Knot Masters

Four nights mastering essential knots and rope skills — reef knot, clove hitch, sheet bend, basic lashing, and practical applications. Cubs learn by doing and compete in knot challenges.

Challenge Area
Outdoor
Award Type
General Skills
Nights
4
Total Duration
5 hr 40 min
Equipment Summary
flag, flag pole, short rope lengths (1 m per Cub, two colours), knot instruction cards with diagrams, rope lengths (1 m per Cub), staves or broom handles (one per pair), instruction cards, rope lengths (two different thicknesses per Cub), rope lengths, staves for clove hitches and 35 more

About this trail

This 4-night trail is designed around the Outdoor Challenge Area, making it straightforward to program outdoor-focused nights that contribute to Milestone credit. Each night follows the Scouts Australia Plan > Do > Review cycle and is structured as indoor nights.

Across its 4 nights, this trail maps to OAS requirements in Bushcraft. The requirements are specific — not just "do some bushcraft" but individual Stage requirements like fire-lighting methods or shelter construction techniques. Tussock pre-loads these requirements into each night's event plan so leaders can sign them off during the activity rather than transcribing them later.

The SPICES developmental domains covered by this trail are: Intellectual, Physical, Social, Character. Programming across multiple domains in a single trail helps Groups demonstrate balanced youth development in their term plans and annual reports.

You can run the four nights in order for a coherent multi-week program, or pick individual nights to fill gaps in your existing term plan. In Tussock, importing a night from this trail pre-fills the Scout Night wizard: Challenge Area, SPICES domains, OAS requirements, and suggested segments are all set. Customise from there to suit your Section.

Import into Tussock

Import this trail into Tussock to run each night with attendance tracking and automatic OAS requirement awarding built in — no manual requirement lookup needed.

OAS Requirements Covered

The following Outdoor Adventure Skills requirements are mapped across this trail's four nights. Import this trail into Tussock to award these requirements automatically when Scouts attend each night.

Bushcraft

The Four Nights

Each night below is a standalone Scout Night session of approximately 1 hr 25 min and follows the Plan > Do > Review cycle. Run them in order for the full Knot Masters trail, or adapt individual nights for your program.

Night 1: Three Basic Knots

Introduction to the reef knot, clove hitch, and sheet bend. Practice boards and partner drills. Emphasis on when to use each knot.

Indoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s2.do-7

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Introduce the Knot Masters trail: "Knots are one of the oldest and most useful skills in Scouting."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Knot 1: Reef Knot Instruction

    Demonstrate the reef knot step by step: "left over right, right over left." Explain when to use it: joining two ropes of equal thickness, tying a bandage. Cubs practise until they can tie it reliably.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (2 items)
    • short rope lengths (1 m per Cub, two colours)
    • knot instruction cards with diagrams

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  3. Knot 2: Clove Hitch Instruction

    Demonstrate the clove hitch on a pole or stave. Explain when to use it: starting and finishing lashings, hanging a clothesline. Cubs practise on staves propped against walls.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (3 items)
    • rope lengths (1 m per Cub)
    • staves or broom handles (one per pair)
    • instruction cards

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7

  4. Knot 3: Sheet Bend Instruction

    Demonstrate the sheet bend. Explain when to use it: joining two ropes of different thickness. Cubs practise with two different coloured ropes.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (2 items)
    • rope lengths (two different thicknesses per Cub)
    • instruction cards

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  5. Knot Speed Drill Game

    Energiser: leader calls out a knot name. Cubs race to tie it correctly. First correct knot in each patrol earns a point. Rotate through all three knots several times.

    Physical Social
    Equipment (3 items)
    • rope lengths
    • staves for clove hitches
    • scoreboard

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s2.do-7

  6. Rope Coiling Practice practice

    Teach Cubs how to coil rope properly (not around the elbow). Demonstrate the mountaineer coil. Each Cub practises coiling and uncoiling a 5 m rope without tangles.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (1 item)
    • 5 m rope lengths (one per Cub)

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-8

  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Cubs take a rope home to practise. Challenge: tie all three knots from memory before next week. Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 2: Knot Relay Races

Relay races using all three knots. Clothesline challenge. Flag pole rigging with a clove hitch. Fun competition to reinforce skills.

Indoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Physical Social Intellectual

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s2.do-7, bushcraft.s1.do-8

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Quick knot check: each Cub ties a reef knot, clove hitch, and sheet bend for a leader. Tick off on a progress card.

    Character
    Equipment (4 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
    • progress cards
    • ropes
  2. Relay 1: Knot-and-Run Game

    Classic relay: Cub runs to a stave, ties the called knot (leader announces which one), runs back, tags the next Cub. A leader at the far end checks each knot — if wrong, the Cub tries again.

    Physical Social
    Equipment (3 items)
    • staves
    • rope lengths
    • cones

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s2.do-7

  3. Clothesline Challenge practice

    Each patrol rigs a functional clothesline between two points (chairs, poles, or trees) using clove hitches at each end. Then hang a wet cloth and test it holds. Fastest patrol with a functional line wins.

