Hi Timo
There has been discussion about a SCAMP Camp somewhere either in England or Europe for 2017. Kits could be cnc cut there, other materials sourced locally and the instructor could then fly in to teach it. Keep an eye open for any coming news about this happening. You would be more than welcome to join in. SCAMP Camp is an excellent, informative and really fun way to build a boat.
You wrote:
"I'm curious to know what made Scamp superior over all the other candidates for your adventure? Also, what other boats were you considering?"
***I had been working on my own design for about two years before I received a notice from Josh Colvin about the SCAMP. I dropped my design on seeing the SCAMP design because I felt the SCAMP was better.............(gee I hate to say that but it's true;-)
This said the initial choice was for a boat I could sail from Goose Bay Labrador up the coast crossing the Hudson Strait to Baffin Island. From Cape Dyer Baffin Island my plan was to cross the Arctic Sea to Sisimut Greenland.
I mention this because the place I intended to sail dictated a particular type of boat. In the summer months the conditions are relatively stable (light to medium winds most of the time). I also desired a very small boat so I could man haul it above the tide line for camping along the way and yet just big enough so I could also sleep aboard. It had to have numerous watertight compartments for flotation and be small enough so that what I term for lack of a better term, "The thirds equation" would come into play.
This equation in my mind has me sailing a boat that is thought of in third's, one third the rig, one third the hull and the final third me the sailor.
Now this thirds thing might sound strange, here is how I see it. If the rig is sufficiently sized and the hull (the entire boat) small and light then the final third my 180 pounds of live ballast can when needed over power and control the rig and manage to keep the hull flat and under control through kinetic movements.
I have an odd bent for small boats and through my life I have moved down from my largest boat to date (38 feet, not a thirds equation boat) to explore the possibilities and capabilities of the smallest boats that offer intimate and immediate control using my body. In a sense sailing very small allows me to sort of wear the boat I am sailing as I am clearly close to one third of the performance equation. In this thirds equation I can control the boat in almost all circumstances and can get it up on land easily when needed.
I have sailed many small open boats including sailing canoes (an ideal thirds equation type) and one I have put many miles in is the Mirror Dinghy. I actually considered one of my cruising Mirrors aside from my design for the voyage to Greenland. I also considered my Enterprise Dinghy (not as good a thirds boat though) and a Klepper Aerius 11. Basically I was unable to find the right boat and as you now know when SCAMP came out I got it immediately as the right basic platform to develop.
When I changed where I would voyage to Tierra del Fuego I also made major changes to the few modifications I considered making to the boat for the Greenland voyage. I chose the boat for size, for the water ballast, the cuddy cabin, the high cockpit sole, the off set centerboard and the lug rig, quite a bundle of attributes. One of the major changes I made when switching where I am sailing is the rig although the lug rig is ideal for the boat. I have only one small issue with the lug for sailing in potentially extreme conditions so I went with the split rig.
Hope this helps. I think you would do well to consider building a SCAMP. She sails better than she should for her length and is very manageable.
Timo8188 wrote:Hi Howard,
"Just a little" would be a bit modest expression to describe my relation to sailing dinghy cruising.
I would like to build a wooden sailing dinghy, yes. The current top candidates are Scamp and François Vivier's
Ilur that both are pretty popular. Scamp seems to be more seaworthy and innovative while Ilur is a combination of practicality and traditional beauty. I have a study plan for Ilur and ordered the Scamp plan two days ago.
My home town is Lappeenranta, in Finland, which is in front
Lake Saimaa which is an ideal environment for dinghy cruising, with its thousands of islands and hundreds of beaching locations. Couple of years ago Wall Stree Journal mentioned it among the
Five Great Lakes Around the World and Lonely Planet included in among the
50 "Secret" destinations of Europe (#47), as part of the Lakeland.
It would be really fantastic to have a Scamp event here but perhaps bringing the boats across the ocean wouldn't be that cheap (or safe). Still, considering all the modifications and customisations you have made onto your Scamps, it wouldn't be a surprise if someone had equipped them with wings too... Wayfarer Association has its international rallies either in North America and Europe every year, although only the local boats are used. Maybe Scamp could have something similar one day after more boats are built.
I read your latest posts about film-making and the Katabatic winds. It's interesting to see them in action. You can encounter katabatic winds on the arctic waters of Norway too.
As you have plenty of experience in different sailing dinghies, I'm curious to know what made Scamp superior over all the other candidates for your adventure? Also, what other boats were you considering?
Best wishes,
Timo