Thanks to my recent exposure at my S6-204-13 wood badge course I have ordered myself a WBBB,a tarp,some Dutch clips,and a few other goodies. This Cub master will not be sleeping on the ground anymore.
Thanks to my recent exposure at my S6-204-13 wood badge course I have ordered myself a WBBB,a tarp,some Dutch clips,and a few other goodies. This Cub master will not be sleeping on the ground anymore.
During my Woodbadge course NE234-11 we only had two hanging in hammocks. At that time I had a HH with a superfly. It had now been two full years with about 120 nights camping since I switched. Have loved it ever since. Enjoy the comfort.
Husband, Father, and Friend.
Scout Master and Cub Master for Troop/Pack 705 of
Chesterfield
Just got an email that said it would be 3 weeks before it will be shipped.
I'm having an issue I didn't expect. My son's Scoutmaster has told me that the answer is "no hammocking unless 2 boys are in the same hammock". He wants the buddy system in place to let one boy know in the middle of the night if another gets up. Adults are welcome to hang if they'd like, just not boys.
I've known for a while that younger scouts needed to tent together, but for some reason thought the policy changed at a certain rank....1st/Star
I started talking with the SM about it and then he switched from buddy system to LNT. He seemed concerned about damage to trees, then impacting the areas outside the hard pack where countless troops have tented countless times. I think I got through to him on the tree issue. Straps are a must as far as I'm concerned.....I'm a big guy (6'4" 420#)
He even told me he has hung before, with both good and bad results. He indicated that it might be ok for boys on a backpacking trip, but not normal campouts.
I'm thinking about taking a different approach. The SM and all the adults in our troop are proponents of the concept that our troop is "Boy Lead"
If we are boy lead, and the Patrol Leaders Committee/Council sets the agenda and makes the decisions, then I'm thinking my son needs to take his case to the PLC. If he wants to hang instead of tent, then I will help him research the benefits/issues with the 2 options. He can then talk with the PLC and if they decide it should be ok. Then they will have to work with out with the SM/ASM and if needed, the committee. Troop politics vs. BSA policies, or the lack of, are always a potential land mine.
I'm also thinking of getting a paper copy of The Ultimate Hang to keep with me when we go camping. I'm not a fan of sharing my e-reader with the boys. With the hard copy I could answer any questions and loan out the book to anyone really interested.
For now, I'll hang when I can with the troop and help guide my son. It's his choice to sleep on the ground or do something about it if he wants to.
I'd like to hear your thoughts. I know from this thread that I'm not the only one in this situation.
In my son's troop they use the buddy system when they hammock. Both scouts are expected to hang close to each other. They often hang off a common tree. They are almost always close enough to talk to each other in normal conversational tones. Having two scouts share a hammock would be awkward at best. The buddy system doesn't mean they have to be shoulder to shoulder at all times.
Our troop allows hammocking or tenting alone for boys at first class rank or above. Buddy tenting is not just for 'knowing if one gets up' but also to ensure that a scout has a buddy to help setup and takedown the tent. On my son's second campout, I watched him and his buddy take about 2 hours getting their tent packed up and ready to go, so if he was on his own, it would have taken even longer.
He's expressed interest in hammocking and loves taking his Ozark Outfitters on campouts, but I think waiting until 1st Class is a good idea since by then he would know what kind of camping/backpacking he's interested in and therefore what kind of hammock he would need.
As a leader, I would look at each scout individually as to their ability to solo camp or not. I don't think rank has anything to do with it. I have had scouts with tremendous outdoor skills never bother to advance past Scout (myself included). Advancement is just one of eight methods used in scouting. I have two sons who have aged out of scouting. Both were active till their 18th, and held many leadership positions. The first Earned his Eagle with a week to spare. The second never advanced past 1st Class which was earned in the first 7 months. The second is the one who accompanies me on these hammock hangs along with my 10 year old First year scout.
Instead of making rules, let the Scout demonstrate his own skills. If he fails the first time thats ok. He will learn from the experience. Besides isn't all for the boys anyway?
Life is Good!
Hammocks * Scouts * Kites
用心棒
PinewoodNut, I applaud your enthusiasm, desire to help your troop, scout with your son, promote hammocks, and support boy leadership. Those are all great ideals and fantastic for the scouting program.
I would also suggest that you be absolutely sure that all your actions are in support of your ScoutMaster. They are very dedicated volunteers that are giving a tremendous amount of their personal time and energy to supporting all of the boys in the troop - usually at the expense of direct time with their own son.
At times, they will make some decisions that not all other adults may understand or agree with, but in the end, they do need to establish the rules and boundaries that they are comfortable with. As the registered adult leader, they are exposing themselves to a great deal of personal liability. They need the help and support of their parents.
As with youth sports coaches (and I suspect all volunteers in youth programs) parents that push their own agendas are the hardest part of the job.
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
(known as a win-win on this forum)
I would also highly suggest you approach this with two hammocks one tarp for the scouts. Either by the bunk system or spreader bars which work great. We actually got three hammocks all with plenty of moving around room under one tarp using both methods. This would promote the buddy system as they would both be under the same tent but in seperate sleeping systems. Just like sleeping bags in a tent.....
Where ever you go,
There you are.
I am actually setting up an "Introduction to Hammocks" curriculum right now to start going around different scout units (cubs, boys and venturing). I am also going to do a course during our University of Scouting at Georgetown College here in Kentucky. Check out my website in my signature for more information.
Our troop allows any and all boys hammock camp if they so wish. I havent heard of one issue. We also let our cubs hang if they want on district campouts at the scout camp. Buddy system has nothing to do with hanging in the same hammock just so the other knows he went to the bathroom at night.
It starts off with education. Most people just like everything else dont know much about them until someone educates them. I didnt a year ago and now have fully submersed myself in them and feel I'm comfortable enough to give a class about them. When I heard of a hammock I thought of a flat hammock in the back yard or the old rope weave hammock. I've even got Dutch coming out to help on the suspension section.
Again, majority of it has to do with education.
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