12' scamp micro cruiser sailboat

Small Craft Advisor

Boat Designs: Evaluating SCAMP’S Big Sister

(this new welsford cruiser checks a lot of boxes…).

Over the past few days I’ve had email exchanges with John Welsford, New Zealand designer, regarding a brainstorm that’s been percolating in his clever, whimsical noggin: A bigger, more commodious takeoff on his wildly popular SCAMP design.

As most SCA readers know, the 11’ 11” SCAMP design was conceived 13 years ago when Josh Colvin, editor of this fine publication, asked Welsford to come up with a new kind of small cruising boat—one small enough to explore the most hard-to-penetrate backwaters, while being easy to rig, light enough to trailer with the smallest of tow vehicles, surprisingly great under sail, and comfy for overnight camp-cruising adventures. So, following some tweaks by designer and master boatbuilder Kees Prins, the resulting sailboat was dubbed SCAMP, for Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project.

SCAMP DRAWING…

The rest is history: More building plans and kits for SCAMP have been sold over the years than any other small cruising boat we can think of. Besides the original wooden version, Gig Harbor Boat Works was licensed in 2013 to produce a fiberglass SCAMP, and the little giant killer—in wood and fiberglass—has since its debut been at the center of various small-boat rallies, workshops and sailing events.

While SCAMPs are still being built worldwide by enthusiasts, plan and kit sales have slowly been approaching what might be a kind of saturation point. It’s not that “everyone who wants a SCAMP has already built one,” but we get the feeling that it’s time for something new and different—like a SCAMP-inspired design that has the personality and quirky appeal of the original boat, but with more creature comforts (for an aging population of SCAMP lovers).

Meet SCALLYWAG, John Welsford’s big sister to SCAMP, a 15’ 4” x 7’ 3” wonder with a “real” cabin, tabernacle mast, mizzen sail, powerful main, water-ballast tanks, sitting headroom down below…and like SCAMP, faster than many onlookers might expect.

SCALLYWAG DRAWING…

This might turn out to be a timely, common-sense follow-up to the successful SCAMP design—so tempting that John Welsford is talking about building one for himself.

(As a footnote, we might add that in 2008, prior to the introduction of SCAMP in 2010, Welsford came up with another design that was similar to but somewhat larger than SCAMP—called TREAD LIGHTLY, which measured 13’ overall, with a beam of 5’ and addition of a mizzen. The series of similar hulls began with PEANUTS, an experimental build that never quite made the plans list. That design led to TENDER BEHIND, then SHERPA, then TREAD LIGHTLY, then SCAMP, then SCRAPS and now SCALLYWAG. Quite a series!)

TREAD LIGHTLY drawing…immediate predecessor to SCAMP)

Here is John Welsford’s description of the SCALLYWAG design:

“I’ve had a number of people tell me they love SCAMP, but they’d like a ‘real’ cabin—something that would provide shelter for a couple of friends to overnight out of the rain; somewhere with space enough for four to sit and chat over coffee or rum on a cold evening; somewhere with a bench for a cooker, a table to eat the food off of, and lockers for all the essentials…and room for the skipper and first mate to stretch out and sleep in comfort.

“SCALLYWAG is not so big as to make launching and retrieving a chore; her mainmast is in a tabernacle, which makes standing it up easy-peasy for clients who don’t like the idea of lifting a mast that size vertically into place. Her mizzen is light enough to not be a worry, too, in that respect.

“The rig is a powerful one, but easy to access for reefing, and she will heave to under mizzen with the main let free so she sits mostly head-to-wind, dry and restful if a gust has to be waited out.

“I’ve added a pair of big water tanks for ballast, so with that and her beamy shape she’ll be very stable. Her cockpit self-drains, the motor is inside the tall transom for easy access, and while there’s room in the cockpit for four, she’ll be easy to single-hand and relaxing to sail.

“While the relationship between SCALLYWAG and SCAMP is obvious, it’s not just the styling. The backroom calculations in hydrodynamics suggest she’ll handle well, and be faster than many expect. With high stability and the ability to sit upright when aground, she’ll be able to transition from hiding in the mud or sand up a creek somewhere, to making a longer coastal passage without any fuss.

“Construction is simply plywood over ply bulkheads, with stringers to line everything up, and with considerable buoyancy just in case. The plans will have scale drawings of all major components, and we anticipate soon having printable full-sized templates for frames and other key items.”

