2014 OCSA Racebook Proof October 2013 | Page 38

Sea Scouts SEA SCOUTS www.sss601.org The Sea Scouts were established in the US in 1912, following the form of the original British program. The original concept of Sea Scouting was to prepare young men for service in the Navy. Today, Sea Scouts is a young-adult oriented program open to men and women between 14 and 18. The program is structured so that young-adults may gain insight into a variety of programs offering leadership, fitness, outdoor activities, service to the community, social interaction, and career building skills. Sea Scouts is experiential learning with lots of fun-filled, hands-on activities promoting the conditions necessary for the growth and development of adolescent youth. Sea Scout units are called “ships,” even though they might not actually meet and train aboard their vessel. There are active Sea Scout Ships throughout the country, though most are concentrated in metropolitan areas near the coastline. Sea Scout Ship 601, “City of Roses” is one of the oldest Sea Scout Ships in the Nation. Based in Portland, the unit was originally named “Viking” and has been continuously active since 1929. The name was changed to “City of Roses” in 1939 in honor of the ship’s home port. The Ship has two training vessels. The 29-foot ketch rigged Cascade sailboat named “City of Roses” was built from a kit by unit members in 1973. It has no auxiliary power and must be sailed or rowed by pulling four 13-foot oars. The other training vessel is former US Coast Guard 44-ft motor lifeboat (MLB) 44372 acquired in 1998. Though in need of major mechanical repairs, including a complete rebuild of one engine, the boat was made operational by unit members in 1999 and has been used ever since for underway training. Ship 601 tries to make their program as hands-on as possible. The goal is to get a boat underway at least 4 times a month. In addition to underway training the unit also participates in training with the USCG that has included incident preparedness, damage control, cold water survival, and the use of pyrotechnics. Meetings are run by the crew with guidance from the adults. Most of the vessel maintenance is done by the crew with the exception of those too dangerous for them to perform; truly a hands-on program. The vessels are moored at the R.A. Rasmusen Sea Scout Base, near the Airport. The base is also home to eight other local Sea Scout ships, including “Voyager” which is also a former USCG 44-foot MLB and has an all women crew. In addition to serving as a home port for Portland area ships, the base is also a cruise destination and supply point for three other ships in outlying areas. If you want to join, or just want to find out more, contact Pat Kelley, Committee Chairman 503-667-7835. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and to arrange for a tour of our facilities. THE UNIT MAINTAINS A WEB SITE AT: www.sss601.org THE OFFICIAL SITE FOR SEA SCOUTS IS: www.seascout.org 38