BoatU.S. - May/June 2012

For a century, the Sea Scout program has been putting teens in boats, teaching them important life skills, and turning out accomplished young people ready for exciting lives of curiosity and achievement

WHEN BOATU.S. MAGAZINE ran a cover story in 1999 about a unique youth boating program that not only gets teens on the water, but develops character and leadership quali- ties through nautical skills and seamanship, it generated lots of mail. Many readers said, in essence, something like: “Gee, I

wish Sea Scouting had been around when I was a kid.” Fact is, the program was around back then — no matter when you were young — because Sea Scouting celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2012.

Born in England between 1907 and 1911 as a nautical counterpart to Boy Scouting, it arrived on U.S. shores the following year under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America. Like all scouting programs, Sea Scouting uses an attractive venue — in this case it’s the fun and adventure that boating offers — coupled with activities such as mastering seamanship and nautical skills in order to foster confidence, teach management, develop leadership, and instill character in young people. Over the years, Sea Scouting has figured prominently in the lives of many accomplished Americans. They range from Paul A. Siple who accompanied Admiral Richard Byrd to Antarctica and went on to become a distinguished geographer and explorer, to William H. Webster whom President Jimmy Carter appoint-

1925 Membership reaches 1, 100 Sea Scouts in 85 Ships.

1932 Membership increases to 14,863 Sea Scouts.

1936 Owen W. Matthews,
an Able Sea Scout, Boatswain,
Eagle Scout, and member
of National Flagship S.S.S.
Columbia, won the Eddie
Canton $5,000 scholarship
for his essay, “How Can
America Stay Out Of War”
— chosen as the best from
212,000 submitted essays.

1938 The Sea Promise, which an Apprentice still must memorize today, is instituted. It reads: As a Sea Scout I promise to do my best — To guard against water accidents, To know the location and proper use of the life-saving devices on every boat I board, To be prepared to render aid to those in need, To seek to preserve the Motto of the Sea, “Women and Children First.”

Sea Scouts learn all about boat safety techniques, navigation, technical skills, and how to keep our waters and coastline clean, and they sure have a blast together in the process.

1998 Volunteer Sea Scout adult leader Jimmie S. Homberg named first female National Commodore.

2002 BoatU.S. reinstitutes the Sea Scout National Flagship Award, not presented since World War II, to mark the 90th anniversary of Sea Scouting in the U.S. It recognizes unit excellence, and Ship 502 of Houston, Texas, takes the honor.

2009 Ohio-based Sea Scout Ship 41 wins the first Interlux Yacht Finishes Waterfront Challenge, earning a $30,000 grand prize for designing the “flotsam scoop” to aid in the cleanup of beaches and marinas.