Selecting a CO

[CNYScouter]

Another organization has come forward and offered to be the CO for a Sea Scout Ship.

 

I will be meeting with them this week.

Next week I am to meet with an American Legion Post about being the CO for a Ship.

 

So, which do you think would make a better CO?

 

The organization (a Yacht/Sailing Club) that owns itas own boats but didn't seem very interested or understood Scouting.

 

Or

 

The American Legion Post that already has a troop and understands scouting but no boating/sailing experiance equipment?

 

What would you ask these organizations about being a CO?

[LongHaul]

CNYScouter, You include as part of the description of "the organization" that they didn't seem very interested. That carries a lot of weight with me. What does the Ship need from it's CO other than it being a CO to allow the Ship to exist? What would the Ship like from the CO other than it being a Co to allow the Ship to exist. Having access to water craft may outweigh having the CO provide a place to meet etc. Knowing that the CO will continue to charter and support the Ship in years to come may be the most important. If they are not interested in promoting the Scouting program you might want better.

LongHaul

[scoutldr]

Sounds like you are doing your DE's job for him. You should at least ensure he is aware and is offered the opportunity to meet with them. He is the one who is trained and charged with meeting with prospective COs and "selling" them the program. Perhaps he would like to visit both and start 2 units???(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

[John-in-KC]

Scoutldr,

 

One of the things I learned in my trip to PTC was that every Scouter, professional and volunteer alike, is responsible for helping to find and sell Chartered Partners!

 

For CNYScouter: One thing to help sell the yacht club is having the prospective members of your Ship discuss community service for the Chartered Partner. Older teens need service hours too (my son's HS has a 100 hour requirement across the 4 years to graduate!!!).

 

At the end of the day, developing the LT relationship with the Chartered Partner is one of the most important tasks the startup CC and Advisor can do. You want this to be a win-win, and the bigger the win-win, the better the fit will be.

 

Let us know how you decide!

[LongHaul]

I'm going to leave scoutldr's post alone because not every Council is like Chicago Area and getting the DE involved at this stage may actually be a good idea in some councils.

John-in-KC advises selling the Yacht Club on Scouting by letting the yacht club know what's in it for them. My question is why should CNYScouter sell the yacht club? What's in it for the Ship? To me that's the real decision. Once The decision is made as to what the Ship wants from the CO, what the Ship needs from the CO, then the CNYScouter can decide which CO best addresses or can address the Ship's needs. The objective as I see it should be to create a solid foundation and support structure for the Ship not the CO.

LongHaul

 

[CNYScouter]

To answer a few questions and to add more information.

 

I've had no help from my council in finding a CO for a Sea Scout Ship.

My county I split into 3 districts and I have tlked with all of them none of the DE's have found a CO.

 

When I meet with the commodore of the Yacht Club a couple of months ago, he was very enthusiastic at a Ship, but he seemed more interested in using the Sea Scout Ship to boost membership and using the Scouts as a charitable organization to have boats donated to the club.

He also wanted every family to join the yacht club at $400 per year plus he wanted a few to use the sail boats.

I basically said no thanks as I thought the asking families to join the yacht club at this cost would turn people away.

 

Doing service was the only part of Scouting he was interested in. The club does a service project of clearing a water plant that was clogging the waterways here.

 

He was not into uniforms, cerimonies, the formal organization of a ship or the advancment part.

He just called me again (with not much enthusiasm) and said that the rest of the club wanted to make this happen.

The DE will be at this meeting also.

 

The plus to them is they do own a dozen or so boats from canoes to sailboats and are willing to supply consultants to teach the Ship sailing. They have a club house and boat storage on the water, but because the club has no heat it is open only 6 months a year.

At one time (about 20 years ago) they did have a SEa Scout Ship as an Explorer Post but it was not much more than a sailing club for the members kids.

[scoutldr]

If you have DEs who do not do their jobs, then go for it. Too bad they will get the credit for forming new units when it comes time for a raise!

 

To paraphrase dsteele, "what the pros won't do, the volunteers must!"

 

I agree, a $400 membership fee is a non-starter.

[AnneinMpls]

Hey don't dismiss the yacht club so quickly - it sounds to me like he just isn't very familiar with Scouting in general - it may take a little time for the idea to gel. He has probably now in the meantime heard from more folks there that are a little more informed about scouting.

Anyway, keep your options open and see what's available.

Anne in Mpls

 

[CNYScouter]

The DE and I am meeting with the Yacht Club tonight.

 

I have expressed my concerns to the De about having them as a CO.

 

I'll let everyone know what happens.

 

Thanks

[CNYScouter]

The DE and I are meeting with the Yacht Club tonight.

 

I have expressed my concerns to the De about having them as a CO.

 

I'll let everyone know what happens.

 

Thanks(This message has been edited by CNYScouter)

[Kahuna]

Good luck, whatever you decide. A yacht club can be an ideal sponsor, but when they are looking to boost membership and obtain boats, they might not be the best choice.

 

The Legion would probably make a good sponsor, but then you have the problem of where to keep your boats and do your boating.

 

Before you sign up the yacht club, you might put them through one of the video presentations or a short version of the specialized training so you can make sure they understand what they are getting.

[CNYScouter]

The meeting with the Yacht Club went very well last night.

Once they understood how the insurance and liability worked for the Scouts the whole money issue went away.

They have asked that the Ship pay for some of the maintenance costs for the boats.

It will be a set fee that we will need to work out but wont be more than a few hundred dollars a year.

Its not a done deal yet but I am pretty sure it will happen.

 

Another existing thing happen this week also.

Between Tuesday night when I saw the DE at SM training and last he had received a call from a retired rear admiral who had just moved into the area. He wanted to know why with all the lakes and river systems we have there isnt a Sea Scout Ship in the council and he was willing to help in anyway to get something started. He had already called the Navel Reserve Center about a ship. They said they would like to be involved also and could offer a place to meet in the wintertime.

 

Things are starting to come together.

 

[MaScout]

CNY -- YAHOO! Hope things keep happening for you!

 

Ma

[MaScout]

This won't let me spin off a new thread...so I'll incorrectly post this here...

 

CNY -- How far are you from New London, CT? I have a son at the CG Academy there, and sometimes he's looking for something to do on a weekend...he is a registered leader with our troop, a lot of fun, and has many skills he'd like to share if he found a troop out there that could use him... Anybody? (Actually, he has a long weekend the April 28 - May 1, then probably wouldn't be available until the fall, as he has summer duty assignments in Alaska & the Carribean.)

 

Thanks! Ma Scout

[CNYScouter]

MaScout-

 

according to Goolge maps about 300 miles.

 

I'm hoping to have a "first nighter" togehter by the end of May/beginning of June to a least get the kids on the water this summer.

 

From talking with the DE there is scattered interest in the council for a ship, its just no one has stepped up before to try and put it together.

This DE is in a different district and is very good at getting things done.

 

I have been told the council has been trying to put a Sea Scout Ship together for quite a while but have been trying in a different area of our council.

Most of my councils western border is Lake Ontario and its northern border is the St. Lawerance River.

The closest I am to this is over 1 hour drive.

I live in the most densely populated part of the council.

One of the problems is that it is not that heavly populated. I have been told thare are organizations interested in chartering a Ship in these areas but no one willing to be a leader.