Chartering a Sea Scout Ship

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Sea Scouting is the Coast Guard Auxiliary's official youth program and is a Boy Scouts of America program for young men and women, ages 14 (or 13 years of age and completed eighth grade) through 20. Sea Scouts provide a program for religious, fraternal, educational, and other community organizations to use for effective character, citizenship, and mental and personal fitness training for youth. As part of this training, Sea Scouts are expected to develop personal religious values, learn the principles of American heritage and government, and acquire skills that will prepare them to become successful adults.

One of the best ways to maximize Sea Scouts' benefit to the Auxiliary is to organize and sponsor a Sea Scout Ship (unit). An Auxiliary-sponsored Ship means that the focus will be on training, recreational boating safety, values, and service to country. This positive, on-going interaction with Auxiliarists and Coast Guard personnel will promote the Coast Guard and Auxiliary, and in many cases will lead to Auxiliary membership and/or Coast Guard careers for Sea Scouts, their parents, and leaders.

All Sea Scouts and Sea Scout leaders are automatically Associate Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association unless they choose to opt out. Any Sea Scout who is at least 14 years old or Sea Scout leader may also choose to become full members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary by following the normal application process.

How to Get Started

Once your flotilla or division has decided that it wants to start a Sea Scout Ship (unit), it is important that you become familiar with the instructions in the How to organize a Sea Scout Ship document. This will guide you through the ten steps in starting a new Ship. The New Unit Organization Kit is another important resource. Be sure to become familiar with the resources listed at the bottom of this page. Help is available from your local Scout council and from the Sea Scouts.

What Training is Available

The Boy Scouts of America is heavily invested in providing high quality, in-depth youth and adult leader training through a variety of venues. The Sea Scouts BSA website provides a wide range of training and program resources. Online training is chiefly offered through BSA's Learning Center. Some training is also provided in-person, and in some cases, only offered in a few places around the country. The following will address most questions that new Sea Scout leaders will have.

Youth Protection Training

The Auxiliary requires that all Auxiliarist who may interact with individual members of the BSA under the age of 18 years complete and implement BSA Youth Protection Training prior to such interaction as may be required by Coast Guard and BSA policies. This requirement does not apply to public education or public affairs activities that are provided to the general public. The Auxiliary will provide guidance to its members regarding registration procedures and record keeping.

True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at all levels.

New to Scouting? Click here to login and take Youth Protection training. You do not have to be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America to take Youth Protection training. Additional information about taking Youth Protection training is available here.

Leadership and Program Training

Sea Scout Online training is available at the BSA Learning Center, which is part of My.Scouting Tools. Support for this training is provided by the Member Care Service Center. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 972-580-2489.

Additional training is available on the New Leader Resources and Sea Scout Leader Training & Education pages.

New Sea Scout Ship application process

Preliminary paperwork

Once the adult leadership for the prospective Sea Scout Ship has been identified, all must complete BSA's Youth Protection Training (YPT). All Auxilarist who will be working directly with the Ship, including the Auxiliary unit leader and vice leader (FC and VFC if the Ship is to be chartered to a Flotilla), the Human Resources, Member Training, and Operations staff officers. Copies of the YPT completion certificates should be sent to the Director of Auxiliary's office for entry into these Auxiliarists' Auxdata training record. All adults, whether Auxiliarists or not, who are planning on being BSA registered members of the new Sea Scout Ship must complete the BSA Adult application form, 524-501.

Several Auxiliarists and Sea Scout volunteers worked together to create a succinct checklist for organizing a new Sea Scout Ship (posted 04Oct2022).

A new Sea Scout Ship must have least five young adults willing to join. The BSA Youth application form, 524-406 must be completed for each new Sea Scout.

Finally, a New-Unit application form, 524-402 and The Annual Unit Charter Agreement Between: form must also be completed and signed by the Auxiliary unit leader (Flotilla Commander if the prospective chartered organization is an Auxiliary flotilla, or Division Commander if the prospective chartered organization is an Auxiliary Division).

DIRAUX approval

Once the minimum adult leadership has been recruited and YPT training completed, and the minimum number of Sea Scouts have been recruited, the Auxiliary unit leader (FC or DCR) will request approval to charter a Sea Scout Ship. This request can be made electronically (via email) through the chain of leadership to the cognizant District Director of Auxiliary (DIRAUX). The request shall include the flotilla or division leader’s attestation that all requisite leaders and staff officers have successfully completed BSA YPT, that all other Auxiliarists who are required to successfully complete BSA YPT shall do so pursuant to this SOP, and that the request has the expressed approval of the corresponding local BSA council. The request shall also include a roster of the Sea Scout Ship’s youth and adult leaders.

Once the charter request has been received and approved by the District Director of Auxiliary, a Coast Guard charter will be produced and presented to the flotilla/division and Sea Scout Ship at a suitable occasion. Presenting the Coast Guard charter at the same time that the BSA charter is presented is best practice.


Support for Your Sea Scout Ship

From the Sea Scouts

Help should be available from your local Scout council, but some councils have no Sea Scout Ships, and some others lack an organized council Sea Scout Committee. We have provided an explanation of the Sea Scout organizational structure here. If you need help with connecting with local Sea Scout support, email either Sea Scout Ship Growth & Retention or the Auxiliary Youth Programs Division.

From the Auxiliary

The Auxilary's Youth Programs Division is responsible for supporting and providing policy guidance to Auxiliarists helping the Sea Scouts. In order that Sea Scouts BSA - Auxiliary Youth Leadership Program organizational support be implemented consistently, it is recommended that District and (where appropriate) Division Sea Scout Coordinators be appointed. Additional information is available at Sea Scouts BSA - Auxiliary Youth Leadership Program Organizational Support.

New Ship links

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