The National Outdoor Badge for Aquatics recognizes Scouts and Venturers who spend lots of time on and in the water. You'll build swimming, lifesaving, and boating skills along the way.
Why it's worth it
This badge is for people who'd rather be on the water than anywhere else. You'll build serious swimming and lifesaving skills, swim a full mile, learn a boating sport, and log dozens of hours on and in the water. It's also a path toward lifeguard training, waterfront staff jobs at summer camp, and trips at Scouting's aquatic high-adventure bases.
Start this week
- Check that you've finished requirement 1: First Class, Sea Scout Apprentice, or Ranger requirements 1-6.
- Start an aquatics log with the date, activity, and hours for every Scouting swim or boating session.
- Find out whether your summer camp offers Swimming, Lifesaving, and Mile Swim training, and plan which to take.
- Message a Swimming or Lifesaving counselor through your Scoutmaster or Advisor, with a parent copied.
Plan ahead: Requirements 4 and 5 call for 25 and 50 hours of logged time on and in the water. Start a log at your next Scouting aquatics activity, and ask your leader whether past hours count.
Stay safe
- Swim only under Safe Swim Defense and boat only under Safety Afloat, with qualified supervision and a buddy.
- Wear a properly fitted life jacket whenever you're in a boat, canoe, or kayak.
Requirements · 5
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).
- Requirement 1
Earn First Class rank or Sea Scout Apprentice rank, or finish Venturing Ranger Award requirements 1–6
Tip: Make sure you've finished First Class, Sea Scout Apprentice, or the listed Ranger requirements first.
- Requirement 2
Finish the Swimming merit badge plus either the Lifesaving merit badge or the Venturing Ranger Lifesaver elective (Sea Scouts cover these in their Ordinary and Able ranks)
Tip: Work on Swimming and Lifesaving with qualified instructors. Build your endurance and confidence first.
For example: Swimming and Lifesaving build on each other: work on strokes and endurance for Swimming first, then take Lifesaving with a counselor, often at summer camp, where you practice rescues with qualified instructors.
- Requirement 3
Earn the Scouting America Mile Swim award
Tip: Train for the Mile Swim with supervised practice, then swim the mile with qualified escorts.
For example: Practice distance strokes and pacing at a pool or in your camp's Mile Swim program, show you're ready with a quarter-mile swim, then swim the mile on a course your counselor approves.
- Requirement 4
Finish at least one aquatics merit badge (Canoeing, Kayaking, Rowing, Small-Boat Sailing, Whitewater, Water Sports, Fishing, Fly-Fishing, or Scuba Diving) or the Ranger Fishing, Scuba, or Watercraft elective; then spend 25+ hours on the water using those skills
Tip: Pick an aquatics badge or elective you enjoy, like canoeing or kayaking, and log your hours on the water.
For example: Choose an aquatics badge you'll keep using, such as Canoeing, Kayaking, or Small-Boat Sailing, then log 25 hours on the water: a weekend canoe trip and a few lake paddles can get you there.
- Requirement 5
Log 50+ hours of any mix of swimming, scuba, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, small-boat sailing, stand up paddleboarding, whitewater, water sports, fishing, or fly-fishing in Scouting America activities; time from requirements 2–4 counts
Tip: Log every Scouting aquatics activity until you reach 50 hours. Always swim and boat with qualified supervision.
For example: Log each session: "July 9, summer camp, 2 hours canoeing" or "Aug 3, crew lake day, 3 hours swimming and kayaking." Ask your leader which activities count toward the 50 hours.
Ask yourself
- What do you love most about being on or in the water?
- Which water skill took you the longest to get comfortable with?
- How has learning rescues changed the way you watch out for others at the waterfront?
- Where would you like your aquatics skills to take you next?
Good questions to ask your camp's aquatics director or a Lifesaving counselor
- What does it take to become a lifeguard or waterfront staff member?
- What do strong swimmers still get wrong in rescues?
- Which boating skill should I learn next?
- How do you decide whether conditions are safe for a swim or paddle?
Helpful reads
- Venturing: plan your own adventures, How a Venturing crew works, the four ranks from Venturing to Summit, what officers do, how to plan an adventure, and the national high-adventure bases., Youth · Leaders · 5 min read
- Finding service that matters, Service hours count toward your rank, but the best ones are the ones you'd want to do anyway. Here's how to find them, arrange them, and get the most out of them., Youth · Families · 5 min read
For leaders & parents
- Plan aquatics outings with qualified supervision and help Scouts log hours.
- Encourage summer camp aquatics programs for skill building.
People & places that can help
- American Red Cross (opens in a new tab) — Swimming and lifeguard training.
- Local pool or waterfront — Places to train and practice.
- Merit badge counselors — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- National Outdoor Awards (opens in a new tab) — Scouting America's official rules for the National Outdoor Badges and Medal.
- Scouting America Aquatics (opens in a new tab) — Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and other Scouting aquatics resources.
- Safety Afloat (opens in a new tab) — The safety rules for every Scouting boating activity.
- U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety (opens in a new tab) — Life jackets, boating rules, and safety tips from the Coast Guard.
Pairs well with
Named in these requirements
- Fishing, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Outdoors · 10 requirements
- Kayaking, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 8 requirements
- Ranger Award, Award · 4 requirements
- Rowing, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 9 requirements
- Scuba Diving, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 6 requirements
- Small-Boat Sailing, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 9 requirements
- Sports, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Sports · 6 requirements
- Water Sports, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 6 requirements
- Whitewater, Scouts BSA · Merit Badge · Aquatics · 12 requirements
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.