Committee
Chairman, Max Rosenberg
707-373-5619
skipper@sssterrapin.org
Director of Events, Laura Rosenberg
510-529-5253
laura@sssterrapin.org
Director of Operations, Leslie Feyling
510-366-8671
leslie.feyling@gmail.com
Scoring Director, Lindi Haight
510-673-8070
lindi.haight@gmail.com
Social Chair, Samantha Lovelace
925-705-3479
samanthalovelace96@gmail.com
Chief Judge, James Heller
949-235-2524
jaheller5@gmail.com
Registration Email
AncientMariner1952@gmail.com
The following changes have been made to the previous version of the Ancient Mariner Regatta Boarding Guide.
Please be sure to review all changed events:
Events
● Knots - S-2, T-15: The sheet bend is tied with two lines of different diameter.
● Swim - S-6: The score is deducted at a rate of three percent per second.
● Drill – T5: Close arm interval dress and hand salute are now graded commands.
Procedures
● Protests for pool events may be submitted to the pool coordinator instead of the Quarterdeck.
● Ships form a line using a sign-up sheet when waiting for an event to become available, instead of
submitting cards in advance.
Base
The total area used for the regatta includes the California Maritime Academy facilities, moored Scout vessels, parking lots, common areas, and any other area defined by the regatta.
Boatswain
A Scout enrolled in the ship and registered with the regatta as the Boatswain; the ship’s primary youth contact person for all matters having to do with the regatta.
Combined ship
Any two or more ships that are registered at the regatta as a single competitive unit shall be considered a combined ship. Combined ships conduct themselves as a single ship for the purposes of the regatta. The combined ship will receive one regatta number and one regatta packet and in all other respects will be considered as a single ship for the purposes of the regatta. Each individual ship or Venturing crew will receive an individual award plaque.
Coxswain
Scout-in-charge of a particular event.
Event
Individual competitive events held at the regatta.
Officer-in-Charge (OIC)
An adult officer enrolled in the ship and registered with the regatta as the OIC; the OIC is the ship’s primary adult contact person in all matters with the regatta.
Quarterdeck
The Regatta administration center where you will find the Registration, Lost and Found, and All regatta committee members may be contacted through the Quarterdeck. All protests should be filed with the Quarterdeck in order to be considered.
Scouts and Officers should refrain from seeking out the scoring office unless specifically invited.
Regatta
The Ancient Mariner Regatta (AMR).
Registered
Officers, Scouts, and ships that have been invited to, applied with, and have been accepted for participation by the regatta.
Scouts
Ship members that compete in the events at the regatta. See Eligibility for details.
Sea Scout Manual
The 2016 printing Sea Scout Manual, 12th Edition, including all more recent Errata notices available for download on the Sea Scout website.
Ship
Sea Scout Ships and Venturing crews currently chartered in good standing with their local BSA council, or Mariner ships currently chartered in good standing with GSUSA, and are registered to participate in the regatta. Also used to describe a single competitive unit made up of an individual Sea Scout Ship, Venturing crew, Mariner ship or combination thereof (see Combined Ship).
Team
Scouts selected by a ship to participate in a particular event.
The regatta is a whole-ship event where all ship members are expected to register and participate either as an Officer or a Scout as defined here.
Scout
Currently enrolled youth members of a regatta-registered ship who are: At least thirteen years of age and have graduated the eighth-grade, or are at least fourteen years of age regardless of grade, and are under eighteen years of age or are under nineteen years of age if a full-time high-school student. Proof of age and student status may be required in order to be eligible to compete. Any crew member found to be in violation of these requirements will be asked to leave the regatta and the Ship will receive a score of zero for every event in which that crew member participated.
Officer
Other members of a regatta-registered ship who are currently enrolled as a youth or adult member in their ship and are at least eighteen years old and are not eligible to participate as a Scout. Each ship is required to register all adult officers present.
Non-participating status
Registration of any Scout or officer in “non-participating” status must be only for strong compelling reasons, such as disability, and must be approved by the Director of Events and the Chairman.
If sickness, injury or other compelling reason precludes participation by a Scout in any Required or Ship Event, the OIC must file a medical exemption form requesting exemption from specific events. If approved, the ship’s scoring in those events will be adjusted to reflect the change in the number of crew participating in the event.
