The purpose of this event is to evaluate the teamwork, communications skills, leadership and decision making abilities of the team. The standard for this event will be the USCG Boat Crew Seamanship Manual, M 16114.5 (series), Chapter 7, Marlinespike Seamanship.

1. There are 3 labeled stations for each Team and two assigned tasks will be carried out at each station. The stations must not be moved. Station 1 will be manned by team member 1, station 2 by team member 2 and so on. You may choose your stations before the event.
2. The necessary equipment to complete all evolutions is provided at station 1. Read your task cards, select the necessary equipment that you will need and move the required equipment to stations 2 and 3. All remaining equipment will be needed at station 1.
3. Team member 1 will complete tasks 1A and 1B, team member 2 will complete tasks 2A and 2B and team member 3 will complete tasks 3A and 3B.
4. The tasks are to be carried out in the following order: 1A to 2A to 3A, 3A to 2B to 3B and ending at station 1 with task 1B. Be careful! This order must be followed.
5. Keep your task sheet and instructions with you at all times. Follow these directions carefully or penalties will be imposed.
6. Stay within the boundaries ("on deck") of your skills station at all times when conducting the evolutions. You may go outside your skills station to retrieve cargo that has gone adrift if a knot becomes untied, but you must go back to the station where the knot was tied and try again. Penalties will be assigned if a knot becomes untied.
7. You may assist each other, but only verbally and from inside the boundaries of your skills station.
8. This exercise is timed so speed is important, but hurrying too much may only waste time. Accuracy in following instructions may be a factor at the judges’ discretion. For example, a knot that is tied incorrectly will bring a penalty and interference, such as offering more than verbal coaching, will be costly.
9. Start the tasks when the judge blows the whistle! Good luck!

Please note that failure to tie any knot will result in a penalty of 1 minute being applied to the team's overall score. Knots that are tied incorrectly will be considered as not being completed and the 1-minute penalty will be applied. Failure to follow the posted sequence of skills will result in a penalty of 2 minutes being applied to the team's overall score. Coaching fellow team members from outside of the skill station will result in penalty of 1 minute being applied to the team’s overall score.

Scoring: Team with the best overall score will be awarded:

• Coil poly line ready for throwing.
• Pick up one free end of the line and tie a Fisherman’s Bend to the ring on the deck.
• Pick up coil and throw to Station 2.
• Untie Fisherman’s Bend to free line after caught by station 2.

• Catch free end of line thrown from Station 1.
• When Fisherman’s Bend is untied at Station 1, haul in balance of line.
• Tie Rolling Hitch on cylindrical end of cargo.
• Pick up coil and throw to Station 3 so that cargo may be hauled to that station.

• Catch line thrown from Station 2.
• Haul in cargo and untie Rolling Hitch.
• Tie end of manila line to poly line on cargo with a Sheet Bend.
• Pick up coil and throw to Station 2.

• Catch line and haul in cargo.
• Tie manila line to braided line (nylon) with Reef (Square) Knot.
• Pick up coil and throw to Station 3.

• Catch line and haul in cargo.
• Untie Square Knot
• Untie cargo
• Tie nylon line to cargo, through the ring, with a Bowline.
• Throw coil to Station 1.

• Catch line.
• Fasten free end of line to cleat on dock with Figure Eight wrap.
• Haul in cargo.
• Untie Bowline.
• Remove line from cleat.

• All team members must then coil all lines and place in box.
• Place Cargo next to box, time ends.

1. The team will be given two 6 foot sections of 1/2 " 3 strand polypropylene line.
2. One team member must make a short splice to join the 2 lines together.
3. The other two-team members must each make an eye splice in one end of the line.
4. There will be two stakes in the ground, 9' 10" apart. The completed line with the two eye splices must slip over the two stakes.

This will be a total team timed event, and teams will also be ranked as to the overall quality of their work. All team members each have to do one of the three required splices. Team members may "coach" to help out team members that are not as skilled, but may not actually help other team members tie the splices or eyes.

   a. All 4 teams will start at the same time

   b. Judges will time each team

   c. There is a 45 minute maximum time limit allowed

   d. After completion, judges will rank the 4 teams completed spliced line, best (score of 4), second best (score 3), etc.

   e. Fastest time will score 4, second fastest will score 3, etc.

Scoring: Team with the best overall score will be awarded:

All teams will start at the same time on receiving a signal from the judge(s). When a team has completed their work one of their members will call out "DONE" and the judge will stop the clock.