Pack hiking club off to a good start!

[Eagle94-A1]

26 minutes ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Right. Thank you for checking.

So the documents taken as a whole do contradict each other if interpreted literally, but I think the very clear and explicit permission in the AAG ought to take preference because it makes sense to let cubs practice in gentle waters given the adventures they have, because it's so explicit and clearly not a mistake or mis-inference of a single word or something like that, and because official BSA channels keep transmitting the information in the AAG rather than the one line in the GTSS.

If this used to be forbidden, then it seems likely the one line in GTSS is simply a leftover. 

I check my sources, I check policies, and I keep current on training. I plan outings months in advance to make sure they are safe and well thought out. I even sew on badges ASAP. Because I'm prepared, as an example for the scouts. 

The challenge will be IF there is an accident, and some accidents occur despite the planning, and lawyers get involved, insurance will be looking for ways to not cover you. Sad but true. And the GTSS is suppose to trump all other documents.

Me personally tubeing OK as that is explicit, boating, I would stick to calm water.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Eagle94-A1
Confused rafting with tubeing.

[RichardB]

On 6/18/2023 at 12:14 PM, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

I'm planning a paddling hike for the Bears to really practice those Salmon Run skills, so I'm going to log that too, plus the camping and the yearly swimming event we do! Thanks again 🙇🏼‍♀️

 

Since I was tagged.    Bears can paddle.  They cannot paddle down the river to go on trek / collect miles.      That is beyond the scope / age appropriateness for Cub Scouting.   So, sure you could paddle on a still wide river, but you can't go down the river with the Cub Scouts and call it a paddling hike.  

Any questions, show this to your SE / Aquatics Director in the Council and have them reach out to me richard.bourlon@scouting.org or our the national outdoor program lead who manages the aquatics program.  We concur on the situation as you defined it in the quote above.    

Please don't put yourself or youth at risk.   

[Tatung42]

I had this same question about 5 years ago.  When BSA's documentation has conflicts, I think the G2SS should trump everything else.  In this case, the age sheet says it's okay for wolf and above to paddle on "gently flowing water", but the G2SS says no, so I would use the the G2SS.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

39 minutes ago, RichardB said:

So, sure you could paddle on a still wide river, but you can't go down the river with the Cub Scouts and call it a paddling hike.  

Perhaps my choice of words here was poor. These scouts are not yet paddling proficiently, so it will be a paddling hike in the same way a 2-mile easy walk in the woods is called a hike for cub scouts. The proposition is to paddle only a short distance, then turning around to return to the dock, in a still wide river.

I am taking care to not put myself or the youth at risk. Thank you for reconfirming that my plans are indeed consistent with BSA safety policies as they stand today.

Edited June 20, 2023 by AwakeEnergyScouter
Added clarification of that we're returning to the dock and not traveling anywhere

[jcousino]

Wow that is a change in what had been it looks like it was changed around April , based on another site still looks like they must have a trained adult with them in the boat. I could easily see a little wind come up and you could have cub paddles over a large  areas of a lake or more .

that one of my reasons for not small size scouts in moving water

I do not agree with this change like some of the old wording to council events only but it becoming even more clear that push is to put the risk on or at the unit level