Medical exemptions should be filed with sufficient supporting documents, such as a doctor’s note, so that the Director of Events and the Director of Scoring may make the best-informed decision regarding the request. Medical exemptions should be filed in advance of the regatta by emailing the medical exemption form and supporting documents to AncientMariner1952@Gmail.Com. For injuries that occur within five days of the regatta, medical exemptions may be filed at registration. Other than for injuries incurred during the regatta, medical exemptions filed after the close of registration will be denied.
Crew members who are exempted from any ship events will be expected not to participate in team events deemed reasonably similar by the Chairman and Director of Events.
If a medical exemption has been approved for a specific event, the coxswain should notify the Event Director upon arrival at the event. Any scoring changes will be made in the scoring office. Be aware that scores will be adversely affected if any crew member does not participate and a medical exemption has not previously been filed and approved.
Medical exemptions will be applied to a maximum of two ship events.
Registration is accomplished by going to www.ancientmarinerregatta.com and following the instructions provided. To make changes to your registration or for other assistance, please contact the Director of Operations.
Regatta Check-In
Open at the Quarterdeck Friday evening. The ship’s Boatswain and OIC should check-in as soon as practical after your arrival.
Special accommodation: Ships that have crew members requiring special accommodations, such as having a quiz read to them, should request such accommodations at Regatta Check-In.
All ships are required to participate in the following minimum service assignments: Leader Service
All ships must participate in a minimum of ten (10) judging assignments or two (2) judging assignments per registered officer, whichever is less. Judging assignments consist of judging or assisting at events or other required service assignments. Serving as an Event Director counts as 2 assignments, NOT 4. Sign-ups for judging assignments will be done when registering on site.
There are generally more assignments available to be filled than the minimum requirements will provide. We encourage all officers to volunteer for assignments beyond the minimum required for your ship.
Each ship will also be asked to assign adult leaders to attend and assist with supervising evening social activities.
Ship Service/Service Watch
Service watches will be available for sign up during registration.
Failure of any ship to provide the following required forms and permits may result in denial of participation.
AMR Liability, Medical, and Talent Release
All participants must complete the online liability form sent to the unit’s adult leader.
Health and Medical Examination
This is a strenuous and active program. The OIC is responsible to review and must have in his or her possession current BSA approved medical form, or equivalent, for each Scout and officer registered at the regatta. It is the OIC’s responsibility to determine individual ship member’s fitness for participation. The regatta reserves the right to refuse any person participation at any event for any reason including health related reasons.
Only persons registered at the regatta will be permitted to berth in the CMA Housing or any Scout vessel on base. Limited berthing is available in CMA Housing and is assigned on a first-registered, first-served basis. Scouts and Officers must stay only in the room to which they are assigned. Limited moorage is also available for ships afloat. Contact with regatta staff should be made well in advance in order to assure moorage for your vessel. A mooring plan will be developed and must be adhered to in order to accommodate all cruising vessels and assure availability in the future. We strongly encourage ships to provide berthing on their own vessels where available. Shore power is not available at this regatta.
No camping, camping trailers or recreational vehicles of any kind will be allowed on or around the regatta grounds. Those persons choosing not to berth in CMA Housing or aboard their ship’s vessel must make private arrangements off of CMA campus.
Visiting hours are from 0700 to 2000.
General Information
The regatta does not provide supervisory services of any type. Each ship is responsible for the supervision of their members and must comply with the current Scouting America guidelines, or your primary organization’s governing rules.
Violation of the supervision requirement may result in immediate disqualification and removal of the ship from the regatta.
Committee Members, Event Directors and Roving judges appointed by the Chairman are authorized to issue merits and demerits to Scouts, officers, and ships. A maximum of five merits or demerits may be issued at any one time.
A ship that accumulates five demerits will have its Class Award lowered by one class. Merits are
added to the ship’s Sportsmanship total.
Once a ship has accumulated 2 or more demerits, one or more regatta committee members will seek out, for a discussion, the Skipper or OIC of that ship. The intent is to discuss the
infraction(s) and to prevent further demerits and to prevent the Scouts’ behavior from affecting their ship’s score.
Awards ceremony information will be distributed at check-in. We will issue all of the awards that are described in the “Events General Information” section of this book.
The AMR Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded in the honor of an exemplary person for their prodigious dedication to Sea Scouts. That person shall be selected through a nomination and voting process at the AMR General Meeting. Event Directors and Judges will select the ship who wins the Sportsmanship Trophy by indicating a sportsmanship score on each ship’s event cards.