As for specifications, beyond the overall length of 15’ 4” and beam of 7’ 3,” SCALLYWAG will have board-up draft of 10,” a board-down draft of 3’ 4,” a total sail area of 143 s.f. and a fully-rigged dry weight of 750 lbs. (Incidentally, the beam-to-length ratios of SCAMP and SCALLYWAG are almost identical.)

John Welsford says that plans for SCALLYWAG will be available on December 1, but he can take orders in the meantime. Price will be $245 U.S. funds for emailed, printable PDFs, and the plans can be ordered via John’s website: jwboatdesigns.co.nz (Joel Bergen, well-known for the Welsford Navigator he built and sails in many Northwest small-boat events, will be developing a set of SCALLYWAG patterns in the not-distant future, according to Welsford. Editor’s note: We heard from Joel yesterday; he’s hoping to develop CAD-produced patterns “in a few weeks,” now that he’s received initial SCALLYWAG drawings. Stay tuned; we’ll provide updates on plans and patterns in this space.)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE SCALLYWAG DESIGN:

Eager to hear what SCAMP-savvy friends might have to say about the SCALLYWAG specs and just-released drawing, we sought initial reactions from…

JOSH COLVIN, editor of Small Craft Advisor , who commissioned the SCAMP design in 2010 and enjoys sailing SCAMP #1:

“There’s certainly no doubt who designed this one! It looks almost as much like Welsford’s PENGUIN as a SCAMP. SCALLYWAG’s length is a sweet spot in terms of accommodations potential. She’ll be rowed less than most SCAMPs, but I love the inboard motor well to keep her lines clean, and the engine right at hand. But her most exciting feature is the addition of the mizzen, which will improve seaworthiness and make managing the mainsail easier.

“Between LONG STEPS and SCALLYWAG, those looking for something like SCAMP, but larger, have great options. I’m excited to see the first boat built—she will be bigger than most expect, just looking at the drawing.” SIMEON BALDWIN, builder of an early SCAMP who has perhaps sailed more nautical miles with a SCAMP than anyone…and who has also served as a generous advisor to fellow SCAMP builders and is an expert on rigging and sailing the little 11’ 11” boats:

“I like what I see of this long-rumored design. Knowing John and his attention to ergonomics, I can anticipate it will work well. The tabernacled mast and addition of a mizzen are most appealing.

“From the drawing I think it may resemble LONG STEPS in terms of the recessed footwell. It also appears he is eschewing a by-design lazarette made popular by many SCAMP owners.

“The double water tanks are something to contemplate. I don’t envision SCALLYWAG as a purpose-built racer with crew, actively keeping high-side ballast on long tacks, like the SKATE 15 that Brandon Davis designed, which utilizes two tanks and a dump-valve system that may be more elaborate than a typical cruising sailor would want to live with. But John may be describing two water tanks that are filled and remain separate from one another.”

(Editor’s note: Welsford’s comment on tanks, “The ballast tanks are linked, and they’re not far enough off the centerline to work independently. There is one each side of the aft end of the centerboard case and they go out as far as the seat-front extensions.”)

“I’m looking forward to how all of this works out!”

BRANDON DAVIS, of Turn Point Design in Port Townsend, whose company cuts CNC kits for the SCAMP and a variety of other small boats. Brandon is also a skilled designer and small-boat sailor:

“I really like this boat, since it has just enough room to have a cabin but it’s still small enough to be trailered, beached and easily built in a garage. The enclosed cabin should encourage longer trips or taking a friend along.

“The longer waterline should increase average sailing speeds. My guess is that rowing speed will be lower than the SCAMP, as the rower will not be able to take advantage of the waterline length because of her weight.

“Will SCALLYWAG be offered as a kit? I could see it selling well as a kit and the market could be ripe. Many SCAMP builders might consider this as their next build.

“I look forward to seeing the first SCALLYWAGs on the water!”

KEES PRINS, designer and boatbuilder, who constructed the first SCAMP while serving as boatshop manager at the Northwest Maritime Center…and in the process suggested and implemented some changes that improved the design:

“I think SCALLYWAG will find a great following in the SCAMP world and beyond. Adding a cabin will greatly enlarge the ‘SCAMP Crowd.’ At that beam, and with twin ballast tanks, stability should be enormous for a boat this length. I would have liked to see a cross section through the cabin to know more about sitting comfort. (Four people hanging out inside seems a little optimistic, but two should be comfortable.)

