SmallCraftAdvisor.com

Scamp 461 'Red Dwarf' with a gaff rig and topsail.

Me experimenting with Neil pryde main ( a pram 64) and my homemade Jib and topsail. She goes well.

I have now made a Tabernacle box that slots down into the mast box, moving the mast Aft approx 4 inches. Plus, I have purchased a new jib, slightly smaller at 20 sq ft. My homemade effort turned out at 22 sq ft. The topsail is 8 sq ft.
I have also made a roller furler for the Jib.

I haven't managed to get an awful lot of sailing in the last year or so, due to covid lockdowns, etc. But I am looking forward to the coming season to get out there and see how my modifications stack up.

Pretty. I would imagine you would need to dramatically reduce the size of the Main to compensate for the size of the Jib and Topsail. From what I understand the original 100 sq ft balanced lug makes for a fairly over-hatted 12 foot boat in anything but light winds.

Hi, Yeah I love the look of a gaff rigged yacht...and I was inspired by Howard Rice's
Scamp 'Southern Cross'. This is my second Scamp and I have incorporated the filled in B/H 4 …The Footwell, Lazaret locker and Aft deck.
One reason for trying the Scamp with a Gaff rig is the shorter spars, and the sail area will be broken down into smaller areas.
Gaff rig mainsail = 64sq ft. with one row of slab reefing.
Jib = 32 -35sq ft. Approx. Set on a roller furler.
Topsail = 18sq ft. Approx. to be rigged in zephyrs.

Spar comparisons :

Lug rig. Boom = 3453 mm.
Yardarm = 3808 mm.

Gaff rig. Boom = 2600 mm.
Gaff = 2300 mm.

Mast is standard as per plans ….so could also go back to the Balanced Lug sail.

Watch this space.

I will indeed. I am building my first and she is now 3D (meaning I have the jig built and the bottom of the boat screwed to it.)

I have tomorrow off. I plan to dry fit frames 4-7 and the centerboard case. I cut the case per the plans, but realized it is too narrow for my board, will need to widen it. I also have to figure out how to plug the end of the slot. I cut the slot per the plans, but after just temporarily setting the longitudinals and frames 5-7 onto the base it appears the slot is about an inch too long. I found that other plans builders have the same issue, seems like a problem with the plans.

Hi Greg,
Well done for starting your Scamp build. Don't worry about the extra long slot
too much, I think you are correct in saying the plans have an error in that regard,
I had the same problem. I forgot about that from when I built my first Scamp three
years ago and cut the slot to the plans dimensions on my new Scamp, Ho Hum !
I rectified the problem with thickened epoxy and a small piece of timber. When you turn the hull over and glass the underneath it will completely encase the error.
Nobody will be any the wiser.
I am coming to the end of my build now, just got to make the cockpit coamings,
Finish the centre board and rudder, make the tiller,... and the mast.
And finish the painting.....And.... And...…
All the best......Steve.

Steve, you say above in your reasoning, “shorter spars” The 16’ mast is still just as long. A sliding gunter rig would give you shorter spars if that is a goal

A sliding Gunter is a fantastic rig and as Sim has stated the rig offers shorter spars. Reefing is easy and efficiency remains high after reefing.

I am curious about your aft deck. Interested to know why you incorporated it into your build?

I hope you enjoy your boat. SCAMP's are excellent little boats.

simeoniii wrote:Steve, you say above in your reasoning, “shorter spars” The 16’ mast is still just as long. A sliding gunter rig would give you shorter spars if that is a goal

Hi Steve,

Did your rig change ever come to fruition? I am finally at that point where toying with the idea of adding a bowsprit will soon be a go or forget about it.

Best to be careful changing the SCAMP rig by simply adding a bowsprit. The CE needs to be calculated based on location of the mast trunk. For SCAMP #2 the CE was balanced with the addition of the mizzen.

Before buying a copy of the SCAMP plans, I had also purchased plans for a Selway Fisher Stornaway 12. The Stornaway comes with a Gunter Main and small jib rig, a gaff Cutter rig or a free standing Lug sail plan. If I remember correctly the Stronaway 12 sail plans are around 65sqft. The gaff cutter has a bow sprit but I beleive the locataion of the mast differs from the other two rigs.

I found a couple of good articles about calculating the CE for a bermudan and Lug sail plans. I plan to do a good bit of researh before making any rig changes.