Small BoatSailing

SMALL-BOAT
SAILING
STEM-Based
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
MERIT BADGE SERIES
SMALL-BOAT
SAILING
Enhancing our youths competitive edge through merit badges

Requirements
1. Do the following:
a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you
may encounter while participating in small-boat activities
and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent,
mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
b. Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid treatment for
the following injuries or illnesses that can occur while
sailing: blisters, cold-water shock and hypothermia,
dehydration and heat-related illnesses, sunburn, sprains,
and strains.
c. Discuss the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it applies
to small-boat activities.
2. Before doing requirements 3 through 9, successfully

complete the BSA swimmer test: Jump feetfirst into water
over the head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a
strong manner using one or more of the following strokes:
sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25
yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100 yards must
be completed in one swim without stops and must include
at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest
by floating.
3. Describe the boat you will be using for the sailing

requirement, naming all of the major parts and the
function of those parts.*
*The skills may be demonstrated on any boat available to the Scout; sailboards
are not acceptable. While no specific sail plan is recommended, it is suggested
that the craft be smaller than 20 feet. The boat must be capsizable and have the
capability of sailing to windward.
35950
ISBN 978-0-8395-3356-6
2016 Boy Scouts of America
2016 Printing
4. Before going afloat, do the following:
a. Discuss the nine points of the BSA Safety Afloat plan.
b. Explain the rules of the road in general and any specific
rules or laws that apply to your area or state.
c. Explain how water conditions, the hazards of weather,
and heavy winds can affect both safety and performance
in sailing.
d. Discuss the warning signs of inclement weather and what
to do should heavy winds develop or a storm approach.
e. Prepare a typical float plan.
f. Discuss the proper clothing, footwear, and personal
gear required for small-boat sailing in warm weather
and in cool weather. Explain how choosing the proper
clothing, footwear, and personal gear will help keep
you comfortable and safe while sailing.
5. Discuss with your counselor how to identify the wind

direction and wind indicators. Explain the importance of this
task before setting sail.
6. Following the BSA Safety Afloat plan, show that you and a
buddy can sail a boat properly. Do the following:
a. Prepare a boat for sailing, including a safety inspection.
b. Get under way from a dock, mooring, or beach.
c. Properly set sails for a round-trip course approved by
your counselor that will include running, beating,
and reachingthe basic points of sail. While sailing,
demonstrate good helmsmanship skills.
d. Change direction by tacking; change direction by jibing.
e. Demonstrate getting out of irons.
f. Demonstrate the safety position.
g. Demonstrate capsize procedures and the rescue of a
person overboard.
Capsize procedures should be conducted under the close supervision of the
counselor. A rescue boat should be standing by to assist, if necessary, and to tow
the capsized craft to shore. Self-bailing boats are acceptable for this requirement.
Extreme care should be taken to avoid personal injury and damage to the boat
or equipment.
SMALL-BOAT SAILING3
h. Demonstrate the procedure to take after running aground.
i. Upon returning to the dock, mooring, or beach,
properly secure all equipment, furl or stow sails, and
prepare the craft for unattended docking or beaching
overnight or longer.
7. Demonstrate a working knowledge of marlinespike

seamanship. Do the following:
a. Show how to tie a square (reef) knot, clove hitch, two
half hitches, bowline, cleat hitch, and figure-eight knot.
Demonstrate the use of each.
b. Show how to heave a line, coil a line, and fake down
a line.
c. Discuss the kinds of lines used on sailboats and the
types of fibers used in their manufacture. Explain the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
8. Describe how you would care for and maintain a sailboat

and its gear throughout the year.
9. With your counselor, review sailing terminology and the

points of sail. Discuss various types of sailboats in use
today and explain their differences.
4SMALL-BOAT SAILING
.Small-Boat Sailing Resources
Small-Boat Sailing Resources