“I’m curious about what the tabernacle for the unsupported mast will look like. A big sail area, together with a stiff hull will induce a significant load on the tabernacle. There seems to be a deep well for the mast base to swing through, judging by the drain hole.

“All in all, SCALLYWAG looks very promising.”

OSCAR LIND, a serious student of all various small-boat designs , and earlier builder of a SCAMP, who shares at least one thing in common with John Welsford—they’ve never met a pun they didn’t like:

“I might have to clear out the shop and make as much room as possible to build this boat (due to the 7’ 3” beam, especially). It’s so tempting and fills the bill for usability and function.

“It does need a Chinese lug rig, though. I expect quite a few SCALLYWAGS will ultimately be built.”

(Editor’s note: John Welsford comments, “I like the Chinese lugsail, but for a sail of this size on a boat that will be trailered, rigged and derigged for each outing and dry-stored, the extra complexity of the Junk sail slows the process. As well, the balanced lug is in my experience, a little quicker upwind—unless the junk rig has cambered-panel sails, and there are few sailmakers producing those, so I think in this case, simplicity and performance get the nod.”)

As for my personal view as a serial boatbuilder, restorer and sometimes buyer of project boats, I enjoyed owning a SCAMP several years ago. While I loved sailing the boat, I wished it was bigger and included a sleeping cabin. So, John’s new SCALLYWAG design checks many more boxes as an all-around keeper, and I prefer its overall hull, cabin and rig design, not to mention its potential as a serious cruising machine.

So, once again, here’s a chance for you, as a fellow boat nut, to offer your evaluation of SCAMP and her newly-hatched big sister, SCALLYWAG. (Also, please add other thoughts in the comments section below…) • SCA •

Ready for more?

• News & Trends
• Dinghy sailing
• Multiple sailing dinghy
• Exhibitions

Multiple sailing dinghy 12′ Scamp traditional recreational catboat

Characteristics

12'00" (3.66 m)

Description

Other gig harbor products, boat 12 to 8 feet.

• Sailing dinghy
• Recreational sailing dinghy
• Catboat sailing dinghy
• Skiff sailing dinghy
• Children's sailing dinghy
• Traditional sailing dinghy

Boat Profile

A little camp cruiser for big dreams

From Issue   Small Boats Annual 2016 October 2015

N ever mind that until grounding on a mudflat less than 30 miles from the finish line, SCAMP #4 breezed through a difficult year in the 300-mile Everglades Challenge adventure race a few years ago, pressing on comfortably when many bigger boats had to quit. Never mind that during the inaugural Race to Alaska earlier this year, SCAMP #11 completed a very rough 40-mile open-water crossing of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, taking its solo skipper safely from Port Townsend, Washington, to Victoria, British Columbia. And never mind that yet another SCAMP (extensively modified for the venture by its builder) may attempt to round Cape Horn—yes, that Cape Horn—this year and, if successful, will be the smallest sailboat ever to do so. Despite all that, the overwhelming impression I get when Dave Ender drives up with his newly built SCAMP to take me sailing is: What a cute little boat.

The buoyancy of the blunt pram bow resists digging in while running downwind and reduces the likelihood of broaching.

SCAMP is short, curvy, beamy, and high-sided, with a well-rockered flat bottom and a distinctive pram bow—a cross between a bulldog, a basketball, and an angry rubber duck. It’s also one of the easiest-launching boats I’ve ever encountered. I barely had time to grab my gear before Ender had the boat rigged and ready: mast stepped, sail hoisted, and rudder hung on the transom. He backed the trailer into the water and shoved SCAMP off. Less than 10 minutes from arrival and it was time to sail.

Josh Colvin, who commissioned SCAMP—an acronym for Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project—wasn’t looking for an ultimate adventure boat when he approached New Zealand designer John Welsford (see WB No. 225 for a profile on Welsford and his design work). “My initial goals for the boat were based largely on a 150-mile sail down the Columbia River, from Beacon Rock to Astoria,” Colvin says. “I kept coming across backwaters and shallow estuarine areas and thinking, That’s where I really want to go , but my 16-footer was too deep, wasn’t easy to row, and if I wanted to overnight up among the reeds, wouldn’t dry out level if the tide left. So the idea I eventually took to John Welsford was for the smallest possible boat that would be able to do all of these things, but still be seaworthy enough to cope with something like the middle of the Columbia River on a breezy afternoon.”

