The Knot Ninja program helpsscouts and adults learn and develop skills that will prove to be helpful intheir scouting career and in outdoor life.The program is designed to provide learning and fun through rankadvancement and challenges.

All scouts and registered adults are allowed to participate in the Knot Ninja program.

Everyone will begin at the“Ordinary Seaman” or pink level.  Youwill be given a length of pink rope after completing the four requirements forthis rank.  This rope will be worn aroundyour waist.  After completing therequirements for the “Able Seaman” or white level, you will be given white ropeto make a lanyard that will be worn on your belt or beltloop by a carabiner.  This will be part of your required uniformand should be worn to all scout functions that require a Class A uniform. 

In order to advance a rank,the participant must demonstrate the knots or techniques listed for that rankas well as the ranks below and tell how each is useful.  There will be a limit of two attempts for eachknot.  After proving knowledge andability in a particular rank, you will be awarded a length of rope indicatingthe color you just completed which will be tied in a larks head knot and wornon your lanyard.

Testing

Testing will be allowed 15minutes before and 15 minutes after each scout meeting or during the meeting astime allows.  Testing may also be done atcampouts.  You may only test one time perday.

Challenges

Any scout or adult maychallenge another scout or adult at the same level.  At that point, the challenger names two (2)knots in the current rank.  If thechallenged scout cannot tie the selected knots in two (2) attempts, he will begiven a pink rope and not allowed to test for his current level until the nextopportunity.  If the challenger cannottie the knot, he also will be given a pink rope and not allowed to test for hiscurrent level until the next opportunity.You may only challenge one time per meeting or campout.   The Knot Master or Knot Ninja may not bechallenged.  A scout or adult can bechallenged if not wearing their required knot regalia, the Knot Master may, athis discretion, move the scout to the pink level, until his next opportunity totest for his current level.

Only one person will wear theKnot Ninja shoulder cords for a period of 3 months.  If no one is at the Knot Ninja level, thecurrent leader will stay in place.  Thecords are passed in the order of Scouts achieving the Ninja rank.  Adults will not wear shoulder cords.

ORDINARY SEAMAN (PINK LEVEL)

Whip, Fuse, Square Knot and Overhand Knot

ABLE SEAMAN (WHITE LEVEL)

Larks Head, Sheet Bend, Two Half-Hitches, Taut-Line Hitch,Bowline and Timber Hitch

BOATSWAIN (YELLOW LEVEL)

Clove Hitch, Figure 8, Square Lashing, Diagonal Lashing,Shear Lashing and Tripod Lashing

3^RD MATE (BLUE LEVEL)

Fisherman’s Knot, Water Knot, Bowline on a Bight, Surgeon’sKnot, Coiling a rope

2^ND MATE (RED LEVEL)

Sheepshank, Mooring Hitch, Bowtie Knot, Slippery Sheet Bend,Trucker’s Hitch and Single Windsor

CHIEF MATE (GREEN LEVEL)

Monkey Fist, Alpine Butterfly, Thief’s Knot and onePioneering Knot*

KNOT CAPTAIN (ORANGE LEVEL)

Chinese Button, Turks Head, Cobra Stitch and two PioneeringKnots

KNOT NINJA (SHOULDER CORD)

Demonstrate All Knots, Daisy Chain, two Camp Gadgets** andtwo New Knots***

*Knots from the Pioneering Merit Badge Book not alreadylisted above

**Camp Gadget approved by the knot master using lashings andtwo knots

***Knots not listed above or ones used as pioneering knots –must bring instructions and explain their use.