Founding of Sea Scouts

Sea Scouting had its beginning at a campfire in England when Lord Baden-Powell voiced the hope that older Scouts would be interested in learning about boat management and seamanship. He stressed the need for young men to prepare themselves for service on their country’s ships. The Sea Scouts in America were founded in 1912 to give youths a chance to experience the joys of sailing.

Following the campfire, there was activity in England that resulted in Lord Baden-Powell’s older brother, Warington, writing a book called Sea Scouting and Seamanship for Boys. It was enthusiastically received by the young men of Britain and soon found its way to the United States.

Sea Scouting in America was founded in 1912. That year, Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts, had Sea Scouts using the schooner Pioneer and was appointed Chairman of the National Council Committee on Sea Scouting. That summer, Charles T. Longstreth organized a Sea Scout patrol on his yacht in Philadelphia. Both of these men prepared pamphlets on Sea Scouting and Carey’s Cruising for Sea Scouts was the first literature related to Sea Scouting.

Sea Scouting. By 1930 the membership had reached 8,043 young men. In the 1930’s, with the cooperation of other departments in the national office of the Boy Scouts of America, he developed training courses for leaders, new registration procedures, and more acceptable Sea Scout equipment and uniforms. He also developed a National Sea Scout flagship competition in 1928 which has been in use in varying forms up to today.

A major revision of the manual was made in 1939 by the national committee. The new version was written by Carl D. Lane, an outstanding skipper and author of many books and articles about small ships and the sea.

With a membership of more than 27,000, Sea Scouting served its country well in World War II. Commander Keane was recalled to active service in the Navy and resigned his position as national director of Sea Scouting.

Thousands upon thousands of former and active Sea Scouts joined the Navy and made a tremendous impression on Admiral Chester Nimitz, who sincerely believed that Sea Scouts were better trained and better equipped to help the Navy win out over the enemy and the elements.

Throughout the rest of the 1940’s, Sea Scouting continued to serve the boys of America who were interested in the lore of the sea. Sea Scouts all over the nation participated in flood relief and community service. They were in evidence at national jamborees. Sea Scout ships across the country held competitive events known as rendezvous and regattas.

Based on the written report of ship activities-the ship log – a national committee selected the ship with the most outstanding record to be the national flagship. Quite surprisingly, two years this honor was achieved by a Sea Scout ship located in the rather arid state of Kansas. Its Skipper was Dr. William C. Menninger, one of the early greats in Sea Scouting.

In May 1949, the National Executive Board made sweeping changes in the older-boy program, as a result of a study made by the Research Service of the Boy Scouts of America. This revision of Senior Scouting recognized as Explorers all young men who were 14 years of age or older and registered with the Boy Scouts of America.

So, on September 1, 1949, the Sea Scouts officially became Sea Explorers. This was primarily a change in terminology since the old Sea Scout program continued much the same is it had in the past.

In 1998, the Boy Scouts of America reorganized the Exploring program into the Learning for Life Exploring program and the new Venturing Division. Sea Exploring was placed in the Venturing Division and was renamed Sea Scouts.

The 10th edition of the Sea Scout Manual, edited by Bruce Johnson and Jimmie Homburg, was published in 2000, which extensively revised the content and organization of the handbook, as well as updating advancement and uniforming standards.

Program Changes

From 1998 through Feb. 10, 2016, the Sea Scouting program was part of Venturing.

Now, Sea Scouting is in the same boat as Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting and Venturing — in that each is a separate BSA program. (Exploring is part of Learning for Life, a BSA subsidiary.)

The move is a “significant milestone for Sea Scouts, BSA,” according to a release from the National Sea Scout Support Committee. The change provides “Sea Scouting with access to the full range of attention and support at the National Council and throughout the BSA organization.”

Modern Sea Scouts

Sea Scouting is a coed program for those 13–21 years of age, designed to teach leadership and responsibility through a boating program. The Sea Scouts started in 1912. While it has changed over the years, it continues to uphold the traditions of the sea under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

Sea Scouting includes a rigorous advancement program that leads our youth through the skills necessary to be a very competent sailor and mature leader. In fact, recipients of the Quartermaster Award, Sea Scouting’s highest rank, can qualify for a higher entry enlisted rank and pay scale if they later join the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard. The Quartermaster rank is equivalent to the Boy Scout’s Eagle Scout rank but is less well known due to the smaller number of Sea Scout Ships in existence