2024-05-02 05:00
Like the tilting mast tower, this is from the Dutch JOTA-JOTI handbook CD, originally in Dutch and published in English here for the first time. Here's a render from my SketchUp model, follo… Read More
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Scout pioneering- new and unusual construction projects for scouts- trebuchet , raft , camp gadget and knotting projects
2024-04-18 08:38
Here's a report from page 200 of the 1951 Scout Annual - as far as
I've been able to discover, the first Scouting 'Kon-Tiki' event.Here is the article in it's entirety, with text and photog… Read More
2024-04-04 07:00
Rafts launching at Eastern Cape Kontiki 2024. Image credit: Marilize BouwerThe Eastern Cape South region held their " Heroes & Villians" themed 2024 Kontiki event over 21-24 March just o… Read More
2024-03-21 11:57
This design was included on the JOTA/JOTI resource CD, originally in Dutch and published here in English for the first time:Figure 1 The tilting mast consists of two parts: The ped… Read More
2021-12-15 05:00
So it's been quiet here for a while... alongside everything that's been going on in the world over the last two years, I'm now the father of a one year old girl! Over the last 18 months, Rov… Read More
2017-06-23 06:00
I'll be travelling to Iceland for the World Scout Moot from the 25th of July to the 2nd of August this year. I don't have any plans to do pioneering while I'm there (Iceland doesn't have too… Read More
2017-06-16 06:00
I've featured gateways built by Harmellia Gardens Air Scouts before, and this Lego-inspired gateway at KonTiki 2017 is their latest design. Harmellia are using a synthetic hawser-laid rope… Read More
2017-06-09 06:00
In rainy weather (and KonTiki frequently brings rainy weather), it can be a good idea to get your tent up out of the mud. Bush Hill Scout Troop built this four-tier stepped tent platform for… Read More
2017-05-26 07:44
KonTiki 2017 took place recently, and was the coldest and one of the stormiest KonTiki weekends in some time. In spite of the rain, wind, hail and frost, 55 teams arrived to camp, taki… Read More
2017-01-27 05:35
The KonTiki organisers have launched the website for the 2017 competition, and along with it, a series of timelapse videos from last year's event. These videos give you an idea of the work t… Read More
2016-12-09 06:31
Most pioneering projects (but by no means all) use rope or cordage, so understanding how rope is made is a useful part of pioneering. There are some simple ways of making rope, but these Leg… Read More
2016-11-04 05:32
Following on from the vote earlier to choose a badge design,I've had badges produced here in South Africa, and they are available for sale- by clicking the Paypal button on the top right of… Read More
2016-10-28 06:25
Photo courtesy Shane Anderson1st Halfway House, a Scout troop in Midrand, South Africa, recently built this tensegrity cube suspended between A-frames. The cube is supsended at 4 points- two… Read More
2016-10-07 06:00
Greg from West Australian Scout Pioneering wrote in with photos and a description of the awesome bridge, supported by A frames on each end and a raft in the centre. Here's Gregs description:… Read More
2016-09-23 08:27
Sean from Mosta Scout Group in Malta shared these photographs with me- of a raft sitting in this stunning location against the cliffs in the Mediterranean.Sean says:"With 100 lashings… Read More
2016-09-16 05:54
Thanks to everyone who voted in my earlier poll to help me choose a badge design for the blog. As you can see below, the Hy-par pavilion was by far the most popular design. I have sent… Read More
2016-09-09 07:44
Photograph copyright Baerbel MuellerThis bamboo stage pavilion was built for The Haduwa Arts and Culture Institute in Ghana by [applied] Foreign Affairs, an architecture lab at the Universit… Read More
2016-09-02 06:00
I've been contemplating having badges made, which would be available for sale here on the blog. Some designs are shown above, featuring various projects from the blog archives, and I'd like… Read More
2016-08-26 06:30
I found this suspension bridge article written by L.C. Sands in the February 1937 Scouter magazine:No special credit is claimed for having succeeded in building the bridge described here, as… Read More