    Physical Social Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • rope (3 m per patrol)
    • chairs or poles
    • wet cloths or towels

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7

  4. Flag Pole Rigging practice

    Demonstrate attaching a flag to a pole using a clove hitch. Each Cub practises rigging the flag to a stave and raising it upright. Discuss why the knot needs to hold firm under tension.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • staves or flag poles
    • small flags or bandanas
    • rope

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7

  5. Relay 2: Rope Coiling Race Game

    Each Cub uncoils a tangled rope, coils it neatly, and passes it to the next Cub who uncoils and re-coils. Neatest and fastest patrol wins.

    Physical
    Equipment (1 item)
    • 5 m ropes (one per patrol, pre-tangled)

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-8

  6. Knot Storytelling discussion

    Sit in a circle. Leader tells a short story about a camping adventure where each knot saved the day. After each scenario, Cubs identify which knot was used and why.

    Intellectual Social
  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Update progress cards. Preview Night 3: "Next week we learn lashing and build something." Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 3: Lashing Basics

Learn square lashing. Build a simple camp gadget — tripod or picture frame. Apply knots in a practical construction project.

Indoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s2.do-7, bushcraft.s1.do-7

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Recap the three knots. Tonight: "We level up — lashing joins sticks together to build structures."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Square Lashing Demonstration Instruction

    Step-by-step demonstration of square lashing: start with a clove hitch, wrap alternating over and under, finish with a clove hitch. Show how it locks two staves at right angles.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (3 items)
    • staves (2 per Cub)
    • sisal rope (2 m per Cub)
    • instruction cards with diagrams

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7, bushcraft.s1.do-7

  3. Lashing Practice practice

    Cubs practise square lashing in pairs. Each pair joins two staves. Leader circulates to check technique: starting clove hitch, wrapping pattern, finishing clove hitch.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (2 items)
    • staves
    • sisal rope

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  4. Build a Gadget practice

    Each patrol chooses a project: (A) a tripod using 3 staves and diagonal lashing at the top, or (B) a picture frame using 4 staves and square lashing at each corner. Build together. Test the structure.

    Physical Social Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • staves (4-6 per patrol)
    • sisal rope (10 m per patrol)
    • scissors

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  5. Gadget Test & Parade Reflection

    Test each gadget: tripods should stand freely and hold a light weight (billy, hat); frames should hang on a nail. Patrols present their gadgets and explain the lashings used.

    Social Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • test weights (billy, bag)
    • nail or hook for frames
  6. Lashing Untangle Race Game

    Energiser: each patrol is given a mess of rope and two staves already lashed together (poorly). They must undo it, coil the rope neatly, and re-lash correctly. Fastest wins.

    Physical Social
    Equipment (2 items)
    • pre-lashed staves (poorly done)
    • rope
  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Preview Night 4: "The ultimate knot challenge course." Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 4: Knot Challenge Course

Timed multi-station knot challenge course. Patrol competition covering all knots and lashing. Review and celebrate Knot Masters.

Indoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Physical Intellectual Social Character

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s1.do-8, bushcraft.s2.do-7

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Final night: "Tonight you prove you are Knot Masters." Explain the challenge course format.

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Warm-Up: Knot Speed Drill Game

    Standing in a circle, Cubs tie each knot on command as fast as they can. Three rounds: reef knot, clove hitch, sheet bend.

    Physical
    Equipment (2 items)
    • rope lengths (one per Cub)
    • stave for clove hitch

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7, bushcraft.s2.do-7

  3. Challenge Station 1: Reef Knot Tie & Untie practice

    Timed: tie a reef knot joining two ropes, show it to the judge, untie it cleanly, coil both ropes. Score for speed and correctness.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • two rope lengths
    • stopwatch
    • score sheet

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  4. Challenge Station 2: Clove Hitch Applications practice

    Timed: tie a clove hitch to a stave, rig a short clothesline between two chairs, hang a cloth, and take it down. Score for speed and stability.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (5 items)
    • rope
    • stave
    • two chairs
    • cloth
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s1.do-7

  5. Challenge Station 3: Sheet Bend & Rope Coil practice

    Timed: join two ropes of different thickness with a sheet bend. Show the judge. Undo and coil both ropes neatly using the correct method.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (2 items)
    • two ropes (different thickness)
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7, bushcraft.s1.do-8

  6. Challenge Station 4: Quick Lashing Build practice

    Timed: as a patrol, square-lash two staves together. Must be tight enough that a leader cannot pull them apart. Fastest firm lashing wins.

    Physical Social
    Equipment (3 items)
    • staves (2 per patrol)
    • sisal rope
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-7

  7. Results & Trail Celebration Ceremony

    Tally scores. Announce the winning patrol. Every Cub is a Knot Master. Reflect: "Which knot is your favourite and why?" Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character Social Emotional
    Equipment (2 items)
    • trail completion certificates (optional)
    • score tally

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

See also

OAS Framework Reference

Full breakdown of all 9 OAS streams and their stage requirements.

Browse OAS framework →

More General Skills Trails

Find other trails with a similar Outdoor focus.

All Night Ideas →