Re: Introduction
Rodger Morris (rlm@SUNED1.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL)
Thu, 11 Aug 1994 10:16:59 PDT
> Currently I hold the position of Executive Oficer of Sea Explorer Ship
> 243, In the Watchung Area Council from New Jersey (USA). While with Ship
> 243, I have travled aboard our training vessel SEAHORSE to Canada, New
> England, and as far south as Virginia.
> The Kids are great, I love the program, and the work is extremely
> satisfiying!
I'm glad yo see the Sea Exploring program is continuing in your neck of the
woods. Last weekend, we took my Boy Scout Troop out for a weekend on the
briny, crewing the tall ship SS Argus.
The Argus is owned by the Orange County Council in southern California. She
is 66' long at the waterline, 8' draft, 53 tons displacement, carries 20
Scouts and leaders, plus a crew cadre of 7. I am no expert on sailing ships,
but she is rigged with an outer jib, inner jib, staysail, two yards,
topsail, main course, main sail and mizzen sail. The main sail is _not_
square rigged, but the top sail and the main course are.
My Scouts were formed into three sail station crews:
1) Jib sails/staysail/topsail/main course
2) Main sail
3) Mizzen sail
The Argus was built in Denmark in 1905, and she is the oldest tall ship in
Costa Mesa.
It cost us $1200 to rent her and her crew for a weekend. Split 20 ways, this
came to $60 apiece. Add $12 a head for food and charcoal and charcoal
braziers (the electrical generator was dead), and it comes to about $72 per
person.
The Argus can also be chartered by Scouts for a five-day cruise to Catalina
Island. My senior Scouts want to do this next summer. It costs roughly $225
apiece, with the Orange County Council supplying the food.
The Scouts all stood bow watch and helm watch under weigh, and stood hull,
anchor and fire watch in port at night. We hove to twice on Saturday and
once on Sunday for swim call about three miles off the coast. The Scouts got
a chance to dive from the rigging, swing on the "Tarzan rope" out over the
ocean (both about 15'-20' drops into the water), steer the ship, go aloft up
the main mast, and lie in the bowsprit headnetting.
Highly recommended as an outing!!!
Yours in Scouting,
Rodger
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