2016-08-19 06:41
At the recent Akela 2016 camp, I was involved in running outdoor activities for the Pack Scouters, alongside the community service and crafts bases that were run. Alongside a tensegrity cube… Read More
2016-08-12 06:00
I recently had the privilege to spend some time at the international Akela 2016 camp outside Pretoria, and this is the main gateway to the campsite - built by Harmellia Gardens Air Scouts.Th… Read More
2016-05-16 10:52
KonTiki 2016 came to a close yesterday morning, after 60mm of unseasonal rain left the campsite waterlogged. The majority of rafts spent the night on the water, and the competition went ahea… Read More
2016-05-14 19:00
Saturday is the busiest day at KonTiki- rafts are completed, and after being checked for sea-worthiness, are launched and begin their competitions on the water. Meanwhile, on land, the Beave… Read More
2016-05-13 19:30
KonTiki 2016 is under way, with most teams well into building their rafts. Here are some photos of then shorefront. Teams build three rafts deep in most places, and once ready tomorrow, will… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
In Scouting For Boys, B-P refers to the Imperial War Office's 1905 Manual of Military Engineering for more information on Pioneering. 106 years later, that same manual is freely available on… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
This weekend is a long weekend in South Africa, and the organizers of Western Cape Kontiki have taken advantage by extending the competition, giving the Scouts two nights on the water. I'll… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Ploeg Technieken in Belgium originated the clover-leaf lashing. I've written before about using supporting jigs to hold the poles in place, but Ploeg Technieken have a YouTube channel that h… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
The Rover Crew of 1st Benoni Sea Scouts, the Puddle Pirates, built this bridge/gateway for the East Rand District BP Sunday Parade at Arrowe Park. It is modelled after the chapel at Arrowe P… Read More
2016-03-11 06:29
Image copyright Advocate EgerovFrom Russia, via Youtube, comes this technique for converting a PET soft drink bottle into a strong 'tape' that can be used for lashings. Адв… Read More
2016-03-04 05:50
Catdrill 'lashing' details'CatDrill' is an Italian technique for staving or lightweight pioneering, that involves preparing the staves to be used by drilling a small hole and notching the su… Read More
2016-02-26 05:00
Image courtesy of NLE via their Makoko Floating School press kit.Makoko is a floating slum neighbourhood in Lagos, Nigeria, built on stilts and rafts across the Lagos Lagoon. NLÉ is a… Read More
2015-10-23 08:00
1st Bothasig Rover Crew previously built a suspended tower, which fell a little short of their own high expectations for it. Having conducted a thorough SWOT analysis of the construction, th… Read More
2015-10-16 09:47
This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of the first post to this blog. Since that first post, I've met people from around the world, online and in person, and been reminded of how Scouting… Read More
2015-05-08 05:57
Gauteng KonTiki is coming up next weekend, and the Gauteng Scout Water Activities Advisory Council, along with Puddle Pirates Rover Crew, has developed this Excel spreadsheet which hel… Read More
2015-04-16 13:31
Dissipate is a project being planned by a group of architects and engineers (including a few former Scouts) for the upcoming AfrikaBurn Burning Man regional event near Cape Town, South Afric… Read More
2015-03-20 06:30
Kontiki season is picking up here in Southern Africa, with Windhoek, Namibia hosting their event this weekend, and the Western Cape hosting theirs next weekend.The diagram above shows one wa… Read More
2014-12-25 05:30
Merry Christmas! If you're celebrating today, I hope you have a great day surrounded by family, and a blessed year ahead.This tree is decorated with Monkey's Fists, tied in 8mm sisal rope, w… Read More
2014-12-05 05:00
Day and night photographs courtesy Akela JoyFor the East Rand District end of year Cub Christmas Camp, Puddle Pirate Rover Crew built this pioneered Christmas Tree. All of the guests at the… Read More
