions with respect to the boat, and know the duties of a lookout.
Name three kinds of devices aboard ship for measuring speed and/or distance traveled and, if possible, demonstrate their use.
Make a dead reckoning table of compass and distances (minimum three legs) between two points, plot these on a chart, and determine the final position.
Note: It is best if this requirement can be met while under way. If this is not possible, it may be simulated, but the courses and charts used must be those in the normal cruising area of the ship.
10. COMMUNICATIONS: Name the three principals methods of visual signaling and explain the advantages and limitations of each method.
Name the three principal types of radiotelephone equipment in marine use and demonstrate your knowledge of the correct radiotelephone procedures.
11. TIME: Understand Universal Coordinated time (Greenwich mean time) and zone time, and demonstrate the ability to convert from one to the other for your local area. Name the seven watches and bell time. Understand the 24-hour system of telling time.
12. SWIMMING: Meet the requirements for the Swimming merit badge.
13. CRUISING: Take part in planning and then make a two day (including overnight) cruise in an approved craft under leadership. Submit a satisfactory log of the cruise.
Name the wheel or helm orders specified in the current Pilot Rules manual. While on the cruise, perform the duties of a helmsman.
Note: For each day of the cruise, fill out a cruise log.
14. SAFETY: Know the man overboard, fire, abandon ship, and all other drills used by your ship.
List the equipment that should be contained in an abandon ship bag, and list the duties to be performed before abandoning ship.
List the safety equipment required by law for your ship's main vessel. Discuss BSA Safety Afloat with a ship's officer.
15. GALLEY: While on a cruise or at a camp, prepare or take charge of a breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including boiled, fried, and uncooked dishes. Demonstrate your ability to properly use the galley equipment or personal cooking gear generally used aboard your craft. Demonstrate appropriate sanitation techniques for food preparation and meal cleanup.
Submit a menu, list of provisions, and estimated costs before meeting the above requirement.
Explain the use of charcoal, pressurized alcohol, propane, and compressed natural gas stoves, including safety precautions for each.
16. SAILING: Name the principal parts of the masts, booms, spars, standing and running rigging, and sails of a gaff- or marconi-rigged sloop, schooner, and ketch or yawl.
Describe the identifying characteristics of a sloop, ketch, yawl, cutter, and schooner.
17. WORK: As a Seaman Apprentice log at least 16 hours of work on ship equipment, projects, or activities other than regular ship meetings, parties, dances, or fun events.
18. ELECTIVES: Do any three of the following:
Note: Many ships place emphasis on different skills because of the nature of their programs. Check with your ship's petty officers before selecting electives to ensure that they will be consistent with the ship's program.
A. Drill: Demonstrate your ability to execute commands in a close order drill.
B. Signaling: Send and receive semaphore messages using proper procedures at a rate of at least 30 letters per minute.
C. Compass: Box the compass to 32 points and demonstrate your ability to compute the degree heading for each point. Describe the relationship between the 32 points and the relative bearing system using points.
D. Yacht Racing: Describe the procedures used in yacht racing, and the signals used by the race committee to start the race, and serve as a crew member in a race sailed under current International Sailing Federation Rules.
Note: Secure the help of your ship's officers to obtain a copy of the current version of the ISAF racing rules from the U.S. Sailing Association and secure a berth on your nearest qualified yacht club race, or sail in your local council or regional sailing races.
E. Sailing: In a cat rigged or similar boat, demonstrate the ability to sail single handedly a triangular course (leeward, windward, and reaching marks). Demonstrate beating, reaching, and running. A qualified instructor must observe this.
F. Ornamental Ropework: Demonstrate your ability to make a three-strand turk's head, and a three-strand monkey's fist. Using either ornamental knot, make up a heaving line.
G. Engines: Perform routine maintenance on your ship's propulsion system, including filter, spark plug, oil changes, and other appropriate proper fueling procedures. Refer to ship's officers or operation manuals for correct procedures.