Nautical Skills Stage 4 Activity Badge

Nautical Skills Stage 4 Activity Badge

Unleash your inner seafarer and develop the skills to take a boat or other craft out on the open water.

How to earn the badge:

1. Develop your skills in two water based activities. Show competency  and technique in:

• launch and recovering a watercraft
• manoeuvring a watercraft
• communicating with the group
• knowledge of safety

2. Take part in a capsize and recovery drill for the two watercraft you have chosen.

3. Use a throw bag or line to reach a person six metres away in the water.

4. Show you know how to apply the steering rules to your chosen watercraft and recognise the main channel markers.

5. Use a knot (either a round turn and two half hitches or a bowline) or a cleat correctly to moor a boat with a painter or mooring line. Describe what you need to be aware of when using these to moor.

6. Complete one of the following:

• Pipe the ‘still’ and ‘carry on’ on a Bosun’s call.
• Make a sail maker’s whipping and one other type of whipping and safely heat-seal the end of a rope. Describe the correct use of these whippings.
• Make an eye splice or a back splice and safely heat-seal the end  of a rope. Describe the correct use of these splices.

7. Name the parts of your chosen watercraft. If you have completed Nautical Skills Stage 3 you must choose a different watercraft.

8. Take part in a challenging three-hour expedition or exercise afloat.

9. Take part in a competition or crew-based activity in your chosen watercraft.