Steps to
Adventures

Program Overview

Our program is designed to develop young leaders through marine-based skills, adventure, community service, and youth-driven initiatives. We do this on a 38 foot trawler power boat, a 30 foot sail boat and through Sea Scout Skill Competitions (Regattas) and training.

We have two programs:

• Sea Scouts Ship 669 for 14-21 Year Olds
• Sea Explorers Troop 668 for 6th-8th Graders

Here is a look at our annual cycle of meetings, cruises, training, and service:

• Weekly Meetings and Weekend Events: We meet on Wednesday nights throughout the year for practice, Sea Scout advancements, fun, and learning. Most weekends we have events, workdays, cruises or service projects.
  
• Spring Break Cruise: A 5-6 day trip often to the SF Bay for cruising and camping at Angel Island.
• Regatta Competition Events: Maritime themed competitions. We practice at Wed meetings and weekends in the winter and spring and compete at Bay Area Sea Bases in the Spring. 
• Summer Camps: Opportunities for specialized Sailing and SCUBA camps in Catalina or Florida. These are always available to us, we just need an adult to take the lead on planning.
• Summer Cruise in July/August: A 12-day journey usually up and back the Sacramento Delta. 
• Local Monterey Bay Cruises: Trips for Monterey Car Week in the Fall, whale watching, and fishing.
• Safety at Sea: Maritime skill training event ran in coordination with the Coast Guard on Yerba Buena Island in the middle of the SF Bay - September
• Fundraising Events: Community Dinner (early November) and Lighted Boat Parade Concessions (first Sat of December)

View our Bi-annual Reports and Photos to See What We Do.

Meeting and Vessel Locations

Most meetings take place at Santa Cruz Elks Lodge 150 Jewel St, Santa Cruz
Our vessels are located at the end of V Dock on the North-East section of the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor ​

Registering a New Scout

After visiting a meeting or coming on cruise with us the next step to getting your child signed up is to register them with Scouting America. Parents/Guardians register yourself and your scout at the links below:

Sea Scouts Ages 14-21

Unit Type and Number: Ship 669 - Register Here

Sea Explorers 6th - 8th Grades

Unit Type and Number - Troop 668 - Registration Coming Soon

The user login you create at my.scouting.org is the login you will use to access our calendar and RSVP to events. This login is also used to log Scouts Advancements.

Event Calendar, RSVPs and Scout Discord 

We use Scoutbook+ as our calendar. We expect Scouts to RSVP via our calendar for all events except weekly meetings. Learn how to access our Scoutbook+ calendar, available apps, and how to subscribe to a view only calendar at www.santacruzseascouts.com/calendar 

Our Scouts communicate through the Discord messaging app

Instagram @santacruzseascouts

Rules and Required Forms

Bylaws & Code of Conduct 

• Bylaws & Code of Conduct: We strive to maintain a safe and respectful environment. Please review and sign our Ship’s Bylaws and Code of Conduct (reviewed and submitted by both the Scout and a parent/guardian).

Medical Forms

• Annual Medical Forms: All Scouts need Forms A, B, and C on file. Part C requires a doctor’s signature and is mandatory for events over 72 hours. Update these annually via CampDoc. Medical forms are carried by adult leaders for all offsite excursions.

Tell us About Your Scout 

• Take a minute to share about your Scout’s interests or special considerations

Scout Learning and Training

Sea Scout Advancement and Seamanship

• Rank Advancements Sea Scouting is a journey of continuous learning and growth over time. We expect Scouts to actively engage in Sea Scout Rank Advancement (similar to scout merit badges) to build their maritime skill-building throughout their time with us.

• Sea Scout Manual the resource guide to the Sea Scout Program and skill building.
• Ship 669 Seamanship In addition to the national Sea Scouts Advancements our ship trains our Scouts in core competencies specific to our vessels.

Fees & Fundraising

• Dues Structure 
  • National Fee (payable when you register your Scout, and annually thereafter): Scouting America will email you directly on your enrollment anniversary date for their annual fee (approx. $100).
  • Ship Fee: Our Ship collects a $300 annual fee in December to support our vessel upkeep, dock slip fees, and insurance. 
    • Ship fees are prorated based on the month you join and we re-up Ship dues in December.
    • Most families pay all at once, but several do it monthly - we just ask that you keep track of it yourself, as our treasurer is a volunteer and shouldn't have to chase you down for payments!
    • Ship dues are payable via our Venmo account or via check to Santa Cruz Youth Maritime Foundation (SCYMF).
• Event Activity/ Excursion Costs
  • Excursions, regattas and other events include registration fees, carpool fuel or food costs. These costs are either requested as part of RSVPing or summed and divided by the number of scouts attending. Associated adult volunteer fees/costs are included in the sum and covered by attending scouts. We don’t ask adult volunteers to pay in addition to the time they are volunteering.
• Expense Reimbursements: If you purchase items for our vessel or to support an event, take a photo of the receipt. If you drive for an event, we reimburse the true cost of gas (not a mileage rate). Use the Ship Expense Reimbursement Form LInk found in the footer of our webpage to upload an image of the receipt and request reimbursement. 
• We request fees and distribute reimbursements using Venmo https://account.venmo.com/u/SantaCruz-SeaScouts. We also accept checks payable to Santa Cruz Youth Maritime Foundation.
• Annual Fundraising Events: To offset our Ship expenses we ask all families to support our two main fundraising events.
  • November: Annual Community Dinner - attend and bring attendees or help run the event.
  • December: Concession sales at the Lighted Boat Parade - help bake treats the night before and/or organize staff a vending booth at the parade.
• Scholarships are Available for Ship dues and event fees. Connect ahoy@santacruzseascouts.com to discuss.

The Sea Scout Uniform

Families are responsible for purchasing the Sea Scout Uniform. See images below of the following uniforms

Class B (Casual): A Ship t-shirt for meetings and workdays. Purchase from the Ship (~$12)

Plaid Hoodie (Casual): - Serves as a warm layer and to be "uniform" at regatta competition events. Purchase online (~$32) we will provide you with a patch to sew on. These fit very large, consider getting a size smaller than normal. Color: Total Eclipse with Heather.

Class A (Formal Button Down, Navy Dickie Pants, Belt and Buckle, Black Shoes and Socks): The full formal uniform is worn for ceremonies, regattas awards, and recognition events.

• Men's Dickies (~$53) 
• Women's Dickies (~$53) 
• Pants are just any dark blue slacks or can be purchased at the link below (~$35)
• Sea Scout Belt (~$12)

Find Class A items at http://seascouts.sgtradingpost.online/shop

Uniform Inspection takes place at some regatta events. Our ship has a set of formal shoes and socks that we use.

OPTIONAL GEAR:

• Watch cap (knit beanie)- https://www.ships-store.com/pricelist.php [search on “watchcap”] $10
• Belt and Buckel
  • Belt and buckle https://www.scoutshop.org/sea-scout-belt-60-618624.html
  • https://www.ships-store.com/pricelist.php [search on “belt”]
• Ball Caps
  • https://www.ships-store.com/pricelist.php search for the “BBH Blue Standard” $11.99 (Recommended by Bryant)
  • http://seascouts.sgtradingpost.online/shop/product/9449208 $15