The Rules

1 The Program

This program was designed to encourage Scouts to learn the names, uses, classifications of, and how to tie knots often used in Scouting.  The Scout earns a colored rope to signify their mastery of the required knots for each level.  To earn the rope, the Scout must be tested by a Knot Master or troop adult.  Each Scout, regardless of rank, begins at the first level.  One level can be advanced per each Scout meeting or event.

2 The Test

A Scout must be tested by a Knot Master (purple, blue, or red/black) to advance to the next level.  The Scout is allowed two attempts to tie each knot, must name the knot, state the category (joining, slip, rescue, etc), and give at least one example of its proper use.  If they fail the test, the Scout may test again at a following meeting or event.

3 The Rope

The rope is a part of the scout uniform for this troop. It is to be worn during all scout activities. White ropes are worn wrapped around the waist, tied in a square knot. All other colors may be tied or coiled and clipped to a carabineer hanging from the belt. Any length of rope can be used, but a four to six foot long piece works best.

4 The Rope-less

If a Scout forgets to wear their rope to a meeting or other scouting activity, they will be given a white rope to wear for that event. The white rope group may be assigned special duties for that event such as clean-up detail, latrine duty, etc. If a Scout loses their rope, it may be replaced for a fee of one dollar, but only after the scout has demonstrated all knots for their level.

5 The Challenge

A Scout can be challenged by any other Scout who is able to tie any knot required for the challenged’s level. A Scout can only be challenged once per day.  Knot Masters are exempt from challenges. When a challenge is issued, the challenger must pick a Knot Master to act as judge. From that point, the following procedure is used:

  1. The challenger names the knot to be tied by the challenged Scout and the type of rope to be used.
  2. The challenged Scout is allowed two attempts to tie the knot.
  3. The judge inspects the knot and decides if it was tied correctly.
  4. If the challenged Scout fails to tie the knot correctly and the challenger succeeds, the challenged Scout’s rope is replaced with a white rope.
  5. Any Scout who has lost a challenge may test for their previously held level by demonstrating every knot required for that level to a Knot Master.  If successful, the Scout would exchange the white rope for the rope lost in the challenge.

6 The Adults

Troop adults may start as a Troop Knot Master (purple) if they can meet the requirements for that level to another adult or Knot Master Mentor.  If they cannot pass this test, they may test for whatever lower level they are comfortable.  Advancement rules for adults are the same as those for Scouts.

You can download and print the full set of rules here, and you can download and print a progress tracking sheet here.