Pioneering (scouting)

A decorative camp gateway

Pioneering: The art of manipulating rope to do a task. Some ways of manipulating rope include: knot tying, lashing, and splicing. Pioneering can be used for constructing small items such as camp gadgets up to larger structures such as bridges and towers. These may be built for many reasons including: recreational, decorative, or the item is simply useful.

Pioneering is used as a part of the Scout programme. Scout groups may earn the Pioneering merit badge and construct fun projects together as a requirement. Pioneering is often used to teach teamwork and problem solving. In camp, Scouts may construct functional items like tables, camp dressers and gadgets as well as decorative camp gateways.

Pioneering is a fun hobby for all age groups.

The name Pioneering comes from the work done by 18th and 19th century military engineers who went ahead of an army to build bridges and towers with rope and timber.

Basic knots

• Square knot
• Two half hitches
• Taut-line hitch
• Timber hitch
• Clove hitch
• Bowline
• Sheepshank
• Sheet bend

Basic lashings

• Square lashing, used to join two poles at a right angle
• Diagonal lashing, used when securing two diagonals to each other
• Round lashing, used to join two poles in a straight line
• Sheer lashing, used to join two poles in a scissors shape

Pioneering structures

Basic Pioneering structures: (L to R) The A-frame, Trestle and Tripod

These basic structures are the building blocks for a number of pioneering projects:

• A-frame - The basis of many tower structures. The horizontal member of the A-frame also makes a convenient springing point for a deck such as a table-top.
• Trestle - Used as a modular element for building bridges and towers. Also used as a 'chariot' for inter-Patrol chariot races.
• Tripod - As end supports for swingbridges, dining tables, etc. and as the basis for the famous hourglass tower. A tripod is not considered secure unless it's legs are securely attached to the ground.

Pioneering projects

• Camp gateways
• Bridges
• Dressers
• Tables
• Camp gadgets
• Flagpoles
• Towers
• Rafts
• Aerial runways

See also

• knots
• Woodcraft
• Miniature Pioneering

External links

• E-Quartermaster - information about pioneering equipment
• Scoutbase - UK Scout Association website, with lots of projects
• Ropes and Poles - Pioneering blog - growing collection of unusual projects
• PioneeringProjects.org - Large collection of pioneering projects and links to resources