Tag: Indoor Pioneering

Scout Meeting Challenge: Catch the Snapper

What we’re doing here is challenging each patrol to build a device that will set off and “catch” a cocked rat trap (the snapper) placed 15 feet away.

Spacing their round lashings.
The lashings have to be tight and well-spaced.

This simple interpatrol challenge is fine for team building and simultaneously a whole lotta fun! The only lashings required are round lashings, but applying a sensible approach to spacing them effectively is also necessary. As with all pioneering projects, in order to pull them off the whole crew’s got to pull together. So it is with the simple process of racing to join the Scout staves together, and then setting about angling the long “fishing pole” so the sinkers will hover just right over the cocked rat trap.

CatchTheSnapper
Activities That are FUN!

Procedure. Using two tight Round Lashings to join each of the staves together, each patrol forms a long “fishing pole,” and attaches a cord with a weight tied on to the end. Using this device to pick up their snapper, there are two objectives here: one is to catch the snapper as quickly as possible, the other is to work together and successfully complete the task as smoothly as possible. Basically, three rules apply: no patrol member is permitted to cross a line between their work area and the cocked rat traps 15 feet away, the only thing allowed to touch the snapper is the weight at the end of their “fishing pole,” and all materials must be used.

Angling to Catch the Snapper
  • four 5-foot  Scout staves
  • six 6-foot lashing ropes
  • one 3-foot light cord
  • a weight (fishing sinker or some heavy metal washers)
  • rat trap(s)


Careful handling of the rat traps is required!
Left: Setting out the Rat Traps  / Right: Catching the Snapper

SCOUT MEETING CHALLENGES MAIN PAGE

Scout Meeting Challenge: Indoor Ladder Race

The square lashing is the basic type of lashing for most pioneering projects. The more a Scout ties them, the more they become like second nature. That means, when the tying of an efficient and tight square lashing is “no sweat,” building a pioneering structure will be easier and more successful. This, of course, makes the experience more fun.

Think about it. The basic and easy-to-build Double A-frame Monkey Bridge depends upon 10 to 14 tight square lashings.  A simple Single Lock Bridge with planks on the walkways needs 48.

Almost ready to climb!

So, to assure the Scouts are ready and able to tackle projects that are challenging, fun, and rewarding, they need to feel confident and happy they can easily tie tight square lashings.

Touching the ceiling!

This challenge is very simple, but, it’s fun, and requires each patrol to tie eight tight square lashings. It’s great for new Scouts and a useful team-building activity and practice session “disguised” as a fun, fast-paced interpatrol competition.

Materials for Each Patrol:

  • two 8-foot x 4-inch spars
  • four 3-foot x 2-inch ladder rungs
  • eight 15-foot x 1/4-inch lashing ropes

Method: with the above materials, each patrol will lash together a ladder with four rungs, spacing the rungs FROM THE BOTTOM ABOUT ONE FOOT APART, using eight square lashings. When sturdy, the whole patrol will stand the ladder up and take turns climbing to the top.

Indoor Ladder Race
6-foot Ladder Legs for Lower Ceilings

SCOUT MEETING CHALLENGES MAIN PAGE