Chapter II - The Sea Scout Group

The Sea Scout Patrol

The Patrol is the unit that makes Scouting go.

A Patrol is a team, with all the members playing the game of Scouting, all of them working towards the same goal - "All for one, one for all".

Each Sea Scout Patrol has a name of its own. If you join an old Patrol that name will have a lot of history and plenty of tradition behind it.

The Patrol does not stand alone. It is part of the Troop; and just as certainly as the Patrol belongs to the members in it, the Troop belongs to the three or four Patrols that make it up. Every Scout is proud of their Troop. They wear a scarf with the Troop's colours and on their sleeve carries the Troop name. Scouts do their best so that the Troop in turn will be proud of them.

The way in which Patrols and Scouts help their Troop - and themselves at the same time - is by getting behind the Leaders and backing them up in their work to make the Troop a real Sea Scout Troop.

Outside of Troop activities, the Sea Scout Patrol does plenty of things of its own. It always has a lot of interesting plans under way, whether Patrol meetings, hikes, cruises, camps, good turns, maintaining the Patrol's boat or fixing up a Patrol cabin.

Patrol meetings are held once a week in the homes of the boys or in the Patrol cabin at the Troop's H.Q. Some Patrols meet more often. It is at the Patrol meetings that the Scouts help each other to advance their scoutcraft. It is there that the projects they want to do are planned. It is here that friendships grow.

The Patrol plans ahead. They know definitely what they are going to do for the next two or three months and have a general idea what they expect to accomplish after that. Members should not spend all their time planning and dreaming about the Patrol's "great future". Decide on the things that are immediately ahead and get cracking.

Every Patrol needs a Patrol box or sea chest. The sea chest has to stand up to some pretty rough handling and at the same time it should be possible for two Scouts to carry it. Let's take a look at some of the things which may go into the chest - it will help you to decide the best size and how to make use of the interior.

Be proud of your Patrol and your Troop. Help your Patrol Leader to make yours the best Patrol in the Troop.

The Sea Scout Patrol Leader

The responsibilities of the Sea Scout Patrol Leader are exactly those of his Scout counterpart, but in addition the Sea Scout Patrol Leader must be able to take charge of the Patrol standard boat for instruction in boat pulling and on Patrol cruises.'1'Ihis means that as well as wearing two stripes the Patrol Leader should have a Coxswain's and Helmsman's Badge. Gaining these badges not only marks a standard of seamanship and skill in boat handling, but also reflects the Leader's confidence in the Patrol Leader's ability to take charge of the crew. If every Patrol Leader makes the Seamanship badges his number one requirement, then the standard boat really achieves the objects for which it was designed and the Patrol can spend many pleasant hours learning the ways of the sea and exploring the coastline around the Troop H.Q. as a unit.

To make the most of the boats available and to ensure that all Scouts have ample opportunities to further their knowledge of practical seamanship and boat work, the Patrol Leaders' Council must set about planning the main outline of the Troop's boating programme, including training for regattas and other aquatic displays, early in the season, so let us consider a few likely annual fixtures.

Opening Day. Most Groups celebrate in some way the opening of the boating season. This generally consists of an inspection of the Group and the ship by an official of the Scout Association, Harbour Board or Yacht Club and is followed by a demonstration of boat work by the Scouts. No need to be too ambitious about this first display of the season - it is really a day to let the parents see the results of your work on refitting and maintaining the boats during the winter, so an inspection, a row past, a few well run races and a speech from the: guest of honour, followed by some light refreshments for the visitors while the Scouts take the Cubs for a short cruise, is just about enough. Try it on a Saturday morning around late September or early October.

For the next few months, training of the Patrol, especially the new recruit, will be towards Boatman and Oarsman Badges also to see they all qualify as swimmers. The Patrol Leader will be responsible for teaching his own Patrol boat pulling so, before you even set foot in the boat, have a clear idea of how much you hope to accomplish each day and make sure you know your stuff before you start.

A few pointers to bear in mind when teaching the Scouts to row:

• Take charge of the crew and see that they pay attention. Be clear in your explanations.
• Be patient in dealing with faults.
• Don't lose your temper or start shouting.
• Correct faults individually, not by general remarks to the whole crew.
• Have your Assistant Patrol Leader move around the crew, assisting those who have difficulty in getting the knack.

For the first few lessons it is a good plan to have the Patrol turn up at H.Q. with lunch and take the trip an all-day cruise. If training is confined to a small area around H.Q. the boat will be alongside as often as it will be away while the crew are "resting", so go somewhere and instruct while on the way.

