QM-6 QuartermasterMarlinspike Instructors: George Crowl

Course Outline  6a. Teach the Apprentice, Ordinary, and Able marlinspike seamanship requirements to a crew.  6b. Make an eye splice in double-braided line.

QM-6a 6a. Teach the Apprentice, Ordinary, and Able marlinspike seamanship requirements to a crew.

Background  Teach each set of requirements separately  If you taught Apprentice knots when you were an Ordinary, you may be able to count that.  You don't have to be Able to pass any part or all of this requirement  You don't have to do it over a short time, you can spread it out over months or years

Equipment Needed  1/4” line, large line 1/2”plus  Cleat  A labeled knot board would be useful  Lesson plans for APP-6, ORD-6, ABL-6 (as desired)  SSM DVD of knot tying (as desired)  Whipping cord, needle, 3-strand sisal, canvas or sail fabric, various ropes, fire lighter, palm & needle, blocks, fid

Teaching EDGE  Lacks two things – objectives, motivation  You have to supply both  Objectives – simply put – the requirements  Motivation – why should a Sea Scout want to pass an advancement requirement?  YOU have to provide the motivation – how it will be used, it may be fun to do, whatever will persuade the Scout to do it  Give a pre-test? You may be able to sign them off as complete with part or all of it

Teaching EDGE (2)  Four main steps  Explain  Demonstrate  Guide  Enable

Explain  Need a knot to hold a sail on the boom, or to reef the sail  Needs to be simple and quick to tie  Will hold a strain, can be untied easily  We use reefing ties or short ropes on the boat  We call the knot the square or reef knot

Demonstrate  Show “right over left, left over right”  Make sure Scouts can see your hands  Use big ropes  Use two different colors  Illustrations from SSM, SSPR  Videos from the Internet

Guide  Everyone tie “right over left,” check it  Everyone tie “left over right,” check it  Pull knot tight, check it holds  Check for symmetry, each rope parallel to itself  Untie the knot, show it is easy  Teach upsetting a square knot if desired  Re-tie the knot at least five times correctly  Change the rope diameter to something a lot larger or smaller

Enable  Have the Scouts tie the knot on the sails of a boat  Where else can they use a square (reef) knot?  HINT: the shoe knot is a square knot leaving the ends long enough to form loops and catch in the knot. If the loops are vertical instead of across the shoe, it is a granny bow, and that is why they come undone!

When do You Pass the Scout?  Policies vary between ships  Author's opinion: knots are not ready to be passed until the Scout can pass them without help about a month after they have been instructed. This is a psychomotor skill that needs regular practice to master.  Other skills, perhaps rowing, can be demonstrated by the Scout and passed immediately

QM-6b 6b. Make an eye splice in double-braided line.

QM-1c Describe

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WM-1d Describe

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Anchoring  1. Prepare in advance

Questions? 