Comeback for Sea Scouts - Tangled Line

Boat/US Magazine, May, 2002

Sea Scouting, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, is the comeback kid as the number of youth enrolled climbed 17% in the past year and 35 new "ships" got underway.

Adult participation as volunteer leaders and mentors continues to rise, too, according to Sea Scout National Commodore Jimmie Homburg, who says recreational boaters -- and particularly BoatU.S. members -- are stepping up to help mold tomorrow's boaters. Sea Scouting fills a critical gap in young people's lives as studies have found that 70% of kids drop out of sports completely after age 13.

Homburg said nearly 7,000 kids are now involved in the co-ed program for ages 14 through 20. The scouts themselves plan and manage the activities of local units, called ships. To find out more, e-mail SeaScouts@BoatUS.com.