Pioneering

Pioneering is the art of using ropes and wooden spars joined by lashings and knots to create a structure. Pioneering can be used for constructing small items such as camp gadgets up to larger structures such as bridges and towers. These may be recreational, decorative, or functional.Pioneering is used to teach practical skills, teamwork and problem solving. It is widely used in the Scouting program. Many Scout groups train their members in pioneering skills and construct projects, both small and large. In camp, Scouts may construct functional items like tables, camp dressers and gadgets, as well as decorative camp gateways.The name comes from the 18th and 19th century military engineers who went ahead of an army to "pioneer" a route, which could involve building bridges and towers with rope and timber.

A decorative camp gateway

Pioneering skills

Pioneering skills include knotting (tying ropes together), lashing (tying spars together with rope), whipping (binding the end of a rope with thin twine), splicing (joining or binding the end of a rope using its own fibres), and skills related to the use, care and storage of ropes, spars and related pioneering equipment.

Basic knots

Square knot

Two half hitches

Taut-line hitch

Timber hitch

Clove hitch

Bowline

Sheepshank

Sheet bend

Basic lashings

Square lashing, used to join two poles at a right angle

Diagonal lashing, used when securing two diagonals to each other

Round lashing, used to join two poles in a straight line

Sheer lashing, used to join two poles in a scissors shape

Pioneering projects
Camp gateways
Bridges
Dressers
Tables
Camp gadgets
Flagpoles
Towers

Yean Mahangar in Pioneering Competition

Rover Scout Participate in the Pioneering competition organized be Machindra Rover/Ranger Crew at Mahindra Bahal in july 2005.

Rover Scout Measuring the Height of the tower

Rover Scouts with the Prepared tower.