District and Troop Regattas. If you are lucky enough to be near another Sea Scout Troop, then plan to have a regatta with them during November or early December. Much the same arrangements will need to be made as for Opening Day, and the programme can follow the races generally run at National Scout Regattas. Rowing races, remember, are much more spectacular than sailing races, so time the rowing events for that part of the day that you want parents to be present. Include a few novelty races to liven up the programme if you have time.

The District or Area Regatta has one disadvantage from the Patrol's point of view in that the Patrol seldom operates as a unit, the various crews being made up from the best oarsmen in each Patrol, but you will have done your bit if some members of your Patrol have been chosen to represent the Troop. The Group Regatta, on the other hand, is almost completely a Patrol affair and most events are inter-Patrol competitions. To avoid undue delay between races, try starting from just off the beach and out around a buoy and back. In this way no time is lost while the crews pull out to the start line. Dinghy rowing and sculling races, centipede races where the crew paddle the boat along instead of rowing (without rudders), and a steeplechase can help to make an entertaining programme.

A steeplechase could well start off with the boat being sculled over the stern, switching to paddling at the first mark, to towing by the crew swimming at the second mark, with the boat going over a moored spar and the crew under it, f1nally ending up with the crew rowing the last lap. There are endless possibilities and a meeting of the Patrol Leaders' Council is bound to come up with enough ideas for a first-class show.

The Christmas Camp is an excellent opportunity to polish off those outstanding Pathfinder and Senior Scout Awards, whether or not you have been able to take the boats. Remember a week in camp covers around the same time as six months of Troop meeting nights, so make the most of it. If you are lucky enough to have the boats along, then aim to have each member of the Patrol come home with the Seamanship Badge. Also while at camp, encourage the Scout who is a weak swimmer – confidence is all they need, and the Patrol can do a lot to help them gain it.

In the New Year it is time to think of introducing the Patrol to sailing. Doubtless they have all been away on a few cruises prior to this, but it is the new member of the Patrol we don't want to overlook. This means that an A.S.L. or a Venturer will be along with a Charge Certificate to help out, but will expect you to handle the boat and crew and to have done some preliminary instruction before actually going away under sail. Don't be one of those helmsmen who sticks to the helm all day - pass it round - every Scout needs to be able to do every. job in the boat. The Patrol Leader doesn't have to hold the helm to be in charge; all they should do is make sure the Scout detailed off to take the helm knows the orders to give and has had experience in the other positions in the boat.

Toward the end of the boating season the Troop should thin1k of another display day, using the boats, and the parents will expect this to be a much more polished effort than your opening day programme, so plan well in advance, rehearse each event, and make sure everyone is smartly turned out on the big day.

During the winter months get on to marline spike seamanship covered by the Boatswain badge and make a display of all the articles of rope work and canvas work you have made for inspection by the parents attending the Group Committee's Annual General Meeting. Don't forget to name the Scout responsible for each exhibit, include a series of photographs showing what the Patrol did over the summer period.

Finally, see that the Patrol is smartly dressed whenever they- are away in the boat or anywhere else. Scarves and jumpers or shirts are the only items of the uniform necessary in the boat except on formal occasions, but they do at least identify you as Sea Scouts, so when you are asking the neighbourhood to help out with Job Week; a Bottle Drive or Film Evening they will at least know who is asking for help and will see for themselves that their donations are being put to good use.

You are the leader - you set the standard, the rest is up to every Scout in the Patrol doing his best to maintain the standard you set.

The Sea Scout Group

"The unit for Scout organisation in the District is the Group."

This rule puts very clearly the important fact, which should not be overlooked in the building up of our organisation. At times we are apt to think only in terms of our Troops and Venturer Units if we happen to be concerned with the girls and boys off the age group 11 to 19, or of our Packs if we happen to be Cub Leaders, or of our Crews if we have our interest in Rovering.

It should never be forgotten that the whole scheme of Scouting – and the term applies, of course, to Sea Scouting – exists for one purpose: that of helping Scouts to be Healthy, happy and useful citizens". The objective is not attained in any one section whether it be Cub Pack, Sea Scout Troop, or Venturer Unit. Each section has its part to play in helping in the moulding of the character of the Scout, and because of their realisation of this, our Founder laid emphasis on the Group System.

