Activity Badges N-W

Naturalist - Activity Badge

Basic Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

Advanced Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

Nautical Skills training options - Activity Badge

Navigator - Activity Badge

Orienteer - Activity Badge

Naturalist - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete these three activities.

Find out about plant and animal wildlife during any two of the seasons of the year, in one of the following sets of environments:


a piece of woodland

a piece of parkland

a piece of downland

a piece of moorland

a piece of seashore, sand-dune or rocks.

The area looked at should be approximately 5,000 square metres (or half hectare) in size.


a length of hedgerow

a length of roadside verge

a length of stream, river or canal

a small pond.

Tell the assessor what they have discovered, using field notes, simple sketches or photographs and sketch maps.

Discuss with the assessor how human activities or management, for example, replacing deciduous trees with conifers, waste oil discharged by oil tankers at sea, and cutting hedges and roadside verges by machine instead of manually can all affect the wildlife.

Find out more about any one plant or animal, for example, a fern, grass, wild flower, tree, shrub, butterfly, moth, insect, amphibian, wild animal, bird or fish. Discuss with the assessor the results of their observations and the sources of any information used, for example, museums, books, and the Internet. Back to top

Basic Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete these eight activities.

Swim 50 metres and stay afloat for five minutes.

Explain the safety rules that apply to boating, and the effects of winds, tide and current.

Explain the difference between a buoyancy aid and a life-jacket. Adjust one to fit them and wear it to enter the water from a height of one metre.

Complete the following:

Row a dinghy single-handed and carry out basic manoeuvres.

And one of the following four activities:

Scull a dinghy over the stern and carry out basic manoeuvres.

Sail a figure-of-eight course.

Qualify for the BCU One Star Test.

Qualify for the RYA National Dinghy Certificate Scheme Dinghy Level 1 - Start Sailing or Youth Sailing Scheme - Start Sailing Stage 1.

Carry out an activity using a knot, a bend, a hitch, and a lashing and demonstrate rope sealing.

Take part in a half-day expedition or exercise afloat.

From the list of nautical skills training activities, complete four items, each one from a different section.

Keep a log of the water activities they complete. Back to top

Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete all these activities.

Hold the Basic Nautical Skills Badge, or be at least 11½ and complete requirements 1, 2, 3, 4a, 5 and 6 of the Basic Nautical Skills Badge.

Have some knowledge of rescue by boat or canoe and be able to carry out a simple rescue exercise.

Heave a lifeline from a boat, to land within reach of a target six metres away, within two attempts.

Know the steering and sailing rules and apply these to the craft being used.

Plan and take part in a one-day expedition or exercise afloat.

Complete from the list of nautical skills training activities:

One item from the Practical Skills section.

One item from the Safety section.

Two items from the rules of the road and communications section.

A further five items from the remaining five sections.

Keep a log of the water activities they complete Back to top

Advanced Nautical Skills - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete all these activities.

Hold the Nautical Skills Badge, or be at least 13 and complete requirements 1 to 5 of the Nautical Skills Badge.

Demonstrate knowledge of pilotage, navigation lights, sound signals, tides, currents and eddies, as relevant to their local waters.

Take care of and maintain a boat or canoe for a period of at least three months.

Know how to get local weather forecasts, understand their importance and be able to recognise signs of changing weather.

Choose one of the following two activities

Gain the Pulling Coxswain Award, or take charge of a pulling boat and carry out a range of manoeuvres including: getting underway, man overboard, picking up a buoy, anchoring and coming alongside. Show a working knowledge of the pulling orders and be able to demonstrate them to less experienced members of the crew.

Gain the RYA Dinghy Level 2 - Basic Skills or Young Sailing Scheme - Start Sailing Stage 3, or take charge of two other people in a sailing boat and demonstrate crew management and a range of sailing skills including: launching and recovery, getting underway, coming alongside, tacking and gybing, man overboard, picking up a buoy, anchoring and capsize recovery.

Take part in an expedition afloat with a minimum 24 hour duration.

Obtain an authorisation to undertake water activities (Form W).

Complete from the list of nautical skills training activities:

One further item from the Practical Skills section, making sure that at least two skill areas have been covered.

Two further items from the Safety section.

One further item from the Rules of the road and communications section.

Three further items from the remaining five sections.

Keep a log of the water activities they complete. Back to top

Nautical Skills training options - Activity Badge

Gain the Sea Scout Association Pulling Badge.

Gain the Sea Scout Association Pulling Coxswain Award.

Gain the BCU 2 Star Award (Kayak or Canadian).

Gain the BCU 3 Star Award (Kayak or Canadian).

Pass the BCU Safety Test.

Gain the BCU 4 Star Award (Kayak, Canadian or Sea).

Gain the National Dinghy Certificate Scheme Level 2.

Gain the RYA National Dinghy Certificate Scheme Level 3.

Gain the RYA Competent Crew Certificate.

Gain the RYA National Windsurfing Scheme Level 1 (inland or open sea).

Gain the RYA National Windsurfing Scheme Level 2 (inland or open sea).

