Sea Scout Ship 73

A Ship's Quarterdeck plan their next adventure.

Sea Scouts is a youth-led program within Scouting America for young people ages 14 to 20, focusing on maritime activities, leadership, and outdoor adventures. It combines traditional Scouting principles with a nautical twist, allowing youth to explore boating, sailing, navigation, and water safety while building character, responsibility, and teamwork.

Sea Scouts meet in units called “ships,” where they plan and participate in hands-on activities such as boating, maritime history, and water-related service projects.

The program emphasizes leadership development; Sea Scouts take active roles in organizing and leading their ship’s activities, learning practical skills while building confidence and independence.

Learn more at SEASCOUT.ORG

THE SHIP WILL LAUNCH SOON!

We're looking for youth and adults to be founding members.

If you want to be a part of Mid-Missouri Scouting history, let us know HERE.

Send questions to info@ship73.org

Ship 73 will be headquartered in Columbia, MO. It will specialize in paddle-craft, small-boat sailing, radio technologies, and waterway conservation.

We need youth who are looking for a challenge. Sea Scouts is a youth-led program; adults are there to advise and facilitate, but the scouts decide what adventures to undertake and play key leadership roles on those adventures.

We are also looking for adults that have expertise in boating of all sorts, waterway conservation, radio, electronics, and emergency preparedness to help train and guide, as well as those who simply want to support the unit.

If you're interested in participating as a youth member or an adult volunteer, or just want to be kept up on the latest news, please fill out this form.

FAQ

Who can join?

Youth age 14–20, or 13 and finished 8th grade. No previous Scouting experience is needed. Sea Scouts has always been co-ed.

Is prior boating experience required?

No. New Scouts learn together. Even experienced paddlers and sailors learn new skills in Sea Scouts.

Do I need to know how to swim?

Not to join.

However, to participate in many water activities, youth must pass the BSA Swim Test or follow modified participation guidelines. We teach water safety from day one.

What day and how often will the Ship meet?

People have busy schedules and the founding members of the unit will need to work together to figure out a day, time, and location that works best. Because that group is still assembling, no such determination has yet been made. It's likely that we'll aim for one typical "meeting" with business and training and one or more outdoor activities each month.

How much will it cost to participate?

Scouting America and the Great Rivers Council require registration and membership fees. For youth, these total $145 per year ($101 for adults). These cover things like insurance, training and support. If you're already an actively registered member, there are no additional fees to participate in more than one unit. If membership fees create a barrier to participation, help is available.

At a unit level, costs of delivering the program that aren't met through other fundraising are typically covered by collecting dues and activity fees. These are determined by the unit and naturally depend on what expenses are incurred, so they can't be calculated until the members decide what adventures and activities they want to pursue. Sea Scouting is youth led, so the youth members will decide what they want to do and how they can pay for it after the Ship is launched.

What about the Uniform?

Sea Scouts have a distinct maritime identity separate from Troops and Crews, inspired by naval tradition. The key element of the official uniform is a dark navy work-style shirt (see this fact sheet), but many ships spend most of their time in activity uniforms (e.g. a unit t-shirt) that the members select.

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