Fresh from an impressive finish in the legendary Lexus Newport-to-Ensenada race, a crew of California-based Sea Scouts traveled across the country in May to accept the BoatU.S. National Sea Scout Flagship Award for 2006. The nation’s largest recreational boating organization honored Sea Scout Ship 711, Del Mar, of Newport Beach as the top performing Sea Scout unit in the country at the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Annual Meeting held today in Washington, DC.

BoatU.S. Chairman and Founder Richard Schwartz presented the Flagship Award trophy to the delegation headed by the Ship’s youth leader, Boatswain David George, 18; Skipper Mike Stewart; and other Sea Scouts and adults. The award recognizes excellence in program quality, youth achievement and adult commitment. Like all Sea Scout units, Ship 711 uses boats, seamanship and nautical skills to develop character and leadership qualities in young people.

The Ship and its two dozen Sea Scouts, aged 14 to 20, compiled an impressive record of accomplishments with 36 days of on-the-water activities, including 22 days of extended cruising last year. Regular activities range from formal training in boating handling, rules of the road and safety drills to boat maintenance, electronics and engine repair, with a good measure of fun thrown in.

Ship 711 calls the BSA’s Newport Sea Base homeport and its principal vessel for training and cruising is a Columbia 43 sloop, named Del Mar. The Ship also sails on Scout Spirit, a 77-ft. Reichel/Pugh maxi ocean racer, which the Sea Scouts recently sailed to a second-in-class finish in the Newport-to-Ensenada race. Ship 711 is sponsored by the Balboa Power Squadron.

This is the fifth year for the Flagship Award, originated by BoatU.S. in 2002 to mark the 90 th anniversary of Sea Scouting – a co-ed program for young adults age 14-20 with over 7,000 youth participating in 550 Ships nationwide. A perpetual trophy bearing the names of the annual winning Ship resides at the BSA National Scouting Museum in Irving, TX. For more information, contact: SeaScouts@BoatUS.com

BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 825 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine, the most widely read boating publication in the U.S. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.