A quick note from Kees Prins at the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend showed up in my inbox today:
"Scamp passed with flying colors during sea trials today in windy conditions (18 to 23 knots of breeze, force 5). Scamp is only 11'11" long (3.63m) and we had 170 lbs of water in the ballast tank. She felt secure and stable with the two of us and double reefed sail. This is a prototype, built from a newly developed kit. For more information see upcoming issue of Small Craft Advisor magazine or SCA on-line."
Scamp is a recently developed kit designed by John Welsford.
Poor little thing looks like an amputee -- both of her pointy ends cut off and all. Not even a proper keel.
ReplyDeleteStill I like her a lot and would love to sail her. The name fits her well; a little terrier of a vessel.
Brandon
There's a lot of interest today in small boats that are easy to build, store and transport. The challenge is for these tiny voyagers to meet the demands of open seas and extended gunkholing. A huge span of design criteria there.
ReplyDeleteMr. Welsford is famous for the seaworthiness of his designs and there is a lot of excitement about this one.
I suspect there are "political" motives driving the design length. For example, a boat under twelve feet without a motor, here in our home state, registration is not required.
To keep the reserve buoyancy required of a seaworthy vessel and adequate room for cruising in such a short length, the hull almost has to be truncated - think of the amazingly well handled Great Pelican.
This boat would not be my first choice on initial examination, but seeing her run through her paces convinces me that she's potentially very lovable.
Our own Andrew Linn will be sailing a "Scamp" in the Everglades challenge this year and sponsored by the Small Craft Adviser in his effort.