If any Scout will be arriving after the opening ceremony and joining his or her crew, this should be brought to the attention of the Scoring Director upon registering. Those Scouts arriving late will not be allowed to make up any events that his or her crew has already competed in, with the exception of the Mariner’s Quiz .
Any Scouts arriving late must report to the Quarterdeck immediately to take the Mariner Quiz before participating in other events.
No person that is not directing or judging an event may coach, badger, discuss event operations with, give instructions to, or otherwise interfere with or endeavor to influence Scouts or judges. It is the responsibility of the Boatswain or event Coxswain to address issues with any aspect of an event.
Scouts are prohibited from using regatta competition equipment except during actual competition and under the direct supervision of Event Directors or judges. Violation of this rule may result in demerits and disqualification in that event.
Unless excused from a specific event, a ship must score Satisfactory in every Required Event in order to receive any award. The Boatswain, Coxswain, or in some cases the OIC, is required to sign all required event score cards.
R-1 Uniform Inspection (All registered Scouts and one ship’s officer)
R-2 World Kinship & Divine Services - All Scouts
Ship events require the participation of all eligible Scouts including the Coxswain. Where permitted by event rules, only the Boatswain or the Coxswain may coach the Scouts while the event is in progress.
S-1 Heaving Line
S-2 Knots
S-3 Quiz (Sat morning only)
S-4 Ring Buoy
S-5 Compass & Relative Bearings
S-6 Swimming
Scoring
A ship’s score for each ship event is determined by dividing the total number of points earned by the total number of points possible. With the exception of Compass and Relative Bearings, the total number of points possible for an event will depend on the number of the ship’s registered Scouts. A registered Scout who does not participate in an event will receive a score of -0- which will be included in the ship’s average score for that event.
A ship’s overall ship event average will be determined by adding the average scores from each ship event and dividing that sum by the total number of ship events. While a ship is not required to participate in every ship event, its average score will be calculated on the basis of all ship events. A score of -0- will be assigned for each ship event in which a ship does not participate and will be included in the ship’s average.
A ship’s total ship event average will be increased by 0.5% for each Scout in excess of ten, to a maximum of 5%. This is to encourage larger ships to bring full crews rather than leaving less skilled members home. If a ship has any crew members exempt from any ship events, the lowest number of crew members competing in all ship events will be the number used to calculate a ship’s ship event average increase.
Ship Event Classes
Classes are assigned to each ship for its average ship Events score, as follows:
Clipper 75% and above
Schooner 60% - 74%
Sloop 50% - 59%
Catboat 30% - 49%
Team events are those events in which the ship selects a specific number of Scouts to compete in a particular Event.
A ship may enter more than one team in each team event provided that all of its teams participate in the event at the same time. A ship may not enter one team and return later with a second team. No scout may participate on more than one team at each event. The ship’s official score for the event will be the score of its best (highest scoring) team. Except within a combined ship, Scouts may not be loaned or borrowed between ships in order to make up a team.
Scoring is based solely upon the performance of the Coxswain and the team, except that penalties may be made for un-Scout-like conduct, poor seamanship, or for unsafe or rough handling of equipment. Excessive or repeated action requiring penalties may result in disqualification of that team for that event.
Team Events are scored individually according to time or points earned by a team. When a ship enters more than one team in an event, all teams must be present at the same time to ensure that Scouts do not participate in an event more than once. The highest score from all teams representing the ship is used. Participation in any of these events is elective. A satisfactory time or score is designated for each event.
Classes are assigned to each ship based on the total number of team events in which that ship scored satisfactory. The classes are as follows:
Clipper 9 Satisfactory
Schooner 7 Satisfactory
Sloop 5 Satisfactory
Catboat 3 Satisfactory
A Protest Committee is established in order to ensure fairness in regatta competition. A Ship may choose to protest an event if they feel that they were scored unfairly due to judging or other event irregularities.
Protests must be presented on an official protest form available at the Quarterdeck. Protests must be filled out completely, written legibly and signed by the Boatswain and the Coxswain in charge of the particular event being protested. Reason should be exercised in presenting protests. Protests must be delivered to the Quarterdeck within 1 hour of the ship’s completion of the Event being protested.
Officers may NOT be involved in the presentation of any protest. Note: Protest forms are available at the pool deck. Pool event protests may be submitted to the pool coordinator instead of the Quarterdeck.
