Waterscouting (in the Nehterlands it is not called Seascouting)

Water is a specialization within Scouting Scouting Netherlands. Scouting, boys and girls from 10 to 17 years, are part of independent water scouting. Waterscouting is the collective name for all water game modes and is therefore in place for water work. The name water scouting arose when in 1970 the Wessel Group in Vlaardingen had to invent a name for the mixed scouting guard. It was the first group in the Netherlands with a mixed cubs hurdle which a mixed scouting and star guard came.

The program for water scouts would generally be equal to that of all other Scouts, but the focus is on sailing and everything around it, in addition to or instead of pioneering and camping. Scouting follow the national CWO training that also by all sailing schools used. Connected to the CWO is MBL (authorization boat line).

They sail generally in the specially developed scouting for water lily punts. There are several regional and national competitions for lily punts. There are regional qualifications for the Dutch Championship. The National Scouting regattas] place every year at the Sailing Scouting Netherlands to Harderhaven. Besides national competitions there are other big games. The Kaagcup Zeilwedstrijden the Kagerplassen in Leiden include very large. More than 300 barges will compete for the first place in the Kaagcup.

Furthermore, there is every four years, the National Water Camp (Nawaka), where a lot of groups collectively have a summer camp (4,500 participants). In addition, an annual regional water camps organized as either North Water Camp Nowaka (Groningen, Drenthe), Zeeland Water Camp Zewaka and EUSK in Friesland.

Numbers in 2005, about one third are girls:

Cupscouts 2167
Water Scouts 5401
Wild Vaart 1395
Pilots 2000

in 300 groups

Fleet

40 Junior Launches
1550 Lily Launches
100 Lily Fireplaces
3 Explorers (wooden ketch, project stopped)
120 tugs
54 ships waiting

External links

www.waterwerk.scouting.nl, general site for Waterscouting (organized by Scouting Netherlands)
www.waterscouting.com, general site for Waterscouting (established by private initiative)
Sailing School Scouting Netherlands, where land and water scouts scouts can learn to sail