Kayaking Merit Badge

[wagionvigil]

I heard a statement this past weekend that Kayaking MB would be released the summer on 2012 anyone else hear anything on this? Paul?

[ronin718]

For those who have already earned the Kayaking BSA patch, would they also be awarded the MB upon presentation of the award card? Or would they only be credited with requirements X, Y, and Z?

[PaulSWolf]

Haven't heard anything but rumors about the badge, but my assumption would be "credit for X, Y, & Z".

[ronin718]

My son would love it!!! It would be one more waterfront MB. He's running out of options at camp, and it's not good for teenagers to have TOOOO much free time without adult supervision.

[cdwscout]

It seems like a good idea to have an "Kayaking 101" (Kayaking BSA) and an more advanced kayaking award (Kayaking MB). Right now, Kayaking BSA can be earned in a matter of hours, and making something harder, maybe involving an overnight kayak trip, would be pretty cool.

[smtroop168]

Welding is planned for release in late 2011, followed by Kayaking sometime after that.

Info contained in the October Advancement Newsletter

For those who have already earned the Kayaking BSA patch, would they also be awarded the MB upon presentation of the award card? Or would they only be credited with requirements X, Y, and Z?

No. Just like those who earned Scuba BSA were not automatically given the Scuba MB.

[RWSmith]

NOTE: Please continue the Welding MB discussion over in Welding Merit Badge.

(I've merged the Welding MB posts that were here over to the new thread.)

[AquilaNegra2]

Kayaking is already covered in Water Sports. Is WS going away?

Also, what happened to Fisheries Science?

[wagionvigil]

Not sure But there will definitely be a Kayaking MB

[RWSmith]

Kayaking is already covered in Water Sports. Is WS going away?

Uh, I think you meant to say, Whitewater. (Water Sports covers skiing and wakeboarding, which IMHO, is a more appropriate name anyway; but, what do I know?)

Req. 3. Before doing requirements 4 through 13, earn the Canoeing merit badge if you will be using a canoe to earn this merit badge. If you will be using a kayak, earn the Kayaking BSA Award.

Hopefully, national has thought about this and the upcoming 2012 Boy Scout Requirements book will contain language to reflect the use of either the Kayaking BSA award or the Kayaking merit badge (pending release). Yeah; right... don't hold your breath. If national isn't prepared, then I suspect it's too late to get what should be an obvious (easy) modification into 2012 printing run. So, maybe 2013... maybe.

I'm just "thinking out loud from a bigger picture" here...

• Learning how to canoe or kayak does not require the use of whitewater. Both merit badges can now be taught to younger Scouts at summer camp on soft water. (Frankly, I can imagine some camps replacing their Rowing merit badge slots w/ Kayaking. And no, I don't like the thought of that. But, that's for another discussion.)
• Anyhow, now... both Canoeing and Kayaking will have "merit badges paths" to Whitewater.
• Think: National... "marketing" stats (i.e., "predictive" bean counters), BSA's image, The Summit!, et al... 'nuf said there, huh?
• And lastly, akin to the SCUBA situation, which started out as an award only, but eventually had a merit badge created, too:
  
  1. As an award, adults and both older boys and girls can earn the SCUBA BSA award.
  2. Conversely, if it were only a merit badge, then (of course), adults and female Venturers would be eliminated.

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Also, what happened to Fisheries Science?

If there is not already a Fisheries Science topic, please start one.

[wagionvigil]

They and talking Doing rolls etc in kayaking. maybe they should also make hand rolls mandatory an extremely difficult move. i am anxious to see the requirements.Bbeing an old river rat it should be interesting.

[SoCal76]

I wonder if they'll allow two-person kayaks?

[wagionvigil]

only if you are using a tandem bike to get there Seriously K'2s are getting very difficult to locate

[smtroop168]

June 13th release date

[lambeausam]

Know what you mean about K2s. I am trying to find a used one for a decent price. I have four kids - three are boy scouts and can handle their own float, but my youngest has significant special needs and requires a companion craft. Then again, she's small enough to bungee to the gear pad!

[wagionvigil]

Necky makes one

[wagionvigil]

My son did Whitewater and kayaking with a troop over two days this weekend on The Yough.

[AquilaNegra2]

Haven't been on the Yough in 30 years, but still remember it . Lucky son!

They overlap SO much that I can't see both being kept. Did your son get Kayaking BSA signed off at the same time? He likely did the requirements.

[PaulSWolf]

BTW, The Kayaking MB Workbook is now available on http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/Kayaking.pdf and on meritbadge.org http://meritbadge.org/wiki/images/7/74/Kayaking.pdf.

The workbook contain the requirements for BOTH the Kayaking Merit Badge and the Kayaking BSA award (patch), with cross references identifying which requirements in the merit badge are comparable to those for the award patch, and vice-versa. So Scouts can easily check off the requirements for both, then do those requirements which are unique to each, and thus earn both. The merit badge, of course can be worn on the uniform/merit badge sash, and the award patch on the Scout's swimsuit - NOT on the uniform.

The workbook also includes copies of the Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat guidelines.

The requirements page on usscouts.org http://usscouts.org/mb/mb149.asp also contains some information from the pamphlet specifically aimed at counselors.

[AquilaNegra2]

Excellent, Paul! Thanks.