Ship 198 from Lewes, Delaware in the Del-Mar-Va Council, is named as the recipient of the 2020 National Flagship Award by the Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) and Sea Scouts, BSA. In 2002, BoatUS and Sea Scout, BSA, created this award to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Sea Scout program in the United States. The award is presented to a Sea Scout Ship that demonstrated excellence in youth servant leadership and strong adult mentorship that resulted in a quality character development program and outstanding youth membership achievement during a calendar year.
Ship 198 is chartered by the Broadkiln Marina in Milton, Delaware and is led by Ship’s Boatswain Cheyenne S. and Skipper Ron Krajewski. Under Cheyenne’s leadership, the Quarterdeck embarked on an aggressive recruiting campaign as well as a well-rounded program involving active participation in outdoor district and council events, on-the-water activities, community service and active participation in the Del-Mar-Va Council’s Nentego Lodge Order of the Arrow. As a result of their hard work and determination, Ship 198 grew from 10 members to 28 active members and by year’s end amassed a record of accomplishment that include: Fifty percent of the youth members advanced one rank, ten earned the BSA Recruiting strip patch, and members participated in training to earn certifications in First Aid and CPR, safe boating courses, Scout BSA Rank advancement, and Order of the Arrow election into the Council’s Nentengo Lodge Order of the Arrow. Members also earned the Long Cruise Badge and the Ship conducted Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships. Finally, adult Sea Scout leaders attended Seabadge while one youth member attended SEAL.
As for the Ship’s extensive on-the-water program they get underway every week and conducted land based and indoor pool nautical training during the winter and early spring. Weather permitting, members of the ship embark on their 32-foot Kirie Elite sloop “Coupe de Tete,” the 30-foot Hunter sloop “Sea Angel” or their Sea Scout training vessel, the “Miss Mell.” Underway, the youth members learned the fundamentals of sailing, marine engines, marine radio procedures, piloting and navigation, on board emergency procedures as well as man overboard drills. During their once a month weekend cruises, Ship 198 have sailed to Cape May, New Jersey, or other locations in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay and fill their time with advancement training as well as fun activities that include fishing, swimming, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and operating personal watercrafts. The Ship’s on the water program is reinforced by numerous land based and hands on nautical training they received. They’ve attended the Northeast Region (NER) Area 6 U. S. Coast Guard/Sea Scout Safety-at-Sea training event at the United States Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland and the annual “Salt and Sleet” Sea Scout training rendezvous at Camp Fairlee, Maryland as well as the NER Area 5 President’s Day Sea Scout training weekend in New Jersey. Much of what they experienced and learned came to good use during their 2019 Summer Long Cruise that involved a 120 nautical mile round trip sailing voyage from Lewes, Delaware to Baltimore, Maryland by way of the Chesapeake and Delaware (C & D) Canal. On this particular Long Cruise, while transiting the C and D Canal on board the “Sea Angel” and “Coup de Tete,” the Ship’s members responded to an electrical short circuit that resulted in an engine fire on the “Coup de Tete.” The youth members knew the location of the boat’s fire extinguishers and trained how to use them during their training. Their quick action prevented further damage and the “Sea Angel” towed “Coup de Tete” to Lums Pond at the Delaware State Park. However, the fire curtailed the Ship’s Long Cruise plans, but the youth leadership remembered that Ship 123 from nearby St. Georges Delaware in Del-Mar-Va Council was conducting their own summer activities at Lums Pound and contacted them to coordinate a weekend of paddle sports, camping and fellowship while repairs were being made on the “Coup de Tete.” Finally, the Ship’s on the water program involves participation in the Northeast Region Koch Cup Qualifiers in October 2019 in which Ship 198 fielded two crews that placed first and third, respectively. The first-place team will be participating in the 2020 William I. Koch Cup in Galveston, Texas.
Community service is also a strong part of Ship 198’s DNA and they planned and conducted five community service projects during the year that included beach erosion prevention measures by planting dune beach grass in beach areas along the Delaware Bay. In addition, the Ship partnered with the city of Lewes, Delaware to provide maintenance to city marinas, marina buildings, canal cleanup and setting up a safe boating and Sea Scout information both during the annual Lewes, Delaware “Maritime Day.” Finally, in December, members of the Ship partnered with the local Lewes West Marine store to wrap Christmas presents for customers.
Ship 198 is also active in Council and District activities. They participated in their district’s annual Klondike Derby and assisted in running a couple of stations. In addition, members of the Ship are active in the Council’s Order of the Arrow (OA) Lodge as Lodge Vice Chief and Chapter officers and participate in Chapter, Lodge, and Section OA events while simultaneously promoting the Sea Scout program. In addition, Ship 198, in November 2019, served as Color Guard for the council’s National Eagle Scout Association reception where retired Lieutenant General Ronald Blanck, Medical Corps, United States Army and former Army Surgeon General, was conferred the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. Finally, Ship 198 Sea Scouts are active in the National, Region, Area and Council levels of Scouting. The Del-Mar-Va Council Boatswain hails from the Ship as well as the NER Area 6 Boatswain. Two adult leaders serve on the Northeast Region Sea Scout Committee and Eagle Scout Matthew Parsons, the 2019-2020 National Chief of the Order of the Arrow is an active member of Ship 198.
I want to express my congratulations to all members of Ship 198 for your outstanding achievements! Ship 198 is joined by the following Sea Scout Ships as the 2020 National Flagship Fleet by:
- SSS Response (Ship 911) from Capitol Area Council
- SSS Enterprise (Ship 1701) from the Sam Houston Council
- SSS Heatwave (Ship 450) from Las Vegas Area Council
BRAVO ZULU to all of you!