MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – This past summer, Justin Hingston, Boatswain and crew member of Lake County’s Sea Scout Ship Konocti Phoenix, checked off one of his bucket list items: Sail aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, also known as “America’s Tall Ship.”
Most Sea Scouts can only dream of the experience. Of the 6,500-plus registered Sea Scouts in the US, few would qualify for the program, and only six Sea Scout applicants per year are considered for three week-long cruises each summer aboard the 295-foot long tall ship.
Sea Scouts work alongside 60 assigned enlisted year-round crew members, and 150 US Coast Guard cadets who train on the ship the summer prior to commencing their first year at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.
Sixteen-year-old Hingston went through a demanding, competitive screening process: attainment of the Sea Scout “Able” rank (second to the highest Sea Scout rank of quartermaster); completion of the Sea Scout Experience Advanced Leadership, or “SEAL” training; an essay on his personal motivation to join the program; another essay on how he would utilize what he learned; and a school résumé, scouting résumé and community service résumé.
Being an active crew member and leader with the Konocti Phoenix Sea Scouts over the last four years gave Hingston the experience, leadership, and seamanship skills to work with confidence alongside seasoned Coast Guard crew members and “swabs” (first year cadets).
Dressed in his Sea Scout uniform with ticket in hand, the young man flew to Boston and set sail on the tall ship from Salem, Mass., on July 30.
“I had a lot of different duties on the ship,” said Hingston. “Engine duty, polishing brass and metal, working the helm, navigation, trimming sails, and washing dishes in the scullery which was the most efficient dishwashing operation I’ve ever seen.”
Among his many duties, Hingston operated the main (center) mast along with 6-8 crew members. One of his memorable experiences was having to raise a 6-ton yard (a pole on which sails are set) just 5 feet higher. It took 150 cadets to work the sophisticated pulley system to accomplish the task.
The physically demanding duties also challenged the Sea Scout to step up his leadership abilities.
“One evening, I was on the 8-to-midnight watch, and we needed to trim the sails to go faster. The officers looked for someone to lead the crew. I was thinking, I’ll do it, I know the commands, I can do it and I have people willing to work with me. And so I just did it,” said the scout.
After a week of fair weather, Hingston and his crewmates docked the tall ship next to the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid on the Hudson River by New York City’s West side. He flew back home, energized by life-changing, unforgettable experiences aboard a phenomenal sailing vessel.
Hingston’s confidence and abilities grew from years of experience working on Konocti Phoenix’s sailboats and “flagship” vessel – a decommissioned 40-foot US Navy Liberty Launch boat moored at Braito’s Marina in Buckingham.
Several times a year, Konocti Phoenix Sea Scouts also cruise with neighboring Sea Scout Ships such as the SSS Chaser out of Napa with its 90-foot long steel-hull boat formerly used by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In addition, Sea Scout “regattas” or competitions between Sea Scout units in the region take place throughout the year, allowing crew members to hone their skills. Working with other crews and officers exposes local Sea Scouts to a wide pool of maritime experts, as well as different ship cultures and leadership styles.
Konocti Phoenix Skipper Bob Penny emphasized that Sea Scouts need to develop abilities to work as part of a team. This means that leaders need to learn how to delegate.
“Justin is one of the best all-around leaders I’ve had in a long time. He’s really taken over the ship in directing and training the crew. It’s much easier to do things yourself rather than delegate to make the work a team effort, but over the years, Justin has caught on and lives the concept,” he commented.
Hingston, currently a senior at Middletown High School, wants to design and build ships. He has applied for admission at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, renowned for its Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program. But he is also considering the Coast Guard Academy in New London as well as CAL Maritime Academy in Vallejo where two of his fellow Sea Scout crew members are currently attending.
To prepare for a career in the maritime industry, Hingston also plans on achieving the highest Sea Scout rank, Quartermaster, by the time he graduates high school in June 2017. Only 0.5 percent of registered Sea Scouts achieve this rank.
The Sea Scout Ship Konocti Phoenix is a unit of the Sea Scouts program under the Boy Scouts of America. The ship invites young men and women ages 13 to 21 to come to their meetings to learn about Sea Scouting.
The Scouts meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Kelseyville in the fall-winter months, and at Braito’s Marina from spring to early fall.
For more information contact Skipper Bob Penny at 707-263-5235 and visit the Ship’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SeaScoutKonoctiPhoenix .
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