scamp sailboat sleeping

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?

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

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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SCAMP: Little boat, big possibilities

At 11 feet, 11 inches long, the microcruiser isn’t required to be registered in Washington state, and because it weighs in at about 400 pounds, it is easily towed by a standard-size vehicle. Unusually wide for its length, the offset keel allows a sailor to sleep aboard. Photo by Megan Claflin

Expanding this area’s reputation as a mecca for wooden boatbuilders and associated tradespeople, “SCAMP Camp” has captured the attention of mariners from around the globe.

A collaboration between the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding and Small Craft Advisor magazine, the Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project (SCAMP) class teaches individuals ranging from beginners to professionals how to construct a kit-built microcruiser.

Hosted at the Northwest Maritime Center’s boat shop Aug. 6-17, the course, which was led by renowned sailors and instructors John Welsford and Howard Rice (see related story), attracted participants from as far away as Germany with a confluence of education, skills, expertise and artistry.

“It’s not just a boat, it’s an adventure,” said Rice. 

Designed for adventure

Having reviewed about 80 trailerable sailboats since the launch of Small Craft Advisor (SCA) in 2003, copublisher Josh Colvin identified desirable traits and features in each. An avid small-craft sailor with two young children, he and copublisher Craig Wagner wanted to help create a seaworthy vessel capable of navigating the backwaters and eddies of the Columbia River, a popular recreation area for the Colvin family. Through the selection and merging of qualities such as maneuverability, stability and capacity, SCAMP emerged.

Embodying the allure that draws many youth to sailing, the little cruiser embodies the epitome of freedom and functionality. Unlike larger yachts, which many sailors gravitate toward as their experience and age increases, in a SCAMP, one can simply get in, shove off and have yourself an adventure, said Colvin.

“That whole vision of sailing gets distorted as you go through life and get burdened by boat maintenance, moorage, etc.,” he said. “SCAMP sailors are [often] guys with big boats moving back to the basics.”

At a glance

Once Colvin and Wagner had developed a concept they contacted Welsford, a well-known small-craft designer, educator and sailor based in New Zealand who has contributed articles and reviews to Small Craft Advisor over the years. Colvin would later reflect that choosing Welsford to design SCAMP was “one of the smartest” decisions he could have made.

“John’s sensibility and knowledge is impeccable,” Colvin said. “Immediately, he had ideas and suggestions that were right in line with the type of boat we dreamed of.”

At a length of 11 feet, 11 inches, the microcruiser isn’t required to be registered in Washington state, and because it weighs in at about 400 pounds, it is easily towed by a standard-size vehicle.

“This is the type of boat you can pull behind the family Subaru and head out for a weekend on the water,” Colvin said.

Easily sailed by one person, the vessel can seat as many as four adults comfortably, with ample room for gear in a storage cabin encompassing much of the bow. Unusually wide for its length, the offset keel allows a sailor to sleep aboard. A cuddy, or open cabin, provides passengers with a windbreak and shields them from inclement weather.

“The [cuddy cabin] is really great, because you, or the kids, can tuck in underneath and stay warm and dry,” Welsford said.

Designed with a specific set of needs in mind, SCAMP features a pram bow and water ballast tank for increased stability. A shallow draft, kick-up rudder and skegs allow the boat to be beached.

“Normal design rules would suggest that [SCAMP] wouldn’t work, but these boats are sneaky fast and very stable,” Welsford said.

‘Let’s test it’

SCAMP is so stable, in fact, that Rice – a famous small-craft sailor known for doubling Cape Horn, the “sailor’s Mount Everest,” solo in a 55-pound wood-canvas sailing canoe – had to work at capsizing the vessel.

Rice set off from the Port Townsend Boat Haven on a cold December day in 2010 to test-sail the first SCAMP prototype – built by Kees Prins and the Northwest Maritime Center. The following March he returned from his home in Micronesia to conduct capsize testing. Standing on the lee rail with mainsheet in hand, Rice struggled to knock the SCAMP over despite high winds. Finally he managed to put her on her side and jumped into the water. Wearing a dry suit and under the close eye of seasoned sailors, Rice took less than a minute to pull the boat upright and clamor back inside the cockpit.

“SCAMP’s stability is one of its greatest qualities,” Rice said. “Even in those extreme conditions, I was able to recover quickly.”

(To view a video of the capsize test, visit

 youtube.com and search “SCAMP active capsize.”)

Looking like wooden skeletons, ten SCAMP frame sets consumed nearly all of the space in the Northwest Maritime Center’s boat shop, allowing just enough room for 13 students and four instructors to maneuver in between cutting, sawing, sanding, gluing and jointing the boats together.

