2009 Draft Leaders and Participants Guide (Click Here)

This event is designed to provide older Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts with the opportunity to experience a full week of sailing including port visits every night along the James and Elizabeth Rivers. Life aboard is not a luxury cruise, rather it is a continuous learning experience aboard a working sailboat. All members of the crew will be needed to successfully operate their boat while underway.  Participants should treat these boats like their home, because they will be for the entire week.

Sunday after check in will consist of crew and equipment introductions along with a short refresher on the basic elements of sailing.  Participants will spend the night ashore with the rest of their unit or (if provisional campers) will be lodged with another unit for the night.

Monday morning after breakfast, crews will report to the waterfront where they will stow gear and make ready for sail their boats. The group of ships will then depart on their 5 day, 4 night cruise heading southeast towards Norfolk, VA and then back to camp where they will arrive just in time for dinner and then the Friday night campfire. At the Friday night campfire, participants will be given special introduction and given the opportunity to perform a skit outlying their week and the adventures they had.

Each of the 3 port visits will provide participants with a wide variety of fun, interesting, and educational experiences that will not be forgotten. Stops along the way include: A cook out and swim at Deep Creek, a tour of Nauticus and the battleship Wisconsin  at the City of Norfolk, and lastly a seafood dinner at Smithfield Station Marina.

Each boat will have a skipper, an adult supervisor who is experienced in sailing cruising boats in the area. The event will also be supported by Camp Lions at Pipsico Scout Reservation, in that the participants will camp Sunday and Friday nights there as well as eat Monday breakfast and Friday dinner. Also provisions for the cruise will be provided by the camp.

All participants onboard will be reminded of the basic sailing knowledge that was taught to them while participating in Sail the James and also be taught more advance knowledge which will allow them to better operate their boat as a crew. More specialized skills such as navigation using a sextant, docking and marina etiquette, advance sailing, and racing rules are just a few of the items that will be discussed, taught, and performed during the week. Watch rotations are set for duty stations and galley duty. Duty Stations include but are not limited to the Lookout, Officer of the Deck, Navigator, Sail Trimmer, and Helmsman. Those not assigned to a duty station are required to assist wherever and whenever they are needed.

All meals while underway (unless otherwise noted in the Typical Schedule section of this guide) are prepared on-board. Facilities on board the sailboats include running water and a stove/oven.

The crew is also responsible for the general up-keep and maintenance of the boat. Crews are expected to keep their vessels neat and tidy at all times.  This is just not for atheistic reasons alone, but while a sailing vessel is at sea, improperly stowed equipment can pose a safety hazard to those on board.

Every week the participants have new and fun filled experiences with Sail Hampton Roads. Participants are guaranteed to come home with knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime!

Don’t forget; if you or your youth enjoyed this program; ask about our follow-up program, Sail the Upper Intracoastal. This program takes you on a cruise that departs Monday morning and arrives back Saturday night. Go to http://www.pipsicobsa.com for more information.