Pioneering

1. Do the following:
   1. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you might encounter while participating in pioneering activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
   2. Discuss the prevention of, and first aid treatment for, injuries and conditions that could occur while working on pioneering projects, including rope splinters, rope burns, cuts, scratches, insect bites and stings, rope burns, hypothermia, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunburn, and falls.
2. Do the following:
   1. Successfully complete Tenderfoot requirements 4a and 4b and First Class requirements 7a, 7b, and 8a. (These are the rope-related requirements.)
      Demonstrate the basic and West Country methods of whipping a rope. Fuse the ends of a rope
   2. Demonstrate how to tie Tie the following knots: square knot, bowline, sheepshank, sheet bend, and clove hitch, butterfly knot, roundturn with two half hitches, rolling hitch, water knot, carrick bend, sheepshank, and sheet bend.
   3. Demonstrate and explain when to use the following lashings: square, diagonal, round, shear, tripod, and round lashings floor lashing.
3. Explain why it is useful to be able to throw a rope, then demonstrate how to coil and throw a 40-foot length of 1/4- or 3/8-inch rope. Explain how to improve your throwing distance by adding weight to the end of your rope.
4. Explain the differences between synthetic ropes and natural-fiber ropes. Discuss which types of rope are suitable for pioneering work and why. Include the following in your discussion: breaking strength, safe working loads, and the care and storage of rope.
5. Explain the uses for the back splice, eye splice, and short splice. Using 1/4- or 3/8-inch three-stranded rope, demonstrate how to form each splice.
6. Using a rope-making device or machine, make a rope at least 6 feet long consisting of three strands, each having three yarns. Whip the ends.
7. Build a scale model of a signal tower or a monkey bridge. Correctly anchor the model using either the 1-1-1 anchoring system or the log and stake anchoring method. Describe the design of your project and explain how the anchoring system works.
   Explain the importance of effectively anchoring a pioneering project. Describe to your counselor the 1-1-1 anchoring system and the log-and-stake anchoring methods.
8. Demonstrate the use of rope tackle to lift a weight of 25 pounds and pulling a log at least 6 inches in diameter and 6 feet long with the tackle. Use the tackle to put tension on a line. With the approval of your counselor, demonstrate and use a rope tackle. Be sure the rope tackle is secured properly. Explain the advantages and limitations of using a rope tackle. In your explanation, describe Describe the potential damage that friction can do to a rope.

• All pioneering projects constructed for this merit badge must comply with height standards as outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

9. By yourself, build an A-trestle OR X-trestle OR H-trestle a trestle using square and diagonal lashings. Explain the application of the trestle you build. Demonstrate how to tie two spars together using a shear lashing. why trestles are used when constructing pioneering projects.
10. With a group of Scouts, OR on your own, select a pioneering project and get your counselor's approval before you begin building. Your project must not result in anyone reaching a height of greater than 6 feet off the ground. With your counselor's guidance, create a rough sketch of the project. Make a list of the ropes and spars needed, then build the project. (Note: This requirement may be done at summer camp, at district or council events, or on a troop camp outing.)
    With the approval of your counselor and using appropriate lashings and pioneering techniques, build and use one full-size pioneering project from either group A or group B. Your project must comply with the requirements of the Guide to Safe Scouting. (Requirement 10 may be done at summer camp, at district or council events, or on a troop camp outing.)
    • Group A: Tower OR bridge
      • Anchor your project as appropriate and necessary. Explain how your anchoring system works.
        Group A projects may be worked on in a group and with others.
    • Group B: Camp chair OR camp table
      • Group B projects must be worked on individually.

BSA Advancement ID#: 84
Requirements last updated in: 2017
Pamphlet Publication Number: 35931
Pamphlet Stock (SKU) Number: 635915
Pamphlet Revision Date: 2017

Blanks in this worksheets table appear when we do not have a worksheet for the badge that includes these requirements.