

January, 2018
Requirements for the Canoeing merit badge:
- Do the following:
- Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in canoeing activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
- Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid treatment for the following injuries or illnesses that could occur while canoeing: blisters, cold-water shock and hypothermia, dehydration, heat-related illnesses, sunburn, sprains, and strains.
- Discuss the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it applies to canoeing activities.
- Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test. Jump feet first into water over your head in depth, swim 75 yards or 75 meters in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards or 25 meters using an easy resting backstroke. The 100 yards or 100 meters must be swum continuously and include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.
- Do the following:
- Name and point out the major parts of a canoe.
- Describe how the length and shape of a canoe affect its performance.
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different materials used to make canoes.
- Do the following:
- Name and point out the parts of a paddle. Explain the difference between a straight and bent-shaft paddle and when each is best used.
- Demonstrate how to size correctly a paddle for a paddler in a sitting position and a kneeling position.
- Do the following:
- Discuss with your counselor the characteristics of life jackets most appropriate for canoeing and tell why a life jacket must always be worn while paddling.
- Demonstrate how to select and properly fit the correct size life jacket.
- Discuss with your counselor the general care and maintenance of canoes, paddles, and other canoeing equipment.
- Do the following:
- Discuss what personal and group equipment would be appropriate for a canoe camping trip. Describe how personal and group equipment can be packed and protected from water.
- Using the containers and packs from requirement 7a, demonstrate how to load and secure the containers and other equipment in the canoe.
- Using appropriate knots, including a trucker's hitch, tautline hitch, and bowline, demonstrate how to secure a canoe to a vehicle or a trailer, or if these are not available, a rack on land.
- With a companion, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following:
- Safely carry and launch the canoe from a dock or shore (both, if possible).
- Safely land the canoe on a dock or shore (both, if possible) and return it to its proper storage location.
- Demonstrate kneeling and sitting positions in a canoe and explain the proper use for each position.
- Change places while afloat in the canoe.
- With a companion, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following:
- In deep water, exit the canoe and get back in without capsizing.
- Safely perform a controlled capsize of the canoe and demonstrate how staying with a capsized canoe will support both paddlers.
- Swim, tow, or push a swamped canoe 50 feet to shallow water. In the shallow water, empty the swamped canoe and reenter it.
- In deep water, rescue a swamped canoe and its paddlers by emptying the swamped canoe and helping the paddlers safely reenter their boat without capsizing.
- With a companion, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following paddling strokes as both a bow and stern paddler:
- Forward stroke
- Backstroke
- Draw For stern paddling only:
- J-stroke
- Pushaway
- Forward sweep
- Reverse sweep
- Rudder stroke
- Stern pry
- Using the strokes in requirement 10, and in an order determined by your counselor, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following tandem maneuvers while paddling on opposite sides and without changing sides. Each paddler must demonstrate these maneuvers in both the bow and stern and on opposite paddling sides:
- Pivot or spin the canoe in either direction.
- Move the canoe sideways or abeam in either direction.
- Stop the canoe.
- Move the canoe in a straight line for 50 yards.
- Use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate solo canoe handling:
- Launch from shore or a pier (both, if possible).
- Using a single-blade paddle and paddling only on one side, demonstrate proper form and use of the forward stroke, backstroke, draw stroke, pushaway stroke, forward sweep, reverse sweep, J-stroke, and rudder stroke. Repeat while paddling on the other side.
- Using a single-blade paddle and paddling only on one side, demonstrate proper form and use of a combination of a forward stroke, rudder stroke, and stern pry by canoeing to a target 50 yards away. Repeat while paddling on the other side.
- Make a proper landing at a dock or shore (both, if possible). Store canoe properly (with assistance, if needed).
- Discuss the following types of canoeing:
- Olympic canoe sprint
- Flatwater and river touring
- Outrigger
- Marathon
- Freestyle
- Whitewater
- Canoe poling
Canoeing Worksheet
Note: Canoeing merit badge counselors must have either BSA Aquatics Instructor or Canoeing Instructor certification from the American Canoe Association, American Red Cross, or equivalent; OR local councils may approve individuals previously certified as such, or trained by an instructor so qualified.
Comments:
May 04, 2015 - Johanna
I have a question regarding the BSA swimmer test for this merit
badge. My son just completed the swimming merit badge and did
pass the BSA swimmer test for that. He wants to earn the
canoeing merit badge later this summer and it is stated in the
prerequisites that he needs to provide proof of completing the
swimming test. I have asked and asked but nobody has an answer
for me. Is there a card or something provided that he can show
to the merit badge counselor that he has indeed passed this
test? He was not given anything by the swimming merit badge
counselor, who did test him. Thank you.
May 04, 2015 - Scouter Paul@Johanna - I believe the merit badges that require passing the
swimmer test all say to "successfully complete" it, not provide
proof of completing it. The Canoeing merit badge counselor
could interpret that to mean the scout needs to complete the
swimmer test for this counselor and have the scout do the test.
Or, the counselor may feel that a recent completion of the test
is good enough. In that case, 'proof' might be a patch or card
given him when he completed his First Class rank, Swimming merit
badge, or any other merit badge that requires the swimmer test
completion.
Jul 07, 2015 - DebThe prerequisites say they need to be able to complete requirement 3 at camp. Does that mean they will learn it while there or need to come knowing it?
Jul 08, 2015 - Scouter Paul@Deb - there are no prereqs so what
you are asking about must be
something specific provided by the
camp your son is attending. He needs
to ask them, or his leader,
directly.
Jul 08, 2016 - patrick greenI have seen a BSA canoeing handbook. This was no mere pamphlet.
It was many pages. How can I get one ?
Jul 08, 2016 - Scouter Paul@patrick - No BSA Canoeing handbook. There is a BSA FieldBook, a
Boy Scout Handbook, and a Canoeing merit badge pamphlet. There's
also a book title Boundary Waters Canoe Area Camping available at
scoutstuff.org
Oct 18, 2020 - Nimla DilworthOur scouts completed Canoeing Merit Badge at their camp out this weekend.
Do they still need a BSA canoeing MB counselor to sign off this MB?
One of Our Eagle scout who is a volunteer fireman helped our scouts with this merit badge this weekend.
Oct 18, 2020 - Scouter PaulOne of Our Eagle scout who is a volunteer fireman helped our scouts with this merit badge this weekend.
@Nimla - Yes, an MB Counselor needs to sign off on the MB requirements.
It's great that the Eagle Scout helped out, but unless he's also a Canoe
MB Counselor, the scouts did not complete the merit badge.

Contest - Ask a Question - Add Content





This site is not officially associated with the Boy Scouts of America
Find more Scouting Resources at www.BoyScoutTrail.com
Follow Me, Scouts
Recent Comments