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme Start Sailing 1 Award.

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme Start Sailing 2 Award.

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme Start Sailing 3 Award.

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme Red Badge.

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme White Badge.

Gain the RYA Young Sailor Scheme Blue Badge.
Training activities - Safety
Demonstrate the HELP posture for survival in water.

With other members of the Patrol, demonstrate the HUDDLE position for survival in water.

Explain how a life-jacket works and be able to demonstrate its use.

Explain the effects of temperature, wind and water on the human body in cases of hypothermia and exhaustion. List the First Aid procedures in these cases.

With another canoeist, demonstrate two methods of canoe rescue.

Heave a lifeline from a boat to land within reach of a target eight metres away, twice from three attempts.

Acting as an assistant in a rescue exercise, board a stranded craft and bring it ashore single-handed.

Under sail, demonstrate 'man overboard' drill using a suitable object.

Using a training manikin, demonstrate the correct method of ventilation.

Demonstrate capsize drill in a sailing dinghy.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Boats and construction
Name the parts of a boat and its equipment. Prepare it for a water activity and use it.

With other members of the Section, clean and paint a boat.

Under supervision, carry out repairs to a boat.

Demonstrate an ability to do simple sail repairs, using a palm and needle.

Rig a sailing boat and name the parts of the gear.

Build and maintain a boat or canoe.

Whilst afloat, construct and hoist a jury rig from available materials in a boat. Sail the jury-rigged boat 500 metres.

Under supervision, carry out routine maintenance on an outboard motor and demonstrate the proper fitting to the transom of a boat.

Make a boat's bag or sail bag.

Build and demonstrate a working model of a boat.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Navigation
Read a mariner's compass and have a knowledge of variation and deviation.

Demonstrate how a position may be found from two bearings.

Demonstrate the use of tide tables and tidal stream atlases.

Explain the system of strip maps of canals and rivers. Use one of these charts to plan an expedition.

Demonstrate how compass error can be found from a transit bearing.

Plot their position using a Decca or satellite navigation system.

Plot their position at sea. Understand the 'cocked hat' principle.

Use a sextant to measure vertical angles.

Complete a navigation exercise by day on water and know how to find North by sun or stars.

Demonstrate how to take soundings in local waters, both with leadline and pole.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Ropework and tradition
Hoist the colours for a Sea Scout Group. Pipe the 'still' and 'carry on' on a Bosun's call.

Demonstrate three further calls commonly used in a Sea Scout Group.

Make a sailmaker's whipping and one other type of whipping.

Make an eye splice and a back splice.

Make a short splice.

Demonstrate, in a nautical setting, the following and their correct uses: clove hitch, rolling hitch, fisherman's bend and a form of stopper knot.

7 Make a rope fender or a decorative piece of rope work, for example, a lanyard.

Demonstrate the correct method of maintaining and stowing ropes.

Explain the differences in usage and stowage of natural and synthetic ropes.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Meteorology
Know the Beaufort wind and sea scales.

Identify the basic types of clouds. Explain how they are formed, how wind speed is measured and how weather can affect water activities.

Identify the weather associated with frontal systems in the United Kingdom. Be able to explain the meaning of the terms used in describing a weather map, for example, col, ridge, trough and occlusion.

Explain how temperature and pressure are measured. List the units used for each and demonstrate conversion between Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Identify the weather conditions associated with the movement of air masses over the United Kingdom.

Find the geostrophic wind speed from information given on a synoptic chart, and discuss its relationship to wind on land and in coastal waters.

Be able to interpret a weather map and identify at least two natural signs for weather changes in their area. Set up a simple weather station and keep a log of their recordings over a month.

Record a shipping forecast, make a weather map from it and be able to interpret it.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Expeditions
Demonstrate knowledge of the pulling orders used in single or double banked boats, and take charge of a pulling boat.

Be able to steer and manouevre a boat, canoe or dinghy.

Complete a one-day expedition by canoe, pulling boat or sailing dinghy with others.

Complete a 24 hour expedition by canoe, pulling boat or sailing dinghy with others, to include a night spent in camp.

Form part of a crew on an offshore cruising vessel for a trip of not less than 24 hours, to include at least one night afloat.

Form part of a crew on an inland cruising vessel for a trip of not less than 48 hours, to include two nights afloat.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.
Training activities - Rules of the road and communications
Know the rules for getting afloat on tidal waters and getting access to inland waters.

Know the distress, storm, fog and danger signals.

Know the international Buoyage System (IALA).

Know the sound signals used by powered vessels underway and at anchor.

Know the navigation lights carried by different types of vessels. Identify at least three different types from the lights displayed.

Have a working knowledge of the International Yacht Racing Rules and the Yardstick Handicapping Systems.

Know the effects of currents on non-tidal waterways and the effect of heavy rain up-river, danger levels, rapids and wild water on two rivers.

Be able to advise on suitable moorings and anchorages locally for different types of craft, and emergency landing places for small craft.

Explain the systems of sea-lanes in national and international waters.

Achieve a radio yacht licence.

