There are four ranks which can be earned within Sea Scouts; Apprentice, Ordinary, Able and Quarter Master. Quartermaster is the Sea Scout equivalent to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scout rank and is a very prestigious accomplishment.
The timetable to achieve each rank is roughly as follows:
Apprentice: One full Season
Ordinary: Two full Seasons
Able: Three full seasons
Quarter Master: Varies
Apprentice Rank
Striving for Apprentice rank, active Sea Scouts learn ideals, courtesies, procedures,
and responsibilities, and how members of a ship are organized and uniformed. Basic
swimming and beginning seamanship skills are required, as is knowledge of safety,
emergency procedures, and Safe Swim Defense. Service hours in ship projects,
activities, equipment maintenance or in the community fill out the requirements.
Ordinary Rank
Active Sea Scouts attain Ordinary rank through additional service, knowledge of the
Sea Scout emblem, U.S. flag etiquette, and land and sea protocols. Successful
candidates will participate in strengthening ship membership, serve as an event chair,
complete quarterdeck training, pass the Swimming merit badge requirements, and
qualify on various safety and emergency procedures, drills, communication methods, and Safety Afloat. They learn about the galley, build on seamanship and boat-handling skills, and learn about anchoring, piloting and navigation, and related regulations. Overnight
cruise planning and participation provides for application of skills, and completing additional electives broadens horizons.
Able Rank
To achieve Able rank, Sea Scouts master ceremony presentation and demonstrate knowledge of maritime history. They also teach others—perhaps Scouts and
Venturers—about the program and fulfill leadership responsibilities. They must pass
the Lifesaving merit badge requirements and develop further expertise in safety and first
aid. There is a continued progression in seamanship, boat-handling skills, anchoring, and piloting and navigation, as well as a deeper understanding of maritime environmental issues.
Quartermaster Rank
The highest award for Sea Scouts presents a challenge that, when met, has lifelong benefits.
The Quartermaster candidate must think analytically about how the program is delivered and supported, while developing a deeper understanding of Scouting ideals. Most
requirements represent intensification of what was learned for previous ranks, but with
significant additions in the Quartermaster service project, study of weather and forecasting, and completion of additional electives.