Meaning of Landship Ceremony
Sea Scouting offers unique opportunities for creating an inspirational atmosphere at our
meetings. The seagoing nature of the program enables an imaginative group of adults and youth
to set up a landship so realistic that you can almost feel the decks rise and fall beneath your feet,
and smell the salty air.
The overall deck plan for a landship is based on the customs and traditions of the U.S. Navy.
The stern of the ship provides the quarterdeck, where the skipper, officers and dignitaries are
seated. Here too is the ship's wheel and ship's bell. The midship area provides seating for the
crews. You'll also find the yardarm with the U.S. flag and other signal pennants At the bow,
you'll find the ensign of the ship providing the crew for the landship. Nautical props figure
prominently in landship presentations; items such as railings, lines, life rings, anchors,
gangways, ground tackle, buoys, sea chests and lockers, all make for a nice landship layout..
Skippers, officers and invited guests will enter the landship from the starboard gangway. Crew
boards the landship from the port gangway. When entering the landship, the double salute is
performed. As one steps aboard a Sea Scout vessel, it is customary to face inboard and salute the
center of the ship, and then face aft and salute the national ensign flying from the stern flagstaff.
The roots of this practice comes from the early days of sailing ships when it was the custom to
secure a religious statue, crucifix or other talisman to the mainmast in the center of the ship to
warn off evil spirits and ensure safe voyage. Seamen coming aboard or leaving their boat would
salute that mast, creating the tradition of honoring "god", and then recognizing their 'country"
by saluting their flag. You will also notice that when leaving the landship, the doable salute is
done in reverse order; the ensign is saluted first and then the center of the ship.
Other ceremonial actions done during landship presentations include ringing the ship's bell for
time as well as welcoming aboard officers_ The boatswain pipe is used to pipe "colors"
(the hoisting of the flags and ensigns on the ship), "sides" (honoring those coming aboard),
"call" (to command silence before an order or information is given) and "All Hands"
(to assemble the crew). Permission is asked to come aboard and is granted before entry
commences. Dress uniforms are worn by the Sea Scouts (both blues and whites) as well as
covers (white sailor "dixie cup", garrison caps, or brimmed naval hats). You may also hear a
bugler.
We hope you will enjoy tonight's landship. If there is any aspect of the ceremony you would
like to know more information about, please do not hesitate to ask members of your Ship, or a
fellow Sea Scout.