Ordinary

Ordinary Requirements

1. Ideals

a. Explain the symbolism of the Sea Scout emblem.
b. Give a brief oral history of the U.S. flag.
c. Demonstrate how to fly, hoist, lower, fold, display and salute the U.S. flag. Explain flag
etiquette and protocols for both land and sea.
d. Discuss with an adult leader how you live the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life.

2. Active Membership

a. Meet your ship’s bylaws requirement for active participation in your ship’s meetings and
activities for three months.
b. Do one of the following. Recruit a new member for your ship and follow through until
the new member is registered and formally admitted with an admissions ceremony, or
assist in planning and carrying out a ship recruiting activity, such as an open house or
joint activity with a youth group or organization (another Sea Scout ship will not count).

3. Leadership

a. Participate in the BSA’s Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships (ILSS) course.
b. Complete quarterdeck training, either as an officer or as a prospective officer.
c. Serve as an activity chair for a major ship event. Responsibilities should include
planning, directing, and evaluating the event.

4. Swimming

Pass all requirements for the Scouts BSA’s Swimming merit badge.

5. Safety

a. Discuss BSA Safety Afloat with an adult leader or a Quartermaster candidate.
b. Describe the safety equipment required by law for your ship’s primary vessel.
c. For larger vessels that require a crew, develop a ship’s station bill for your ship and
review it with an adult leader.
Or
For smaller vessels with only one or two people aboard, develop a roster of attendees
for your ship’s next float trip. Identify lead and sweep boats. Note which boats are
carrying rescue and first aid equipment, the trip roster, and medical forms. Review the
roster with an adult leader.
d. Plan and practice the following drills: man overboard, fire, and abandon ship
Or
If your ship uses small vessels such as small sailboats or paddlecraft, plan and practice
man overboard drills (if appropriate), capsize drills and deep water re-entries.
e. Describe any three types of equipment used in marine communications.
f. Demonstrate your knowledge of correct maritime radio telephone communications
procedures by making at least three calls to other vessels, marinas, bridges, or locks. If
your vessel does not use VHF radios, this may be simulated.
g. Demonstrate proficiency with the communication devices used on your ship’s primary
vessel.
h. Galley
i) Before an activity, submit a menu that uses cooked and uncooked dishes, a list
of provisions, and estimated costs for a day’s meal (breakfast, lunch, and
dinner). Once the provision list is approved, help obtain the items on the list.
ii) Explain the use of charcoal charcoal, isobutane, white gas, and propane.
Include safety precautions for each.
iii) Prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner while on the activity. Demonstrate your
ability to properly use the galley equipment or personal cooking gear
generally used by your ship. If your vessel does not have a galley space, these may be done ashore.
iv) Demonstrate appropriate sanitation techniques for food preparation and meal
cleanup.

6. Marlinspike Seamanship

a. Name the various materials used to manufacture rope, the advantages and disadvantages of
each, and the characteristics of laid and braided rope. Discuss the meaning of lay, thread,
strand, and hawser. Explain how rope is sized and measured.
b. Using both large and small lines, tie and explain the use of the following knots: stevedore’s
knot, French (double) bowline, bowline on a bight, timber hitch, rolling hitch, marline hitch,
midshipman’s (taut-line) hitch, and trucker’s hitch.
c. Demonstrate your ability to secure a line to pilings, cleats, and rings, and to coil, flake, and
flemish a line.
d. Demonstrate how to cut and heat-seal a synthetic line and whip the end of plain-laid line
using waxed cord or similar material.

7. Boat Handling

a. 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.
b. Demonstrate your ability to handle a vessel with paddles or oars by doing one of the
following:
Safely board a rowboat and row in a straight line for 200 feet, stop, make a pivot turn,
return to the starting point, and backwater in a straight line for 40 feet. Make a turn and
return to the starting point.
or
Safely board a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard and paddle a straight line for 200 feet. Make a
turn and return to the starting point and backwater in a straight line for 40 feet.
Demonstrate a draw stroke to move the boat sideways both right and left, and forward and
reverse sweeps to spin the boat both clockwise and counterclockwise.

