canoe merit badge

[diamondbackAPL]

thanks for all the advice everyone. I leave for Skymont tomorrow, and start canoeing on monday. I can't wait!

[diamondbackAPL]

I just got back from camp and I have something to tell everybody

TAKE CANOEING AT CAMP!!!!!(x50). repeat.

it is one of the favorite badges I have ever earned

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Good for you and glad to hear you enjoyed it! How about small boat sailing? Another good one!

[diamondbackAPL]

I would like to try that if we had small boats. to sail. for the small boat sailing merit badge.

[Ridge Runner]

I know that this is an old thread....but, I've in the back of my mind an ideal on how I would like to teach this MB since canoeing to me is the same as needing air to stay alive.

Here's how I would do it. First it would be for the older Scout new to the program age 13 1/2 up with no canoeing experience, and would take up the whole week. Day One would see a lot of work on the basics at camp and would see some additional training in simple river rescues.
Day 2 we would put in early on a good river with a mix of easy 1 and 2's to break up the dead water and maybe an easy 3 suitable for swimming spending the remaining days of the week river running. Come around mid day on a Friday, take out and head back to camp with a new group of canoeists...

[scoutaholic]

I know that this is an old thread....but, I've in the back of my mind an ideal on how I would like to teach this MB since canoeing to me is the same as needing air to stay alive.

Here's how I would do it. First it would be for the older Scout new to the program age 13 1/2 up with no canoeing experience, and would take up the whole week. Day One would see a lot of work on the basics at camp and would see some additional training in simple river rescues.
Day 2 we would put in early on a good river with a mix of easy 1 and 2's to break up the dead water and maybe an easy 3 suitable for swimming spending the remaining days of the week river running. Come around mid day on a Friday, take out and head back to camp with a new group of canoeists...

What you are proposing is NOT the Canoeing MB. You are trying to teach the Whitewater MB. Canoeing is to be done on flat/still water. Canoeing MB is requirement #3 of the Whitewater MB.

[Ridge Runner]

What you are proposing is NOT the Canoeing MB. You are trying to teach the Whitewater MB. Canoeing is to be done on flat/still water. Canoeing MB is requirement #3 of the Whitewater MB.

Having been a Waterfront director I know that older scouts have little to no desire to be in a canoeing class with 11 and 12 year olds. Since the bulk of BSA programs are geared for young scouts...Tigers, Cubs, Webelos, First Year Campers, and outside of the Venture program, very little else for the older scout, the solution is simple, Red Boardered MB's for Older Scouts, and off limit for those under 14.....then programs, like that I proposed would not be a problem.

[scouter01]

I don't know bout where you live, but where I live, we do merit badges with freinds lol. if I don't have freinds, the merit badges can get boring. but I still learn all the stuff anyway, I once again don't like age requirements, they are unfair. I would love to do the white water stuff as an under 14 year old...

[Ridge Runner]

Consider this...backpacking a high altitude 20 miler in a remote area as a 16 year old with a gaggle of 11 year olds in tow. Or the need to run a 30 mile day on dead water because of a wind bound day and you're behind schedule, and that 11 or 12 year old in your bow has tossed in the towel for the day after an hour at the paddle....as I see it, age limits are more then fair, and should be better enforced in all BSA high adventure programs.

[Mrw]

Consider this...backpacking a high altitude 20 miler in a remote area as a 16 year old with a gaggle of 11 year olds in tow. Or the need to run a 30 mile day on dead water because of a wind bound day and you're behind schedule, and that 11 or 12 year old in your bow has tossed in the towel for the day after an hour at the paddle....as I see it, age limits are more then fair, and should be better enforced in all BSA high adventure programs.

At age 13 my younger son and his friend participated in a week-long canoe trip to Algonquin with the troop. My son had a good 30 pounds on his best buddy (who was about as tiny as a 13 yr old boy can get). Yes, my son had to work a little harder paddling into a head wind since his friend just wasn't big enough to pull his own weight.

I can understand age limits for some badges for younger scouts, (climbing comes to mind) but the willingness to work hard enough to finish the badge and master the skills should trump age limits in most cases.