2014-12-01 10:30
With the festive season upon us, I've put together a list of pioneering-related gifts that you might find useful.John Sweet's Scout Pioneering is a classic reference, and there are a few dif… Read More
2014-11-27 10:00
(Although I'm not American, being thankful is something I can get behind, and today seems an appropriate day to reflect on some of the resources that have helped me as a Scouter over the yea… Read More
2014-10-17 06:25
The largest annual Scouting event in the world, The combined Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet, starts today. Around 700,000 Scouts and Guides from around the world are partic… Read More
2014-09-19 05:00
Scouts Carpe Diem Arendonk in Belgium built this obstacle course structure outside, around and over their Scout hall. This timelapse shows the construction process:While these photos from th… Read More
2014-09-12 07:44
A simple treehouse, 6 feet off the ground in a willow with multiple stems.Tree houses are a fun and challenging pioneering project (if the safety rules of your Scout Association allow them)… Read More
2014-08-29 05:00
Following on from the Belgian music festival last week, Oppikoppi is the largest music festival in South Africa, held annually on Northam Farm.1st Northam built this tower for the 2014 festi… Read More
2014-08-22 05:30
image courtesy Universiteit HasseltThis pioneered structure at Pukkelpop 2014 in Belgium was seen by thousands of people during the annual music festival. Designed by Jakob Ghisjebrechts, it… Read More
2014-08-15 05:30
Photo courtesy David Boté Estrada Bamboo has been used for centuries to build scaffolding in East Asia, and is still in use today- every… Read More
2014-08-01 06:12
West Australia Scout Pioneering is part of Scouts Australia's West Australia Adventurous Activities team. The team runs a pioneering course aimed at Venturers, Rovers and Scouters, and also… Read More
2014-07-25 06:40
Photos courtesy 1st Polokwane Scout Group1st Polokwane are a Scout troop in Polokwane, a South African city right on the Tropic of Capricorn. This 9m abseiling tower is a Springbok Scout con… Read More
2014-07-18 05:00
Today is Nelson Mandela's birthday. Over the last few years, South Africans have been encouraged to spend 67 minutes of the day serving the community- signifying the 67 years Mandela gave in… Read More
2014-06-20 05:30
Robin Hills Scout Group built this sliding portcullis gateway for KonTiki 2014. Robin Hills entered two teams, who placed 2nd and 3rd overall. The segmented door folds up out of t… Read More
2014-06-20 05:30
Robin Hills Scout Group built this sliding portcullis gateway for KonTiki 2014. Robin Hills entered two teams, who placed 2nd and 3rd overall. The segmented door folds up out of t… Read More
2014-06-13 06:00
Sean from Mosta Venture Scout Unit in Malta shared these photographs of various projects, including a raft, a ferris wheel, a carousel and a suspended platform in a valley.The suspended camp… Read More
2014-06-06 06:00
It's come up on Ropes and Poles before that being able to speak Flemish is a good way to improve your pioneering. This project showed up in my Facebook feed courtesy of Ploeg Technieken and… Read More
2014-05-30 06:00
There were several interesting gateways at KonTiki 2014, and I'll post some more info about those in the coming weeks. Here are a few little gadgets from the campsite that won the camping si… Read More
2014-05-23 03:59
Hennie Hamman, the manager at Arrowe Park, has compiled three videos from hours of footage taken at KonTiki 2014. Here they are- firstly, site preparation and raft construction, followed by… Read More
2014-05-19 14:30
KonTiki 2014 is over, and 1st Horison won both the raft competition and the overall competition - congratulations! 9th Benoni (my former group) won the overall supporter's (land) competition… Read More
2014-05-17 20:02
Kontiki 2014 is running at Arrowe Park this weekend, and while I'll post some detail later about some pioneering projects I've seen here, I wanted to share these pictures tonight. Firstly, t… Read More
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