Judging by SCAMP’s popularity among amateur builders—roughly 340 kits or plan sets have been sold since 2011, with about 60 boats launched—plenty of other people are interested, too. Designer John Welsford sees SCAMP as a sort of 21st-century version of a much-loved classic, the Mirror dinghy. “While we don’t expect to do anywhere near as many boats,” Welsford says, “it’s hitting a similar, but older market.” Along the way, SCAMP has fostered an enthusiastic and supportive community of builders and owners, encouraging new builders to take the plunge.

The SCAMPS’s 100-sq-ft sail is set high for good visibility under the boom and is easily reefed.

To bring the new design to life, Welsford was able to make good use of his previous experimentation with similar boats. “SCAMP is number six in a series of very beamy, shallow-bodied boats with that distinctive high-positioned pram bow,” Welsford says. “Tender Behind, Tread Lightly, and Sherpa are the other designs that made it to plans. All work really well, can carry huge loads for their size, sail well, and are well balanced. I learned something from each of them, and SCAMP is a result of that learning.” Besides Welsford, boatbuilder/designer Kees Prins of Port Townsend, Brandon Davis of Turnpoint Design , and adventurer/prototype tester Howard Rice all contributed to final design details and kit elements for SCAMP.

SCAMP is built upright on its flat bottom, which serves as the base for an egg-crate arrangement of plywood that forms the boat’s furniture and structural members. No temporary molds or frames are used. It’s a method that makes for an exceptionally stiff hull, and a safe one—the completed “boxes” create six entirely separate buoyancy chambers within the glued-plywood lapstrake hull. Welsford reports that one SCAMP was able to remain comfortably afloat despite suffering “a hole in the side that you could put your head through” after hitting a snag. And although there are plenty of parts to assemble when building a SCAMP, no single step requires more than moderate woodworking skills and a selection of basic tools.

S CAMP is rigged with a single balanced lugsail, an excellent choice for a cruising rig that’s simple to handle and easy to reef. With 100 sq ft of sail and the stability to stand up to it, the boat also performs well. On my second sail in a SCAMP, working to windward on a gusty day, I was able to keep ahead of a 21′ Sea Pearl for several miles. SCAMP’s shallow draft and flat bottom make it a perfect gunkholer, and 173 lbs of water ballast (roughly 40 percent of the total hull weight) make it capable of much more. It’s no pulling boat, but SCAMP won’t be too difficult to move under oars when necessary. Some builders have considered experimenting with a single sculling oar at the transom; Dave Ender plans to try a yuloh. There’s room to mount a small outboard on the transom for backup propulsion.

Builders have the choice of building from plans or from a kit, with custom sails and hardware available for purchase. Another popular option for builders is the SCAMP Camp , a two-week intensive class in which participants come together to assemble their own SCAMP kits under the direction of designer John Welsford and prototype tester Howard Rice.

One unintended feature of the design deserves mention: several SCAMP builders I have met describe the boat as “a chick magnet,” and from my own observations at various messabouts and festivals, I’d say that such a claim is closer to reality than to hype. For potential builders with wives or girlfriends reluctant to take up sailing, this might be the single biggest advantage SCAMP has to offer.

A kick-up rudder allows sailing in shallow water and twin skegs help the SCAMP sit solidly upright when grounded.