Ten students set out to build their own SCAMPs, while others assisted as “shadows,” learning the process so they could assemble their boats at a future date. Skill levels ranged widely, said Welsford, but camaraderie quickly formed, and soon the hum of activity was drawing crowds of passersby.

Welsford and Rice teamed up with boat shop manager Scott Jones and assistant manager Jason Bledsoe, both NWSWB alumni, to teach the course. Rice later referred to the combination of instructors as “seamless happiness.”

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a talented group of individuals,” he said. “I learned so much and find that my style of boatbuilding is now truly enhanced.”

Traveling from Portland, Keith Nasman said that the instructors helped not only by offering direction and advice, but by performing many of the tedious tasks, such as cutting planks, so students could focus on learning the more intricate techniques.

Eric Hervol, a NWSWB graduate, said that he relished the opportunity to work in a style of boatbuilding different than that to which he was accustomed and under the instruction of high-caliber teachers.

“It is a rare to be able to build a boat alongside the actual designer,” he said. “It’s an opportunity not to be missed.”

Local, local, local

In addition to the SCAMP being designed and built in Port Townsend, the SCAMP class causes an economic ripple effect as it draws on the talents and resources of local businesses and individuals.

“This is the first of what we hope to be many collaborations between the local schools and businesses centered in the marine trades,” said Pete Leenhouts, director of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. “Together we can support and promote this community as a true destination for wooden boat enthusiasts.”

Turn Point Design owner Brandon Davis drafted plans for the SCAMP kit, which were essential to the success of the class. Cutting each kit from plywood purchased from local lumber supplier Edensaw Woods, Davis made slight adjustments to the original design, such as adding puzzle joints and scribe marks that aided in ease of construction.

“It has been a really fun project to be involved in and a great group of people to be working with,” he said.

Connecting with Port Townsend’s Westside Marine, Colvin and store manager Tim Arthur were able to customize an EZ Loader trailer to fit the SCAMP perfectly.

That success allowed Leenhouts to further promote a “package deal” to SCAMP builders, enabling participants to find all that they needed for the project locally.

Arthur said he initially expected to sell three to five trailers. He was “amazed” when the project “took on a life of its own” and he received orders for nine.

 We are very happy to have the opportunity to work with another local business and look forward to serving more [SCAMP] clients.”

SCAMPS are currently sold in one of four ways. Individuals can purchase a set of plans and build the boat at home; buy a kit and build it at home; purchase a kit and build it in a classroom setting; or commission a fiberglass model from Gig Harbor Boat Works. Colvin said each SCAMP is marked with a sail number, and so far, 169 have been sold to builders all around the world.

The next “SCAMP Camp” is scheduled for October in Michigan, with plans to return to Port Townsend for round two in March 2013, said Rice.

Both Welsford and Rice are scheduled to speak at the 36th annual Wooden Boat Festival, Sept.7-9, where a SCAMP will be on display.

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Scamp performance vs Potter p15

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Steps in Building SCAMP

Here are the various steps I took to build my John Welsford SCAMP from Plans. The steps are not all in perfect chronological order because I would stop and work on a different part, then go back to what I was doing.

I build without assistance and some of my decisions and methods might not be the best or fastest. They work though. Because I work alone I have to find some ways of doing things that might take longer but can be safely accomplished by one person. I got help turning the boat though. The instruction manual is quite vague on many points and I hope future builders will find this boat building record useful.

I try to be accurate and check my information, but mistakes happen.

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This information is for general knowledge and entertainment. It's not intended to replace plans or proper instructions. I'm not suggesting that was I did was the best way.

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Multiple sailing dinghy 12′ Scamp traditional recreational catboat

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12'00" (3.66 m)

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Other gig harbor products, boat 12 to 8 feet.

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• Close to the Water: My Boat Crush

When I first saw a Scamp sailboat, I thought it looked like an oversized children’s bath toy. It seemed to bob around sitting too high in the water, and that snub nose made me feel that part of the boat was missing. But once aboard, the high sides created a dry ride and an atmosphere of safety. With a small cuddy forward, and lots of hatches for neatly stowing gear, it felt serene compared to some of the open boats I normally admire, where gear and stray equipment clutter their cockpits.

The Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project (better known as SCAMP) is an increasingly popular small sailboat that can be built from plans or a kit, as well as ordered as a ready to sail fiberglass model constructed locally by Gig Harbor Boat Works. With a 100-square-foot sail, and measuring just shy of 12 feet with a beam of about five feet, the boat seems like it shouldn’t sail well at all, but somehow it does.

