Sea Scouts BSA

Ship 1000, the Enterprise” Honored With BoatU.S. and the Sea Scouts, BSA

2015 National Flagship Award

2015 National Flagship

The Boats Owners Association of the United States (BoatU.S.) and Sea Scouts, BSA recognize Sea Scout Ship 1000 theEnterprise” of Rockwall, TX, Circle Ten Council and East Trinity Trails District as the recipient of the 2015 BoatU.S. and the Sea Scouts, BSA “National Flagship” Award.  BoatU.S. created the award in 2002 to mark the 90th anniversary of Sea Scouting. It is presented in recognition of excellence in program quality, youth achievement, and adult commitment. It is because of these attributes, as reflected by the Enterprise’s” exemplary program of seamanship and youth development, that we honor them with this award.

Heartfelt congratulations go to Ship 1000’s 2014 Boatswain Aaron Parks-Young, Ship Skipper Don Henry, and the dedicated crew and the many adult volunteers of the Enterprise.” Sea Scout Ship 1000 the Enterprise’s” name will be inscribed on a perpetual trophy at the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas. An identical trophy will be presented to the Ship at a gathering in the Circle Ten Council.

The “2015 National Flagship” award is not the first time this year that Ship 1000 has been in the BSA spotlight.Boatswain Aaron Parks-Young was named the 2014 Nation’s Top Scout in the Sea Scout Experience Advanced Leadership program (SEAL). Ship 1000 was also awarded the “2014 Texas Flagship. The ship annually meets Journey to Excellence (JTE) “Gold” level. Ship 1000 proudly honors the Sea Scout Manual’s Welcome Aboard Message,

The element of water makes Sea Scouts unique. Sea Scout units use a variety of boats, from outboard motorboats to large sailing yachts. Sea Scouts belong to a world that is distinct from anything on shore, and they have their own language and customs.”

Chartered by Dallas Sail and Power Squadron, Sea Scout Ship 1000 has a 2015 co-ed membership of 18 youth and 16 adults. The ship proudly calls two ports home. On Lake Ray Hubbard located east of Dallas TX, they slip and sail from both Chandlers Landing Marina in Rockwall, TX and Rush Creek Yacht Club in Heath, TX. Depending on the season and weather, youth sail a fleet of 16 vessels ranging from 14’ to 27’ and including 2 Lasers, 8 JY15s, 3 Catalina 22s, a Nickels Lightning, a Capri 25, a Catalina 25, or a Cal 2-27. Rush Creek Yacht Club Education Foundation (RCEF) also allows the ship use of an IC24 in club and area races.

For its modest size, Ship 1000’s 2014 program was ambitious. Highlights include local and regional high adventure events including a scout-planned high adventure trip to Galveston, TX, a 5-day sailing camp partnering with a ship from a neighboring council, and piloting/navigation training culminating with a weekend cruise aboard SSS Point Glass. The Ship regularly travels to regional Sea Scout events such as Sea Scout Academy in Galveston, TX and The Minto Rendezvous at Bovay Scout Ranch. Ship 1000 participates in Dallas Race Week and weekly races at Rush Creek Yacht Club(RCYC.) Community service is integral and Ship 1000 logged more than 300 hours of community service in 2014 inactivities including Scouting for Food to benefit Helping Hands, lake shore cleanup, RCYC and Chandlers Landing Marinamaintenance and clean up and RCYC Race Committee. The ship provides flag ceremony detail for organizations and events including their chartering organization Dallas Sail and Power Squadron.

Among the Ship’s super activities, a five-day, youth planned High Adventure Trip to the Gulf Coast was attended by nine scouts and four leaders. This trip included visiting Battleship Texas, United States Coast Guard, touring Texas A&M Maritime Academy at Galveston, kayaking at Galveston Sea Base and Co-op charting with the United States Power Squadrons. For a second activity, six scouts and three leaders spent a weekend aboard SSS Point Glass, a restoredUnited States Coast Guard cutter, where they piloted the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. Youth assumed piloting, navigation, and engineering roles while on board and met for three, four-hour training sessions prior to the event to develop coastal navigation and piloting skills necessary for a successful adventure.

Reefed and Ready,” a five-day event focusing on small boat sailing and race skills has become an annual event between Ship 1225 of Longhorn Council and Ship 1000 of Circle Ten. This year it attracted over 20 Sea Scouts and a dozen adultsat the Doolin Education Center at RCYC. For their fourth major event, ten scouts and five leaders attended the Minto Rendezvous’ fleet event at Camp Bovay Scout Reservation near Navasota, Texas. The competition includes over 20 events focused on teamwork, training and preparation in a variety of nautical related events. Nineteen Sea Scout Ships competed in a traditional scout camporee format that tests skills required for sailing and advancement. Competitions include knot tying, line heaving, radio communication, first aid, uniform inspection, no-paddle canoe race, clove hitch on a tree and the Flotsam Flotilla Race. The “Enterprise” was especially proud to receive the Minto Rendezvous Conduct Award.”

Ship 1000 holds regular unit and quarterdeck meetings in addition to advancement days where adults and youth work together on all levels of advancement. Members participate in monthly overnight cruises, Dallas Race Week, Regattas, and weekly club races. In addition to sailing, adult and youth members volunteer as race officials assisting with the intricacies of course plotting, mark setting, and race safety. To fund their activities youth and adults conduct a variety of activities including pancake breakfasts, yard sales, donated boat sales and camp card sales. Friends and advisors offer in-kind services and gifts such as scholarships to RCYC Summer Sailing Camp, motor repair, boat maintenance, slip and dry dock space, use of The Doolin Education Center and safety and chase boat usage at RCYC.

Youth and adult leaders are active scouts and scouters across a range of functions. Adult members fill roles such asAdvisor and Associate Advisors to the Council Venturing Officer’s Association (VOA,) Chairman for East Trinity Trails District and Lifeguard Instructors on the Council Aquatics Committee. Scouts serve on the Council VOA, staffing summer camp and the Council NYLT courses. Additionally one scout serves as a Vice President of the National VOA.

Ship 1000 proudly shares in and contributes to the excellence of Sea Scouting as noted in the Sea Scout Manual.

“Outings on a boat offer new destinations in the morning and the changing scenery of a new harbor by evening. Every event is an adventure.”

To see Ship 1000’s summary of 2014 activities visit http://www.ship1000.org.

The 2015 National Flagship Fleet was selected and wishes to recognize the following Sea Scout Ships for their outstanding programs for this past year:

Dragonlady Ship 1942, National Capital Area Council, Arlington, Virginia

Response Ship 911, Capitol Area Council, Austin, Texas

Runners Ship 212, National Capital Area Council, Bethesda, Maryland

Congratulations to each of these ships for their great programs in the past. We look forward to their continued involvement with the Sea Scout program around the country.

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