One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team. Back to top

Navigator - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete all the requirements in one of the following alternatives.
Alternative A
Using 1:50 000 and 1:25 000 scale Ordnance Survey maps:

Show that they understand the meaning of scale, true, grid and magnetic north and can recognise conventional map signs.

Interpret contour lines in terms of shape and steepness of terrain, and know the local names and meanings of topographical features such as col, ridge and spur.

Show how to set the map with and without a compass. Be able to use and to give six-figure grid references and demonstrate the use of a Romer measurer to improve accuracy.

Show how to measure distance on the map and how to estimate timings for a particular route.

Show how to find north without the aid of a compass, by day or night.

Demonstrate their awareness of the latest developments in electronic technology such as the Global Positioning System.

Be familiar with the traffic signs and signals as illustrated in The Highway Code.

With other Scouts, accompany a motorist, each Scout taking it in turns to act successfully as a navigator for a journey of at least 30 kilometres. The route should avoid motorways and other major roads and, whenever possible, should be ideally a cross-country route using a number of different roads and lanes. The journey should also include navigating with no previous preparation of the route.

Accurately complete two compass routes of at least two kilometres, one with the beginning and end as defined on a map by the assessor, and the second chosen by themselves. During these exercises, show that they can:

Convert grid bearings to magnetic bearings, and vice versa.

Use back bearings to check their route.

Pinpoint their position using a compass.

Demonstrate methods of route selection, including aiming off, and the four right angles and step counting techniques.
Alternative B
Given a series of three headings and corresponding tracks, work out in each case the type and the amount of drift in degrees and illustrate each case by a simple diagram.

Demonstrate with a compass how an aircraft can be turned on to three successive compass headings.

Choose one of the following two activities:

Draw on a topographical air map a track for an imaginary flight of not less than 80 kilometres, and point out the landmarks which would show up on both sides of the track in clear visibility at an altitude of about 600 metres.

Identify on a topographical air map landmarks seen during a flight of about half an hour's duration in clear weather.

Illustrate by means of a simple diagram how a fix can be obtained from two position lines. Describe briefly two ways in which bearings can be obtained in an aircraft, thus enabling position lines to be drawn on a chart.

Show an understanding of compass headings by completing the following two tasks:

Given the true heading and the variation and deviation, work out the compass heading on which the pilot should be flying.

Given two sets of true, magnetic and compass headings, work out the variation and deviation in each case.

Illustrate by simple diagrams latitude and longitude.

Draw on a topographical map the track between any two places not less than 100 kilometres apart, and measure the exact distance. Given the aircraft's air speed as 130km/h, work out the time of flight from overhead starting point to overhead destination in each of the following conditions:

With no wind at all

With a head wind of 30km/h

With a tail wind of 50km/h.

Demonstrate their awareness of the latest developments in electronic technology such as the Global Positioning System.
Alternative C
Have a good working knowledge of charts, including the projection, datum and symbols used and the tidal information given.

Display an aptitude in compasses by completing the following three activities:

Read a mariner's compass marked in points and degrees and have a knowledge of compasses generally, including variation and deviation.

Be able to apply variation and deviation to a compass course or bearing to obtain a true reading. Give a true reading to obtain a compass course.

Understand how compass error can be found from a transit bearing.

Complete the following four activities:

Understand the theory of how a position may be found from any two position lines.

Plot a position from any three cross bearings. Understand what is meant by a 'cocked hat' and how to use it safely.

Plot a position using the 'running fix' method.

Plot a position using a combination of compass bearings and any one or more of the following:

Decca or satellite navigation system

Vertical sextant angle

Horizontal sextant angle

Line of soundings

Transits.

Have a working knowledge of tide tables and tidal stream atlases.

Understand the use of the marine log to obtain distance, run and speed.

Understand the buoyage system for United Kingdom coastal waters and other methods of marking dangers and channels.

Undertake a coastal voyage of between four and six hours acting as navigator. A log must be kept showing the courses steered, distance run, navigation marks passed and weather experienced. During the voyage:

plot the estimated position every hour by keeping up the dead reckoning.

whenever appropriate, and not less than once per hour, plot an observed position by bearings or other means of obtaining a fix.

The voyage, which need not have a definite destination, should be planned on the chart beforehand using tidal streams to the best advantage and giving hourly courses to steer for an assumed speed.

Demonstrate their awareness of the latest developments in electronic technology such as the Global Positioning System
Resources
The Ordnance Survery have produced a free leaflet or Leaders to help achieve this badge. Back to top

Orienteer - Activity Badge

The Sea Scout must complete these five activities.

Demonstrate knowledge of the Country Code.

Show an understanding of safety procedures, basic First Aid, appropriate clothing and equipment required for countryside navigation.

Explain the following principles of orienteering:

Check points

Attack points

Route planning and the importance of contours.

Using a 1:10 000 or similar scale orienteering map, show an ability to set the map and transfer relevant details from a master map.

Take part in three competitive orienteering events and complete the courses.
A Scout who has qualified for the Green Award of the British Orienteering Federation qualifies automatically for this Award. Back to top