8. Ground Tackle

a. Name the parts of a stock anchor and a stockless anchor.
b. Describe five types of anchors. Describe how each type holds the bottom, the kind of
bottom in which it holds best, and the advantages or disadvantages of each type. Discuss
the challenges of using an anchor with paddlecraft compared to larger vessels.
c. Calculate the amount of anchor rode necessary for your ship’s primary vessel in the
following depths: 10, 20, and 30 feet in normal and storm conditions.
d. Demonstrate the ability to set and weigh anchor appropriate for your vessel.

9. Navigation Rules

a. Explain the purpose of Navigation Rules, International and Inland.
b. Know the general “Rule of Responsibility.”
c. Define stand-on and give-way vessels for the following situations: meeting, crossing,
and overtaking for both power and sailing vessels.
d. Explain “Responsibility Between Vessels” (vessel priority).
e. Explain the navigation lights required for power-driven and sailing vessels underway.
Explain what is required for a vessel under oars. Describe the lighting requirements for
paddlecraft. Explain why carrying a sound-producing device, such as a whistle, is
important when operating a paddlecraft.
f. Describe the sound signals for maneuvering, warning, and restricted visibility.

10. Piloting and Navigation

a. Demonstrate your understanding of latitude and longitude. Using a chart, demonstrate
that you can locate your position from given coordinates and determine the coordinates
of at least five aids to navigation.
b. Explain the degree system of compass direction. Explain variation and deviation andChange 6 – February 2022 Advancement and Recognition 53
how they are used to convert between true headings and bearings to compass headings
and bearings.
c. Describe three kinds of devices used aboard ship for measuring speed and/or distance
traveled and, if possible, demonstrate their use.
d. Explain the 24-hour time system and demonstrate that you can convert between 12- and
24-hour time.
e. Understand Coordinated Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time or Zulu Time) and
zone time. Demonstrate your ability to convert from one to the other for your local area.
f. 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: Ideally this
requirement should be met while underway. If this is not possible, it may be simulated
using charts.
g. Discuss how a GPS unit works. Explain possible uses and functions including different
screen views. Use a GPS unit to set a waypoint and navigate to the waypoint you have
set.

11. Practical Deck Seamanship

a. Name the seven watches and explain bell time.
b. Explain the duties of a lookout and demonstrate how to report objects in view and wind
directions with respect to the vessel.
c. Name relative bearings expressed in degrees.
d. While underway, serve as a lookout for two hours total. When boating in a manually
propelled craft, boating alone or as a bow paddler for a tandem craft will meet this
requirement.
e. Demonstrate the use of wheel or helm commands found in the Sea Scout Manual.
f. Describe the deck log kept aboard your ship’s principal craft. Contribute to a cruise log
for three days of cruising (one cruise or a combination of day cruises). Submit the logs
to your Skipper.
Or
Keep a trip log for at least three paddling day trips, recording details of the waterway
paddled, listing participants, and details of the paddling trip. Submit the logs to your
Skipper.

12. Environment

a. Discuss with an adult leader the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as related to oil
discharges. Explain what a “Discharge of Oil Prohibited” placard is and if applicable find
it aboard your ship’s vessels.
b. Explain what aquatic nuisance species are and how you can help stop their spread.
c. Explain how the principles of Leave No Trace can be applied to boating trips.

13. Weather

a. Read and understand a local weather bulletin. Know how to obtain current marine and
weather reports from the National Weather Service in your area by telephone or radio, or
online.
b. Find a river in your area and review the forecasted flow levels by using the National
Weather Service’s Hydrologic Prediction Service’s map and graphs. Compare forecasted
flow levels to average flow levels using the USGS National Water Information System
web page.

14. Cruising

a. Plan and participate in an overnight cruise. If you cannot sleep aboard your vessel,
participating in a multi-day trip will meet this requirement.
b. While on the cruise, perform the duties of a helmsman for at least 30 minutes. If underway
in a paddlecraft, paddling independently or as a stern paddler/ steersman will meet thisChange 6 – February 2022 Advancement and Recognition 54
requirement.

15. Boating Safety Course

Successfully complete a boating safety course approved by the National Association of State
Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) offered by one of the following agencies: a state
boating agency, the United States Power Squadrons, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary,
or other private or military education courses.

16. Service

a. Log at least eight hours of work on ship equipment, projects, or activities other than ship
meetings, parties, dances, or fun events.
b. Participate with your ship for at least eight hours in community service projects.

17. Electives

Choose any three electives from the options listed following the Quartermaster rank requirements.

Boy Scouts of America – Sea Scout Manual – Change 6 – February 2022.