scoutmaster

[rparoski]

I am new at being a Scoutmaster and I have a new troop. I am looking for any information on building chuck boxes. Any help would be appreciated.

[ozemu]

We are different here but I keep mine light enough for an 11 year old to carry. We use plastic meat boxes that are stackable and have lids. Not very backwoodish I know but hygenic and younger scouts cannot say that the box is 'too heavy'. Being uniform I can stack the whole troops boxes easliy for travel.

[jmcquillan]

Go to this site for one set of plans:

 

http://usscouts.org/boyscouts/chuckbox.pdf

 

I'm sure there's others out there. Try using a search engine like "Google", and type in "chuck box" or "patrol box".

 

 

 

[Mike Long]

The whole point of having big chuck boxes is that a single scout can't pick it up. He needs a buddy to help him, hence teamwork.

 

 

[Mike Long]

Here is an old thread with some links to plans

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=224

[andrews]

Many of the chuckbox plans make ones that are too big for even two new scouts to carry.

 

Someone in our troop added pole holders so four scouts could work together. Still tough, but doable.

 

As the scouts get bigger, it is less of a problem, but young scouts are usually not very strong.

 

Brad

[Mike Long]

I didn't look too closely at the plans.

 

But yeah, they shouldn't be so big and heavy as require a bunch of boys to move them.

[Weekender]

We have chuck boxes in our troop. While they can be convenient at times, all in all I wish we didn't have them. First, they are really geared to camping near a vehicle (they are quite heavy). Once the scouts (and adults) get used to having them it is difficult to break them away which means it's tough to get away from car camping. Second, The boxes tend to get very cluttered. I had the boys spend the better part of two hours on a recent campout cleaning them out and putting all the items back in the proper boxes. By the time we got home they looked terrible again. For me it's a constant struggle to keep the young'uns from giving themselves food poisoning. Third, things tend to get lost when the boys use the boxes, they aren't worried about keeping track of their fork when they can just go get another one out of the box. If I had my drothers I would do things the way we did in my troop when I was a kid (we are moving in this direction slowly) I want to have all the troop gear stored and controlled by a troop quartermaster, QM will sign the equipment out to individuals prior to each campout and check all the gear coming back in. This will give you about a third of a meeting worth of activity before the campout and about half a meeting worth after (but the gear will be clean and servicable for the next trip). Patrols should be given a storage area for their patrol gear, particularly their cooking gear, and should determine what to take on each campout and only take that. A program heavy on backpacking will move a troop in this direction. I grew up backpacking and having to learn how to leave what I didn't need behind. I've been pretty disappointed with the trend toward taking it all. Something about that idea just doesn't sit right with me.

 

If you are still determined to have chuck boxes; let me give one piece of advice that might help. We bought stainless steel kitchen stuff (pots/pans etc.) They are nice but heavy and no good on a fire (handles melt). I would suggest you buy the heavyweight aluminum cook set from the BSA ($72.00). That is one product that is still worth the cost and it fits well in a backpack

 

Sorry for the long post but I'm trying to fight the "I need to be within site of the car" syndrome in West Texas.

[Mike Long]

Oh you are not alone Weekender. I'm in the same camp as you. Luckily my guys like backpacking as much as I do.

 

Our quartermaster checks out gear more or less as you describe. I think thats the best way to handle troop gear.

 

I have "I need to be out of sight of everthing" syndrome. Wanna go Backpacking?

[Weekender]

You know it! Last year I lobbied for the hiking merit badge...the boys went for it and that has gotten us started. This year we've still got a short backpacking trip (7 miles RT) down near San Antonio and a 20 miler at Big Bend planned for a weekend in March. April is waterskiing so we'll be close to the cars but summercamp this year is going to be Wehinepay mountain in New Mexico. Everything is uphill from everywhere else. ) I'm trying to put in at least 4-6 trips per year that require packs and thought. (no offense to those who enjoy car camping) My only problem is getting the adults in shape. Last years 14 mile day at Lost Maples almost killed out scoutmaster. He's been with the troop for just about 40 years and he twisted both ankles on that trip. God bless though, He tried. I'm hoping to get some webelo dads this year who are into packing. One good crop of backcountry enthusiasts could turn the troop around completely.

[Kevin M]

I want to go!!!! I'd love to go to Big Bend! The troop my 2 boys and I are with right now would cry if they lost sight of the 3 ton troop trailer. That's why we're visiting other troops. Once a boy learns how to cook on a pack stove and carry his gear, he's hooked. At least that's what happened to me and my buddies when our small troop planned for a year to take a backpacking trip from Houston to the Tetons back in the late 70s. From then on we packed about 60-70% of our campouts, even if it was tp pack into camp where the car was parked. We never again HAD to rely on the car for carrying big heavy gear.

[ozemu]

we hike and then equipment is down to pairs within their patrol.

 

The point of boxes of gear for patrols is that they learn to manage the gear, keep it clean etc. If it is issued from a central QM store then it will be more organised. By the adults. I agree that it is an uphill battle and often causes me to get all military about inspecting the patrol gear. But I think that is the whole point.

 

When you get out a frying pan with yesterdays (or last camps) remnants still inside you learn that keeping up with chores is an important thing.

 

We do some hike camps, some standing camps and I've almost got them trained for canoe camping. Obviously the boxes are only good for standing camps.

 

Do you guys camp as patrols or as a troop? All of my camps have my patrols separated by 50-100 yards and adults somewhere in the middle.

[ozemu]

oh yeah. and I agree about heavy awkward boxes. Our boxes are a 2 scout lift and that allows them to get the gear across the creek and up the hill etc.

[Mike Long]

We camp as patrols in separate campsites with the adults in a separate site. (but close enought to see everything and have a quick reaction time) If it's a big group site they pick their own areas.

 

We camp every month but we only backpack for 3 or 4 trips and a week long high adventure backpacking trip during spring break.

 

I'm very lucky I guess. I have one dad who thru-hiked the AT years ago (70's) and still backpacks for his family vacations. We also have some other dads who were willing to try and are now hooked. My older scouts are all hard-core backpackers now. About 4 are planning to do thru-hikes when they graduate next year.

 

I'm in Florida, EVERYTHING is uphill from me!

[jmcquillan]

Yep...chuck boxes area bulky and can be heavy, but they have their place in Scouting. Tailgate camping is one place. And there's plenty of that to be had. I don't think that it's a bad thing either. We've done many a trip up into the White Mountains of New Hampshire where base camp is a regularly used site that we can drive close to, and carry the gear a short distance. From the base camp, we can do all sorts of day hikes into the mountains. We even send backpacking patrols out from there, and they return there after a few days.

 

Adult leader training teaches how they can be real assets, and they are. The hard part is teaching the kids how to use and not abuse them. How to keep them clean and orderly so meal preparation is easy. How to set up the dining tarp and kitchen area around them. It's not easy, but when they "get it", it makes tailgate, or resident camping where dining halls are not available easier for all. Our troop is blessed with sufficient adult leaders who love to cook, and know the hows and how nots such that every patrol has an adult mentor to guide them in cooking and cleanliness. That makes things a lot easier. And it also makes for clean chuck boxes and cooking gear being returned to the Scouthouse.