Scouting Literature Kantor, John. Basic Sailing.
Deck of First Aid; Emergency First Aid Longshore Sailing School
pocket guide; Be Prepared First Aid (www.LongshoreSailingSchool.
Book; Fieldbook; Sea Scout Manual; com), 2004.
Canoeing, Kayaking, Motorboating, Maloney, Elbert S. Chapman Piloting
Rowing, Scuba Diving, and Whitewater and Seamanship, 67th ed. Hearst
merit badge pamphlets Corporation, 2013.
Rousmaniere, John. Annapolis Book
Visit the Boy Scouts of Americas of Seamanship, 4th ed. Simon &
official retail website at Schuster, 2014.
http://www.scoutstuff.org for a Royce, Patrick. Royces Sailing
complete listing of all merit badge Illustrated. Royce Publications, 1997.
pamphlets and other helpful
Smith, Hervey Garrett. The Marlinspike
Scouting materials and supplies.
Sailor, 2nd ed. Martino Fine
Books, 2012.
Books US Sailing Association. Small Boat
Aarons, Richard N., ed. Small-Boat Sailor Certification Record Book
Seamanship Manual. International (The Little Red Book). US Sailing
Marine/Ragged Mountain Association, 2001.
Press, 2006.
Ashley, Clifford. Ashley Book of Knots.
Doubleday, 1944.
Bond, Bob. The Handbook of Sailing.
Knopf, 1992.
Fries, Derrick. Start Sailing Right! US
Sailing Association, 1997.
Isler, Peter, and J.J. Isler. Sailing
for Dummies, 2nd ed. Wiley
Publishing Inc., 2006.
SMALL-BOAT SAILING93
Small-Boat Sailing Resources.
Magazines Acknowledgments
Blue Water Sailing
747 Aquidneck Ave., Suite 201
Middletown, RI 02842
Toll-free telephone: 888-800-7245
Website: http://www.bwsailing.com
Sail
10 Bokum Road The Boy Scouts of America thanks
Essex, CT 06426 the United States Sailing Association,
Toll-free telephone: 800-745-7245 better known as US SAILING, the
Website: http://www.sailmagazine.com national governing body for the sport
of sailing in the United States, for its
Sailing
generous permission to pattern our
Website: http://www.sailingmagazine.net
how-to illustrations after those in its
Sailing World official learn-to-sail guide, Start Sailing
55 Hammarlund Way Right! Thanks also to the following
Middletown, RI 02842 US SAILING employees and volunteers.
Toll-free telephone: 866-436-2460
Janine Connelly, US SAILING
Website: http://www.sailingworld.com
Training Director
Organizations and Websites Pat Giella, US SAILING
American Sailing Association Instructor Trainer and National
5301 Beethoven St., Suite 265 Faculty member
Los Angeles, CA 90066 Jo Mogle, US SAILING Training
Telephone: 310-822-7171 Committee Vice Chair for Standards
Website: http://www.asa.com and Credentials
Online Small Boat Sailing Course Richard Jepsen, US SAILING
Website: http://asa.com/online- Training Committee Chair and
sailing-course CEO OCSC Sailing School
U.S. Coast Guard: Boating Timmy Larr, US SAILING Training
Website: http://www.uscgboating.org Committee volunteer
US SAILING Association The BSA also appreciates the assistance
15 Maritime Drive of Scouter David Bell, BSA Health and
Portsmouth, RI 02871 Safety Committee member.
Toll-free telephone: 800-877-2451 The Boy Scouts of America is
Website: http://www.ussailing.org grateful to the men and women serving
on the Merit Badge Maintenance Task
Force for the improvements made in
updating this pamphlet.
94SMALL-BOAT SAILING

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SMALL-BOAT

Enhancing our youths competitive edge through merit badges

2. Before doing requirements 3 through 9, successfully

3. Describe the boat you will be using for the sailing

5. Discuss with your counselor how to identify the wind

7. Demonstrate a working knowledge of marlinespike

8. Describe how you would care for and maintain a sailboat

9. With your counselor, review sailing terminology and the

Small-Boat Sailing Resources

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