The Protest Committee shall be chaired by the Director of Events. The rest of the committee will be made up of three officers appointed by the Director of Events and approved by the Chairman. At least one of those officers must be between the ages of 18 and 21. In the event of a tie vote of the Protest Committee, the Regatta Chairman will break the tie.
The Protest committee shall render a decision within one hour of being presented with a protest. Subsequent action taken by the protest committee may include, but is not limited to:
Denial, resulting in the team’s original score being upheld.
Acceptance, resulting in the original score being discarded and allowing the team to repeat the entire event.
Partial Acceptance, allowing the team to repeat a portion of the event, with the original score being upheld except for that portion of the event repeated.
Decision Acceptance, where all or a portion of the original score or credit will be replaced by a decision made by the protest committee. This option will only be utilized when allowing the team to repeat a portion of the event is impractical or impossible.
Relevant events shall remain open, even after competition hours, to allow a team, having received an acceptance or partial acceptance, to compete.
Each ship that satisfactorily completes all Required Events receives a Participation Award, and is eligible to qualify for Event Awards and a Regatta Award.
Regatta Class Awards
The Regatta Class Award awarded to each ship and announced at the awards ceremony is the lower of the ship’s Ship Event Class and its Team Event Class.
Event Awards
Scores for each event are reported by Place. The first five places for each event are announced at the closing ceremony.
Resolute Mariner Award
All ships which complete all Required Events and participate in all the available Ship and Team events will receive the “Resolute Mariner Award.” Participation is defined as beginning the event in good faith with an honest effort to earn an authentic score for competition. Event cards will have a section for Event Directors to mark if the definition of “participation” was met or not. For any event with a written and a practical a Ship must compete in both parts to qualify for Resolute Mariner. Resolute Mariner will be awarded regardless of that Ship’s overall class award or place or qualification in any individual event. Participating in a training session with the Judges and/or Event Director of an event will count as participation in the event as it pertains to this award. If a Ship participates in a training session, Judges should note on the Ship’s event card that they participated in a “Training Only” session. It should be noted that training sessions should not unreasonably delay Ships that wish to compete for a score in an event.
Great Republic Award
The Great Republic Award will be awarded to the Ship attaining top honors at the Regatta. To qualify for the Great Republic, a Ship must complete all Required Events, qualify in all Ship and Team Events, receive an overall Clipper Class award and receive no demerits. From all the Ships that qualify, the top Ship will be selected by awarding points to each Ship based on that Ship’s place in each event. A Ship will receive one point for each first place, two points for each second place and so on. The ship receiving the lowest point total will be awarded the Great Republic. If no ship qualifies as outlined above, then the Great Republic will not be awarded that year.
Navigator Award
The Navigator Award is to recognize the ship with the best combined placing in Compass & Relative Bearings, Rules of the Road and Piloting. These three events are a test of some of the most critical skills put to use every time a Sea Scout vessel goes to sea. The top Ship will be selected by awarding points to each Ship based on that Ship’s place in the three events. A Ship will receive one point for each first place, two points for each second place and so on. The ship receiving the lowest point total will be awarded the Navigator. In the event of a tie, the ship scoring higher in Compass & Relative Bearings will be the declared winner of the Navigator.
Sportsmanship Trophy
The AMR Sportsmanship Trophy will be awarded in the honor of an exemplary person for their prodigious dedication to Sea Scouts. That person shall be selected through a nomination and voting process at the AMR General Meeting. Event Directors and Judges will select the ship who wins the Sportsmanship Trophy by indicating a sportsmanship score on each ship’s event cards.
All cards must be turned in to scoring by 1800 on Sunday. Cards received after 1800 on Sunday will not be counted.
Before 1330 Sunday, each ship should inventory its uncompleted events and notify the Event Directors if they intend to compete by leaving their Score Cards with them at the event. A ship should notify event directors if they do not intend to compete by turning in their score card with an “X” drawn through it. Thereafter it will be assumed that all ships will have turned in all their scorecards to their respective events whether they intend to compete in each event or not. Following the inventory time no ship should have any more score cards to turn in and the event can be closed when all ships that have signified intent to compete have done so. An exception will be made for events being held at a remote site. Ships that intend not to compete in an event being held at a remote site should indicate so by drawing an “X” through their scorecard and placing it in a scorecard drop box.
Event Directors and Judges shall administer their events consistently and exactly as written in the Events Guide. No rules shall be added or diverged from unless specifically directed by the Director of Events.