B ack aboard Dave Ender’s Scamp, we were away from the dock with an easy shove, heading across Lake Pepin, a wide stretch of the Mississippi that’s often subject to strong winds sweeping down between tall bluffs. Dave filled the ballast tank under the cockpit sole. With the drain holes open, the tank floods itself almost completely; the top of the tank is a few inches above the waterline, so must be topped off by replacing the plugs and pouring water in with a bucket from the cockpit before sealing. He could pour water in quickly without worrying about spilling or overflowing: The excess water drains out of the cockpit’s scuppers. With the water ballast in, we soon shook out the reef we started with, and Dave put me at the tiller. It was a windy day, but even under full sail we continued on in perfect comfort. SCAMP may be a small boat, but it’s the biggest small boat I’ve ever sailed. In fact, it’s almost impossible to categorize SCAMP by size. It weighs just over 400 lbs empty, but has the cockpit and freeboard of a 20′ keelboat (in fact, the freeboard is so high that reboarding the boat without a pre-rigged foot stirrup or rudder step would be problematic). It’s easy to drag up a SCAMP onto a beach for a quick stop ashore, yet filling the ballast tank adds stability well beyond the reach of a typical small boat. The self-draining cockpit sits high enough above the water that you feel like you’re aboard a much bigger boat—yet SCAMP is extremely maneuverable, tacking easily and spinning around within its own length like the smallest dinghy.

While it performs well enough to keep experienced sailors interested—Dave and I kept pace with several much bigger keelboats without much trouble—SCAMP would also be a great boat for beginners to learn on. The balanced lug makes tacking or jibing very simple and stress-free; lazyjacks hold the sail and boom securely in place, making reefing easy once the lines and cleats are set up; the boat is stable and comfortable. And it’s pure fun to sail. The only thing that I needed some time to get used to was being so far from the water compared to the sail-and-oar boats I usually sail. Of course, that higher freeboard and greater volume help make it easy to recover from a capsize (see the video below). By the time Dave and I returned to the dock, I was reminded again of just how much I like this design, and how much it can do.

The diminutive SCAMP is easily trailered, rigged, and launched.

With its quick launching capabilities, SCAMP would work well as a family-friendly daysailer. There is space enough for four adults in relative comfort (three is better; two is luxurious), and the boat’s stability makes it a comfortable ride even for the elderly and infirm, young children, or passengers who might simply be a bit nervous around boats. The boom is high overhead, minimizing the risk of hitting an inexperienced passenger, and the seats are wide and comfortable.

Cruising solo or two-up is where SCAMP really shines. The 8′3″ x 29″ cockpit sole provides ample space for one person to sleep aboard very comfortably (the offset centerboard is hidden in the starboard seat face), and filler planks between seats can be used to create a double bunk. The benches themselves (6′8″ by 17.5″) offer a place to stretch out but aren’t quite wide enough for sleeping. There is plenty of stowage space under the seats and cockpit. The “veranda” (a small cuddy/locker at the forward end of the cockpit) provides additional stowage, sitting headroom, and shelter from the wind, as well as a convenient place to anchor the forward edge of a cockpit tent. Forward of the veranda’s bulkhead there are 8.5 cubic feet of sealed stowage that provide extra buoyancy well above the waterline, just where it would be most useful in a knockdown. And of course, like all small boats, a SCAMP can easily travel to windward at 60 mph, pulled on a small lightweight trailer by a small four-cylinder car.

Tom Pamperin ( www.tompamperin.com ) is a frequent contributor to Small Boats Monthly and WoodenBoat.

SCAMP Particulars

LOA/11′11″ Beam/5′4″

Draft (board up)/7″ Weight (including rig)/420 lbs Water ballast/173 lbs

Plans and information are available from Small Craft Advisor . Their YouTube channel has several videos featuring the SCAMP, including a capsize trial with Howard Rice, below.

Is there a boat you’d like to know more about? Have you built one that you think other Small Boats Monthly readers would enjoy? Please email us!

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Comments (4)

Great article! Thanks. I especially enjoyed the fact that during the capsize test, Howard did not lose his hat! Now that’s a sailor. I’ve always been off put by the punt bow, but seeing the boat in action, I can now appreciate it.

That boat did not want to capsize…

Thanks for the kind words about the article; I enjoyed yet another excuse to go sailing aboard a Scamp. It’s a fun and very very capable little boat, that’s for sure.

These are great wee boats, totally sold on the concept especially the seaworthiness. The only thing I would do differently is wear a safety harness in winds like that in the video! I could quite easily see the boat sailing off while you flounder around in the briny!

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SCA (Small Craft Advisor) Editors on SCAMP

"What does a man need-really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in-and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all-in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade. The years thunder by, the dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?" -Sterling Hayden

Our own youthful dreams often featured small boats in supporting roles. Stalwart little vessels aboard which we'd venture across nebulous bodies of water in search of uncharted shores and uninhabited islands. Sometimes we'd land and go ashore to explore or make camp, often retreating to our boats to wait out a summer storm beneath a boom tent. We'd read sea stories by oil lantern and, on clear nights, sleep under a blanket of stars.

