Difference between revisions of "Coast Guard Auxiliary Boater Education for Scouts"

The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a wide range of boater education courses (referred to as Public Education within the Auxiliary) to the general public. Coast Guard Auxiliary boater education is particularly well suited for Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, and Venturers. For Boy Scouts who are planning a trip to the Florida Sea Base, taking a [Sailing and Seamanship] course beforehand should be a must. Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts participating in a canoe trek at the Charles L. Sommers Wilderness Canoe Base or a river closer to home should include the new Paddlesport America as a part of their trip preparation. And Sea Scouts will want to , their first experience with watercraft is with canoes or rowboats at their local Council camp. A typical Scout camp's "waterfront" will include one or more of the following: swimming, lifesaving, snorkeling, canoeing, rowing, kayaking, sailing, and much less frequently, water skiing.

In working toward the Eagle Scout rank, Boy Scouts are required to qualify for 21 merit badges. Two of the "required" merit badges may include Swimming and Lifesaving merit badges. As such, they are very popular with Scouts, and the vast majority qualify for them at summer camp. Although Canoeing merit badge is not a "required" merit badge, it remains very popular, and summer camp is by far the most common place to earn it.