Event Directors shall be experienced judges in their particular events and are expected to understand the rules and operation of their events, within the context of the Ancient Mariner Regatta prior to the start of competition. Any questions or discrepancies should be addressed with the Director of Events, and/or Regatta Chairman prior to the start of competition.
Judges shall be knowledgeable of the requirements and rules of the event. Event Directors shall instruct all Judges with regards to the same at least fifteen minutes before the opening of the event, and all replacement Judges as they report.
Event Directors shall ensure that equipment is standard and judging is consistent and fair in their event throughout the regatta. This will require their constant presence at the event during competition hours.
In the interest of consistency, judges are encouraged to read the “Event Description”, “Competition” and “Scoring” sections from their respective event in the boarding guide to each ship before the event is begun, such that the same instructions are given to each ship.
Event Directors hold final decision authority over their event for all issues that come up during the course of competition, to be overturned only by the Protest Committee via the described protest process.
Event Directors and Judges may issue merits or demerits for Scouts and officers conduct. Forms are available from the Quarterdeck.
Events should have an identifiable place and person to report to.
Ships are to compete in the order they report to an event. Ships form a line by signing a sign-up sheet.
When reporting to an event, the ship adds its name to the list in the next available sign-up position.
When the Judge is ready for another run, take the next team that is present.
Any teams not fully present are removed from the list.
Crews in line can leave without penalty. The crew should remove their name from the list.
Officers and other scouts not directly involved in the event must be restricted from the immediate competition area.
The Judge instructs the Coxswain regarding the event rules and procedures. Scouts must be given the opportunity to ask questions prior to competing in the event.
Practicing or warming-up or trials on or with event equipment prior to actual competition is prohibited.
Judges must never ridicule or cause embarrassment to any Scout or ship.
A ship may be disqualified from an event if, in the opinion of the Event Director, that ship is intentionally engaging in an unsafe practice.
Unless otherwise noted prior to the competition, Judges are to sign, select a Sportsmanship Rating, and return the score card to the Coxswain, ensuring the Coxswain signs the card prior to being dismissed from the event.
The Coxswain should be expected to report with a proper salute. You may refuse to allow participation of a ship until the Coxswain reports properly. The Event Director or judge must properly return the salute.
Events must be open and ready for competition at the times stated in the published schedule. This requires that Event Directors and judges arrive sufficiently ahead of time to set up the event. You may not request assistance from competing ships to set up Events.
Ships may not start an event after the official close of events. Ships competing at the close of events may continue up to 30 minutes after closing. An exception is made to permit ships who have received an accepted or partially accepted protest to complete the event after events close.
Event Directors may close any event after 1330 Sunday if all score cards on hand have been completed. The event may not be closed early if there are any score cards on hand unless those teams have specifically stated that they will not compete.
Judges may provide training to ships that request training or instruction providing that it will not unreasonably delay other ships. Ships that receive said training may not compete for score or qualification in that event.
If a ship exceeds the qualifying time, record the actual time. Do not solely mark them as “Disqualified”.
All scorecards received by an Event Director and not returned to the Ship should be turned in to a scorecard drop box regardless of whether the Ship competed in the event or not.
If the Event Director of an event is informed of a medical exemption, s/he should make a note on the card indicating the medical exemption and number of non-exempt participants only. Any scoring changes will be made in the scoring office. Coxswains should be made aware that their score will be adversely affected if any crew member does not participate and a medical exemption has not previously been filed and approved.
Event Directors are responsible for the verification of a Crew’s participation in an event with regard to the Resolute Mariner Award. Participation is defined as beginning the event in good faith with an honest effort to earn an authentic score. Event cards will have a section to mark if the definition of “participation” was met or not.
The first meeting of each regatta year is the general meeting and all ships that attend the regatta and are present at the general meeting enjoy voting privileges. A total of three (3) delegates, each having one vote (one aged under the age of 18, one under the age of 21, and one at the age of 21 years or older) are permitted to represent each ship.
Proposals for changes to regatta event rules and scoring must be submitted in writing to the Chairman or the Chairman’s appointees before the general meeting. Proposals must include an event summary, rules, and a scoring method. Proposals will be read to the ships present at the general meeting and a motion and a second are required before the proposals are discussed and subsequently accepted or rejected by vote of the delegates. In the event of a tie, the Chairman casts the deciding vote. If a new event is proposed and approved, the ship that successfully proposed the new event must supply the necessary gear (at reasonable expense to the regatta), and the Event Director to run the event for two years.