As far as some of the higher adventure stuff, age and/or rank limits are likely the best way to keep the activity for the boys who are physically strong enough to complete the activity.

We usually have a couple really little 11 yr olds cross-over each spring and they are just not going to be strong enough for a back-packing trek for a couple years.

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Ridge Runner -
Based on what you describe in the above, I will agree with you that an age requirement could and should be set by troops wishing to participate in treks requiring long days, canoeing as you suggest, against possible tough conditions. I will absolutely agree that an age requirement of 14 should be used for this type of activity.

BUT, this thread is not about high adventure treks, it is simply about the badge for canoeing. To earn the badge, I do not think an age requirement should be established as plenty of young boys are more than able to earn this badge. No where in any of the requirements is anything about rough water paddling or tasks that prohibit an 11 year old from earning the badge. I would also hope an advancement coordinator or some other adult is responsible to go over badges with the boys for summer camp prior to signing up for something a boy is not serious about. A boy should know what the requirements are and be a decent swimmer already.

Now, with that being said – back to your concern

If I were in charge of our troop taking a pack and paddle trek or earning the 50 miler – I would not only require the canoeing badge but also the 1st aid and an age requirement of 14.

[hacimsaalk]

If I were in charge of our troop taking a pack and paddle trek or earning the 50 miler – I would not only require the canoeing badge but also the 1st aid and an age requirement of 14.

i can see the canoeing merit badge, and first aid, but why the 14 yo age?? most rivers are plenty calm enough for the entire troop to participate. i wouldnt ever tell a scout he couldnt go, unless he posed a significant risk to himself or others (lack of conditioning, mental status, etc.). all canoeing consits of is sitting in the boat and maneuvering. its 10x's easier than a oack trip .

now if i had a suggestion, id also require E prep AND/OR lifesaving.

[hacimsaalk]

If I were in charge of our troop taking a pack and paddle trek or earning the 50 miler – I would not only require the canoeing badge but also the 1st aid and an age requirement of 14.

i can see the canoeing merit badge, and first aid, but why the 14 yo age?? most rivers are plenty calm enough for the entire troop to participate. i wouldnt ever tell a scout he couldnt go, unless he posed a significant risk to himself or others (lack of conditioning, mental status, etc.). all canoeing consits of is sitting in the boat and maneuvering. its 10x's easier than a oack trip .

now if i had a suggestion, id also require E prep AND/OR lifesaving.

[9009scoutmaster]

Consider this...backpacking a high altitude 20 miler in a remote area as a 16 year old with a gaggle of 11 year olds in tow. Or the need to run a 30 mile day on dead water because of a wind bound day and you're behind schedule, and that 11 or 12 year old in your bow has tossed in the towel for the day after an hour at the paddle....as I see it, age limits are more then fair, and should be better enforced in all BSA high adventure programs.

"Be Prepared" is the SCOUT MOTTO

You have to prepare for a high altitude 20 miler in a remote area. Years ago as a 15 to 17 (Trip 3 years in a row) scout I hiked 50-80 miles along the Appalachian Trail with several 12-13 year old scouts.
We started preparing 6 to 8 month before each trip. Each scout had 5-6 short weekend treks (10-20 mile treks) before the Big Trek.
Young scouts can make these big treks but the leadership of the unit has to prepare them beforehand.
Did some of the younger scouts have trouble on the Big Trek? Yes they did, because it was a lot harder they our training treks. But you find out which one's will quite on you during the training treks. And I can tell you that age has nothing to do with which ones that will quite.

As a SM, during summer Camp this year one of my ASM and I went threw our our local council's COPE coures during summer camp. As a SM I now know what a scout's abilities must be for them to succeed on a COPE course. Therefore as a SM I will not sign a scout up for the COPE course or any other High Adventure activity unless I know they are ready for that activity.

[bikesandbooks]

Hi Scouters:

I made a blog for the Canoeing Merit Badge I co-counseled for my son's troop. There are sidebar links to the worksheet, a series of video resources helpful for various parts of the badge (parts of the canoe, stroke demonstrations, etc.), and a homemade video series on the swamp and rescue portion of the badge. Have a look: http://451cmb.blogspot.com/