Knotmaster Challenge

The Knotmaster Challenge

Knots have been used to perform precise tasks since the dawn of time. Scouting has always recognized the critical importance that knots performance. This is evident with the use of knots in many of Scouting’s awards including on the Eagle insignia.

The use of the correct knot, for both safety and efficiency, is essential to scouting and life. Scouting acknowledges this by requiring the proficiency of several knots in order to advance in rank.

The Knot Masters Challenge is a competition to help scouts learn how to tie many of the important knots along demonstrating an understanding of when to best use them.

Rules

At the first Knot Masters Challenge, every scout will be given an opportunity to tie each of the knots, in the order of the list, and explain its best use. This will continue until one scout has tied knot #20. That scout will be acknowledged as our Knot Master.

At future troop meetings, there will be designed Knot Masters Challenge opportunities. (These occasions will occur approximately once a month and will not be announced before the meeting. So scouts should prepare themselves ahead of time.) At the start of these meetings, the Knot Masters Challenge will be called. Scouts will be able to declare WHO they want to challenge (a scout of a higher level) and with WHAT KNOT. When their opportunity arises, each scout will then have one attempt to tie the knot and to explain its principle purpose. If the challenger is successful with the knot, and the defender is not, then the challenger will move up a level and the other scout will move down. If they are both successful, both will stay at their previous levels.

The troop Knot Master will be able to wear the Knot Master gold shoulder cord, on their Class A uniform, until he is dethroned from his Knot Master position. Any scout who successfully completes all 20 knots will receive the Knot Master Challenge Patch.

• A chart with every scout’s current knot level will be posted at each troop meeting.

• Each scout will be expected to bring his own rope for tying at Knot Masters Challenge events.

• Each scout will be given knot tying instructions. Also, there is an abundance of knot tying information and videos available online.