Curiously, these fanciful voyages never involved wrestling with a heavy mast, fussing with a smelly outboard, or being held off shore by our boat's draft. And even when we pictured whitecaps kicked up by a stout afternoon breeze, never was there a chilly capsize.

It was a longing for those simple pleasures that inspired thoughts of SCAMP. That and a persistent desire to go over "there"-that place we often see but can never quite reach. It seems to happen on every cruise. Never mind that we're usually sailing the smallest boat around for miles. We always come upon some ultra-shallow bay or intriguing tidal stream that disappears into the reeds, trees and rushes. To get in there-all the way in there-a boat needs to be light, shallow and easily propelled-and preferably flat-bottomed should we decide to stay though the ebb.

Trying our best to distill small-boat cruising to its essence, we sorted out our ideas and took the best of them to one of our favorite designers-John Welsford. It shouldn't have surprised us that, being of a like mind, he responded enthusiastically.

What we commissioned was the most micro of cruisers. We wanted a cabin, not for a claustrophobic casket-like berth-but for dry stowage, buoyancy and a bulwark against wind and seas. We tried to be honest about the compromises. In describing the boat to John we said SCAMP would be so small that, "the designer himself might cringe a little when he puts the pencil down."

Remarkably, where we expected John would need eleven or even twelve feet to meet our goals, he was able to do so in slightly over ten. And where we'd resigned ourselves to the possibility she might be at least slightly less capable than larger microcruisers, John drew SCAMP with a selfdraining cockpit, abundant flotation, and 145-pounds of water ballast. Unlike many larger designs, SCAMP should be recoverable from a complete capsize.

We've long been fans of pram bows and how they maximize volume at a given hull length, and before we could ask, John's initial reply suggested one for SCAMP

Thanks to an offset centerboard the cockpit sole/ single berth measures 25 x 77 inches, making accommodations almost luxurious for the solo sailor. Designed to be sailed, rowed and perhaps sculled, SCAMP can also be fitted with an outboard in place of her rudder-or with an optional mount for a trolling motor.

We believe every boat needs a bucket, so we asked John if he could design in a designated spot for one. He did. Every SCAMP sailor will have at hand a storage container, fire extinguisher, drogue or emergency steering aid, rudimentary head, bailing device, and a tool for filling the ballast tanks.

We wanted the simplicity of a single sail (single halyard, single sheet, etc.) and John wisely recommended the balanced lug. Although we're fans of this rig and unanimously saw it as the best choice, we wondered if some potential builders might prefer the more familiar gaff sail. At our urging, and with some reluctance, John drew SCAMP with a gaff. The resultant drawing with the much higher aspect rig looked less purposeful, unwieldy-almost fragile. Seeing SCAMP dressed like this so convinced us of the balanced lug's better suitability that we scrapped the gaff option altogether. John appreciated our coming to our senses and wrote, "The lugsail gets the right amount of area in the space available without getting outside the ends of the boat or going up too high. Remember that this is a very stable boat, and can carry a lot of sail without risk, and that's one of the strengths of the lugsail."

John suggests a practiced amateur could have the construction done and ready for paint in about 110 hours. It's our hope that new sailors and first-time builders will appreciate the small size and simplicity of the design, and that more experienced builders and sailors will appreciate SCAMP's surprising level of sophistication.

Although SCAMP wasn't designed specifically with kids in mind, we think she would make an ideal exploration boat for young sailors-safe, capable and easily handled. We intend to donate a set of plans to any formal organization or school looking to build a SCAMP for this purpose.

Now on to the next step-finding a builder for the prototype and getting SCAMP in the water! SCA

SCAMP Plans are available at Duckworks

Barefoot Raid

Small sailboat racing with friends in summer 2024 august 14-21st: baynes sound to desolation sound, 19. team luna: dale simonson aboard luna (12’ ish scamp microcruiser).

The second Scamp to enter, these guys are the first pair of matched boats to sign up, and they’re both listed as cruising class. As if they’re not gonna be racing each other. First one to finish loses……..!