I’ve been out on Scamps enough times to not be surprised by their abilities. For such a small boat, I’m continually impressed by how comfortable and spacious the seven-foot long cockpit, with benches lining each side, and the five-foot cuddy make the boat feel. If I was blindfolded at the helm of a Scamp and you asked me how big a boat I was steering, I’d say something long and steady — maybe 20 feet. After all, I’d be sitting straight up, with my legs down in a well, not scrunched up like most dinghies. The tiller in hand would feel steady, with no signs of the boat wiggling due to any slight inattention.

I wasn’t alone in finding the aesthetics of the hull curious. “I became interested in Scamps very slowly. At first I did not really care for them,” my pal Randy Wheating wrote by email. “However, my big Chebacco was being used less and less.”

Many people construct their own Scamps as part of a class. Friend and lifelong sailor, Dale Simonson, told me, “I sort of ended up with a Scamp by mistake. Or, more like by happenstance. I was planning (or dreaming about planning) to build a boat in a few years… when I stumbled onto an upcoming ‘Scamp Camp,’ a group build of ten boats. Ten students, four instructors, two weeks, and come home with your own boat!”

Dale noted, “I wasn’t totally enamored with the design until I started to really consider the value of the workshop, and getting such a good jumpstart on a build. It wasn’t until we got into the build, and all the ensuing discussions with the instructors (in particular, John Welsford the designer, and Howard Rice the adventure sailor), that I fell in love with the concept and the approach of the design as a very small vessel that is capable of cruising my local near-shore waters of the Salish Sea.”

For some Scamp sailors, the camaraderie is a big part of the appeal of the boat. There’s an active online community as well as Red Lantern rallies where scads of Scamps congregate. But that’s not true for everyone. Samantha Ritchie, the captain of a fiberglass Scamp named Kerfuffle observed, “the Scamp community is mostly older white men. I like older white men, but that’s not really my group, so I am not into the ‘community’ thing very much. That being said, I love seeing other Scamps and always go chat with the owners.”

But like other people, Samantha appreciates the balance of simplicity and function. “I am very comfortable in the Scamp, and it’s a low fuss kind of boat.  I am strong for a 65-year-old woman, but not as strong as I was 10 years ago. Despite that, I can easily put up the mast, pull the boat up on a beach, etc. No need for winches for any big jib — no jib!”

I initially expected the Scamp to sail like a bulldozer, slogging along pushing water. In reality, it moves smoothly under sail and turns on a dime, making sailing out of a marina or around other tight places deceptively easy. With only one sail and a short waterline, making 360 degree penalty turns actually feels like fun. I will admit one fault about my crush — as I’ve sailed alongside my friends in their Scamps, they are gradually outpaced by all but the shortest hulls.

I’ve been out in Scamps in a big blow, but when filled with 175 pounds of water ballast (integrated into cavities in the hull), I’ve been impressed with how stable they were. But, it wouldn’t be a sailboat if you didn’t get scared from time to time and yes, despite the broad beam and reefable sail, I’ve seen them capsize. Still, the boat is self rightable and floats high enough to bail with a little effort.

Besides being fun to sail, the Scamp is an able camp cruiser and despite its size, both Dale and Samantha have done overnight stints at anchor with their partners. Dale notes, “I think I’m a minimalist at heart, my wife and I lived in Volkswagen vans for two years, touring Europe and Australia. I love to row (and sail, even more) and don’t care much for motor boating. I have found backpacking, kayaking, camping, and living a bit ‘rough’ to be enjoyable… Big poofy pillows are allowed. Dutch ovens, too. It’s a very comfortable floating tent that turns into a kitchen, a lounge, and then a fun sailing machine… and fits in a single car garage.”

As I’ve started to play with the many strings and sticks attached to slightly larger boats, the simplicity of the Scamp keeps calling me. Sure I’d be slower and maybe not as sleek, but the comfort and adaptability of the Scamp in such a small package just keeps me smiling.

Bruce Bateau sails and rows traditional boats with a modern twist in Portland, Oregon. His stories and adventures can be found at www.terrapintales.wordpress.com.

Bruce Bateau

Bruce Bateau sails and rows traditional boats with a modern twist in Portland, Ore. His stories and adventures can be found at www.terrapintales.wordpress.com

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Building scamp, an 11 foot long, wood sailboat..

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Scamp Balanced-Lug Rigging Tutorial

by GHBoats Webmaster | Jan 11, 2019 | Best of GHBoats , SCAMP

By popular request… at long last, a video tutorial about rigging the  SCAMP Sailboat , with its balanced lug rig! It can look a bit intimidating at first if you’re only familiar with sloop-rigged boats, but it’s actually pretty simple once you know what you’re doing. We hope you find this helpful! ⛵️

As a side note, this tutorial is also helpful for the Melonseed , which uses the same essential balanced-lug rig. The attachment points are different of course, but the same general principles apply.

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