There is no need here to recapitulate in full the provision of P.O.R. - sufficient to say that the channel is clearly marked and buoyed by these rules and there is no need to be in doubt as to how the Group functions. However, while a Sea Scout Group is similar to an ordinary Scout Group, there are matters to which space can well be given in this Handbook.

Group Leader

The Sea Scout Group which has a good, practical Leader as G.L. is fortunate. Such a Leader can do very much in coordinating the affairs and activities of all sections of their Group - from a longer view they can see the interdependence of the sections in providing training for the Scouts according to the needs of their ages. The G. L. should see that there is maintained in the Group that balance between Scouting and Seamanship which will give the Scouts the greatest benefit from Sea Scouting. The G.L. to succeed must be accepted by the Leaders of the Group as a friend to whom they can take their problems, and if they can give advice when needed from their own experience, then they are an asset indeed to their Group.

The Cub Pack

There is absolutely no difference in the training and running of a Cub Pack in a Sea Scout Group from that of any Cub Pack.

• There are no "Sea Cubs". Boating does not become part of the training of a Cub Pack, whether in a Sea Scout or Scout Group.
  
• Swimming. As it usually happens, Cubs remain in their own Group throughout their Scouting.
  
• The Pack could well give some thought to the training of the Cubs in meeting the requirements of the three stages of the Swimmer's Badge. If every Cub upon being invested could be certified as a competent swimmer, then it would be a good step towards the essential basic requirement for Sea Scouts that they should be able to swim at least 50m fully dressed before undertaking boating.

The new invested Scout could, if desired, be given his first run in a boat as a Sea Scout.

The Sea Scout Troop

The Sea Scout Troop is intended to cater for girls and boys whose ages range from 11 to 16, while those over that age come within the scope of the Sea Venturer Unit. A Troop is divided into Patrols of five to eight members under the leadership of a Patrol Leader who is assisted by an Assistant Patrol Leader of his own choosing. The Scout leadership is an important part of the Scout method and it is the basis on which B.-P. intended the Troop to be formed and worked. The Standard boat was developed to foster this work in Patrols during the training afloat and boat work and cruises should as far as possible be carried out in Patrol units with the Patrol Leader responsible for as much of the instruction as their own technical standard permits. The Skipper or A.S.L. can keep an eye on the training thus carried out and assist where necessary without reducing the authority of the Patrol Leader. The advancement of the Patrol Leaders and their Assistant Patrol Leaders is the responsibility of the Skipper-(Scout Leader) who either attends to this instruction himself or delegates it to a senior A.S.L. It is generally carried out on a night other than the Troop meeting night. District and Area staff frequently run special Sandford courses for Patrol Leaders, and these are of equal value to Sea Scout Patrol Leaders as their Scout counterparts.

Sea Venturers

With the older Scouts from 15 to 19 years, thought must be given to the Venturer as an individual, and groupings for activities will often be in small ad hoc groups according to individual interest, rather than in Patrol units. Many Groups have developed very efficient and smart units and, ü providing the Group Committee can find additional Leaders for this section, a Venturer Unit should be formed in every Group. Additional Leaders are essential before such a unit is formed. Venturer Leaders need not necessarily be technically experienced in all phases of sea training, but they do need to be able to secure outside help from specialist instructors, with the help of the Group Committee, and, in conjunction with the Unit Committee, to plan an effective training programme so that, at the end of a year's work, the Venturers know they have- learned something of value.

While it is desirable, for the purposes of continuing instruction, to appoint an Assistant Venturer Leader, it is important for the V. L. to remember that the Venturers themselves should play a major part in the planning and running of the Unit. The Venturer Leader's Handbook deals with Venturer Units in general.

Group Committee

This Committee which is elected annually by the parents should be regarded as an administrative section of the Group. Finance, property, manpower, etc., are usually looked after by small subcommittees of the Group Committee. The G. L. and Chairman and Secretary who have a close contact and regular meetings with something of interest planned for each meeting usually results in the development of a Group Committee, where the members enjoy the meetings. A regular meeting time and place is advisable and a polite reminder by the Secretary is valuable.

Let us endeavour to build our Groups strong in each section and rich in the tradition of good Scouting so that they help to produce "Good Citizens"

New Zealand Sea Scout Administration

Sea Scout Groups are administered under normal District and Area arrangements as Scout Groups and should play a full part in District and Area activities. In addition there is a National Adviser and staff as set out here to foster the formation of Sea Scout Groups and encourage and guide the nautical aspect of Scout training in accordance with National Executive Policy.