Cruising the Discovery Islands with the Pirate Team, 2015

“Dale first heard about the Shipyard Raids when he started to get serious about building his own boat. Researching beach-cruising sailboat designs he stumbled across aging reports of past Raid voyages, and decided that was something worth aspiring to.

He comes to the Barefoot Raid with a life-long love of rowing, paddling and sailing in his local Salish Seas, many years of experience crewing in Vancouver Area Racing Circuit campaigns, and a few rough stretches of seasickness offshore. He participated in the first leg of Race to Alaska 2017 with Team Noddy’s Noggins (a sister-ship to his own Scamp), where he learned new respect for modern weather-reporting accuracy, and gained even more confidence in the seaworthiness of the John Welsford design.

“Luna” sort of chose Dale… all his research was thrown away when he heard about the first Scamp Camp in Port Townsend: build your own microcruising dinghy under the guidance of her designer, with adventurer Howard Rice and two boatwrights assisting. Completed in his townhouse single-car garage in 2014, Luna has taken Dale on amazing adventures, from cruising the Discovery Islands to surfing the standing waves in the Columbia River Gorge.

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• Boat Plans & Kits ::
• SCAMP Sailboat ::

SCAMP Mini Microcruiser Plans

S.C.A.M.P. (Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project)  Original Designer: John Welsford  Additional Development: Kees Prins  Kit Adaptations: Turn Point Design 

Our own youthful dreams often featured small boats in starring roles. Aboard these simple, stalwart little vessels we’d venture across nebulous bodies of water in search of distant wild shorelines or uncharted islands. We’d land, hike into the interior, and make camp. But always our boats offered refuge from any threat, including summer storms, which we’d wait out beneath our boom tents. At night we’d read sea stories by oil lantern and sleep under a blanket of stars.

Curiously, never once did these visions include negative images of wrestling with a heavy mast and complex rigging, fussing with a smelly, recalcitrant outboard, or being held off shore by our boat’s draft. And even when we pictured the afternoon breeze kicking up whitecaps, never once did the vision include a chilly capsize. 

It was the dream of returning to those simple pleasures that inspired thoughts of SCAMP. That and a persistent desire to go over “there” —that place we often see but are unable to reach. It seems to happen on every cruise. Never mind that we’re usually sailing the smallest boat around for miles, we always come upon some ultra-shallow lagoon or serpentine tidal stream that disappears into the reeds, trees and rushes. To get in there—to really commune with nature—a boat needs to be light, shallow and easily propelled—and preferably flat-bottomed in case we decide to stay right though the ebb.

SCAMP features an offset centerboard, massive flotation from sealed seats and stowage cabin, a water ballast tank holding 173 pounds of water, an after cabin "veranda" that functions like a hard dodger, and a flat bottom and skegs for beaching. 

PLANS: Complete plans now available on 7 24 x 36" sheets. 100-page "Building guide" with suggested steps included as PDF. Dozens of boats now under construction and documenting progress at the Small Craft Advisor message board and elsewhere online. 

LOA - 11 ft 11 in Beam - 5 ft 4 in Draft (board up) - 7 in Water Balast - 173 lbs. Weight (including rig) - 420 lb s.

Posted 2024-02-04 19:23

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Scamp sailboat kit for sale - $2,000

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Scamp sailboat kit for sale - boats - by owner - marine sale -...

Scamp micro cruiser sailboat for sale. Complete kit, also dagger. Life changed, no time. Will sell for 1500. Have epoxy and cloth to finish boat, cost 1500 and will sell for 1000. Easy load, in...

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Jordan Wood Boats

$ 54.00 – $ 66.00

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The versatile and easily built Scamp is an enlarged version of Sprite, our popular 8 ft. flat-bottom pram. At 9’-6” length, and 4’-5” beam, she is the perfect step up from Sprite for those wanting more capacity and comfort. Scamp also has a broader stern transom designed to accommodate a small outboard motor for extended cruising and trolling. My wife and I use our Scamp as a beach cruiser for exploring some of our favorite sheltered waters. There’s plenty of room for the two of us plus sleeping bags, a small tent and lunch box. In the evening we simply pull up on a beach and set up camp.

And Scamp is still light and small enough to easily cartop or stow in the back of a compact pickup for no-fuss transportation, a real plus for those who love uncomplicated boating. Her sailing rig is larger than Sprite’s, for better performance, but incorporates all the same features of simplicity and efficiency, and can be stowed inside the boat. The hull is built from 2 1/2 sheets of marine plywood, and all the structural joinery is gotten from common lumberyard materials. Building procedures are the same as for Sprite, and are uncomplicated and aimed toward the first-time boat builder.

