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Quartermaster Rank Medal

Quartermaster


Requirements were REVISED effective February 28, 2022.

To see the changes which were made, Click here.

For the previous requirements, Click here.


  1. Ideals
    1. Initiate a discussion on the ideals stated in the Sea Promise.
    2. Prepare a written analysis, offering recommendations for improvements regarding one of the following ship's programs: bylaws and code, training programs, ceremonies, quarterdeck meetings, recruiting programs, or fund-raising.
  2. Active Membership
    1. Meet your ship's bylaws requirement for active participation in your ship's meetings and activities for six months.
    2. Present a talk or program at least 15 minutes long on Sea Scouts to a service club, religious organization, PTA, or other adult organization.
  3. Leadership
    1. Quartermaster Project: While an Able Sea Scout, plan, develop, and demonstrate leadership to others in a service project that is helpful to any religious institution, school, or your community. The project plan must be approved by your Skipper and ship committee and approved by the council or district advancement committee before you start. This service project should involve your ship and at least one other group. You must use the Quartermaster Leadership Service Project Workbook, No. 420-011 to document your work. Note: The Quartermaster project is separate and distinct from a youth's Eagle Scout service project.
    2. Officer: Serve as a Ship's officer for at least six months.
    3. Quartermaster Cruise: Take command of one of more vessels crewed by not less than four Sea Scouts (e.g., four single occupant vessels or a single vessel with four occupants) for at least 40 consecutive hours, including two nights. You must delegate and supervise all duties. Prior to departure, create a trip plan and receive approval from your ship's Skipper. If your boats are transported to the water, inspect all vessels, with an adult leader, and evaluate whether they are adequately secured for transportation prior to departure. In addition, prior to the trip, During the cruise complete the following: file a float plan; inspect the vessel for required equipment; supervise all menu preparation; prepare the vessel(s) to get underway with a proper checklist approved by the adult leaders; launch, anchor, dock, and maintain course bv commands to the helmsman appropriate for your vessel(s); remain underway for an extended period during darkness if your vessel has running lights; and discuss appropriate nighttime running procedures. While underway, perform safety and rescue drills appropriate to your boat(s), such as capsize, person in the water, towing vessels, damage control, abandon ship. fire, collision, and any other drills used by your ship. During this cruise no substantial errors may be committed.
      or
      Plan and serve as coordinator on a "live-aboard' dive trip of at least three days with all dive plans, equipment, food, surface and underwater charts on dive sites, specific training including all financial, safety information and emergency protocols, plan for provisions; supervise all menu preparation; prepare the boats to get underway with a proper checklist approved by the adult leaders; and file a float plan. If on open water, prepare a navigation chart including at least three legs and/or course corrections. If on inland rivers, identify river access points and coordinate transportation at both ends of the trip. With an adult leader, inspect all vessels and evaluate whether they are adequately secured for transportation. During this cruise no substantial errors mav be committed.
      or
      Successfully complete SEAL (Sea Scout Advanced Leadership) training. .
    4. Organize and help conduct the BSA's Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships (ILSS) for your ship, or serve as staff on an NYLT course, NYLT Leadership Academy, NAYLE, SEAL, Kodiak, Wood Badge course, or Sea Badge course.
  4. Swimming
    • Complete the requirements for Lifeguard through BSA, the American Red Cross, or other approved organizations' lifeguard course.
  5. Safety
    1. Know the heavy-weather precautions taken aboard power, sailing, and paddle vessels when dangerous weather approaches, and demonstrate these precautions aboard the vessel used by your ship.
    2. Know the special precautions that should be taken when limited visibility is encountered.
    3. Teach Apprentice 5a and Ordinary 5a, 5b, and 5c requirements to a crew.
  6. Marlinspike Seamanship
    1. Teach the Apprentice, Ordinary, and Able marlinspike seamanship requirements to a crew.
    2. Make an eye splice in double-braided line.
  7. Boat Handling
    1. Take charge of the craft used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for picking up a mooring buoy and properly mooring the vessel in several wind and current situations.
      or
      Take charge of three or more single occupant vessels, and give all the commands necessary to move the group successfully to the opposite shore, across a river in moving water, or lake in windy conditions, without drifting downstream or down lake.
    2. Demonstrate and teach the principles of springing into and out from a dock, from both bow and stern, using an engine depending on the type of vessel used by your ship.
      or
      Demonstrate and teach the proper way to enter moving water with a canoe, kayak, paddleboard or raft, facing both upstream and downstream while in an eddy and from shore.
    3. Teach Ordinary and Able boat handling requirements to a crew.
  8. Ground Tackle
    1. Teach the Ordinary and Able anchoring requirements to a crew.
    2. Know the methods of bringing a vessel to anchor and a mooring with special emphasis on wind and current.
    3. Take charge of a vessel used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for setting and weighing anchor in several wind and current situations.
  9. Navigation Rules
    • Teach the Ordinary navigation rules requirements and Able 9b and 9c to a crew.
  10. Piloting and Navigation
    1. Teach the Ordinary and Able piloting requirements to a crew.
    2. Know the methods of fixing a boat's position in limited visibility.
    3. Create a route in an electronic navigation device that includes at least five waypoints. Use the electronic navigation device to navigate your route.
      or
      Use an electronic navigation device (e.g.. GPS) to determine coordinates and routes for at least five emergency exit routes for inland waterways. Identify the beginning of each route during a boating trip.
  11. Weather
    1. Teach the Ordinary and Able weather requirements to a crew.
    2. Demonstrate your knowledge of the weather signs for your local area, including cloud types. Prepare a 48-hour forecast and compare your forecast with the actual weather that occurred.
  12. Environment
    1. Discuss the three types of marine sanitation devices and the laws governing sewage discharge.
    2. Explain what gray water is and how it should be handled in your boating area.
    3. Write a 500-word report on an aquatic environment (freshwater, coastal, estuary, or sanctuary). Include in the report the location, habitat, history, animals and plants that inhabit the area, its importance to man, current regulations, and what boaters can do to help preserve it for future generations.

    4. or
      Use an electronic navigation device (e.g.. GPS) to determine coordinates and routes for at least five emergency exit routes for inland waterways. Identify the beginning of each route during a boating trip.
  13. Electives
    Choose any four level 3 or higher electives from the following options.
    Click Here to see the list of electives.

Reference materials such as U.S. Coast Guard navigation rules. International Sailing Federation Rules, OSHA requirements. International Code of Signals, and others change frequently. They should be available in your ship's library. They are not reprinted in this (the Sea Scout) manual.

For more details on Sea Scouting,
including References, and Web References for the requirements shown above,
see the official Sea Scouting Web Site, at http://www.seascout.org

The Quartermaster Leadership Service Project Workbook (420-011) can be downloaded here.

The Quartermaster Award Application (420-015) can be downloaded here.

Source: Sea Scout Manual Errata 6 - https://seascout.org/download/sea-scout-manual-errata-notice-6-2022/?wpdmdl=23655


Page updated on: September 16, 2022



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