The plans include detailed large-scale drawings for all assemblies, an accurate layout for the plywood planking and full size patterns for important parts. No lofting is required. Spar and sail plans detailing the rigging are also included, as well as a comprehensive booklet of construction notes that describe all components and building procedures and is number-keyed to the corresponding parts and assemblies in the drawings.

Includes Scamp plans, patterns, instructions, and US shipping.

~Take advantage of our 20% off special on orders of $75 or more! Apply coupon code: Boatbuilder Special  at checkout. [Valid for US orders only] ~Plans in PDF: Plans can be ordered for email delivery in PDF format, at a discounted price. The plans for Scamp include some full size patterns. If you order the PDF version, you will need access to a large-format printer for those. (Page Size is 30″ x 48″) ~Consider including my book, Boatbuilding My Way , in your plans order. Available in Hardcopy or discounted PDF Format, it is the ideal companion to plans from Jordan Wood Boats. 

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Our checkout system is through PayPal. If you wish to pay by check, please fill your cart as you would normally, then print it out and mail it to us with your check.

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The Biggest Little Boat – 12′ Scamp Microcruiser Sailboat

An offset centerboard opens up the cockpit and an 8’3″ sleeping area, and 172 pounds of water ballast provide exceptional stability. A pair of grounding skegs on her flat bottom keep Scamp perfectly upright when landing on a beach or when the tide goes out.

Gig Harbor Boat Works’ fiberglass version of this delightful design created by John Welsford is lightweight, durable, and capable of holding all the cargo you need for your next adventure!

Learn more about our fiberglass Scamp at https://www.ghboats.com/12-scamp Or if you’re interested in buying plans and building your own wood Scamp, our friends at Duckworks have plans at https://duckworks.com/scamp/

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Call Us: (253) 851-2126 Mon-Fri 9-5 Pacific Time

SOLD: Scamp Sailboat in San Diego

by GHBoats Webmaster | Feb 20, 2022 | Sold

Ahoy Californians – there is a 12′ Scamp Sailboat available in your neck of the woods! This 12′ Scamp Microcruiser was originally built in 2018, and has brought her owner many hours of enjoyment. However, the owner is recovering from cancer and finds that now a smaller, lighter boat is a better fit for his lifestyle. The information below is provided by the seller – if you’re interested, c ontact us here  to send an email, or give us a call at the shop at 253-851-2126 and we’ll put you in touch with the seller!

SCAMP SAILBOAT FOR SALE, $16,000

The Scamp is a wonderful boat, and I have enjoyed it immensely. My Scamp and accessories are in excellent condition. The only blemish is a 1.5 inch surface ding in the gel coat on the bow from a bump with the trailer rail. California 2022 boat and trailer registration are up to date. The boat is in dry storage in San Diego where I can show it by appointment.

GIG HARBOR FACTORY OPTIONS:

• bronze porthole lights
• stainless steel keel guards
• floor storage hatch
• swiveling mainsheet cleat with removable base
• 2 carbon fiber, two-piece ores with brass oar locks
• 2 sets of reefing points
• 4 black nylon docking cleats
• 3 stainless steel lifting eyes
• galvanized trailer with tongue wheel, tongue extension, spare tire and LED lights
• boat cover and sail cover
• bow ore lock for anchor deployment
• port and starboard stirrups for re-boarding

MY ACCESSORIES:

• hoist bridle
• tiller clutch and tiller extension
• Bruce anchor, 15ft chain, 75ft anchor line
• boat hook for deploying anchor rode to bow
• custom lazy jack lines
• custom halyard extension around mast with Spectra line
• water pitcher to top up water ballast tank

I purchased this 2018 Scamp sailboat new from Gig Harbor Boat Works in Sept. 2018 for $19,982. The current list price for this new Gig Harbor boat with accessories is $23,111, not counting the accessories I have added. Now for sale at $16,000.

See photo gallery below with captions from the seller. (Click photos for larger view.) If you’re interested, contact us here to send an email or give us a call at the shop at 253-851-2126 and we’ll put you in touch with the seller!

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