SmallCraftAdvisor.com

Hi guys,

I have been lurking in the background for quite some time as I debated different boat plans and saved my pennies for plywood. I keep coming back to the SCAMP and have decided this is the boat I wan to build. After reading much of the archives, I see how well the SCAMP is adapted for cruising and solo camping aboard, however my interest is primarily (exclusively?) in the boat as a daysailer.

That said, my question to all of you with experience with this boat is; if you were just using the SCAMP as a daysailer would you change any of the boat’s configuration, construction, or outfitting?

Thanks,
Jim

The SCAMP as designed works primarily as a day-sailor. The most talked about mods are really for cruising. Most of the SCAMP'S are used for short day trips (like most boats).

Hi,
i use my Scamp #460 SØSYG >90% as a daysailer but like she offers more oppotunities. So i added a pic with my deck layout and another with the tent attached (which is pretty cuddely).

As a pure daysailer i wouldn't have any hatches / holes but
1) the hole for the water ballast
2) one or maybe two watertight hatches to the cabin.
=> less hatches = more safety

Additionally i'd have a foot well for more comfort- The seats are quite small even for me (and i'm just 1,72m).
In that case after a capsize all water will gather down there (so you'd need a grate to keep the feed dry and a bailing bucket). But you can omit anderson bailers at the stern. I'd rather add two grip openings approx. 60mm above waterline at the stern. This helps to get rid of most of lots of water after a capsize (i tested that, sadly ).

cheers, Martin

Thanks Martin, that is a great looking boat! The number/need for seat/floor hatches was one of the things I was wondering about. After reading several build logs it looks like they would be very difficult to add to an existing boat though if I decided I wanted them later. The footwell would seem to make the already large cockpit more spacious and I understand it is part of the current design. How are you set up for anchoring and would you change that at all?

Jim

Hi Jim , sorry i wasn't here for a long time...
I added one hatch in the bottom for maintenace reasons later (which i wouldn't do again: more hatches are more problems in the event of a capsize). At the seats i wouldn't call it impossible, but it is really difficult.

For my daysailing i stow ty stuff the following way: i got 4 fender (don't know if this word is right: those air inflated rubber- things to avoid damage when at some pier), which i tame with a cord at the stern below my ruddershaft.

Then i sew a bag for all "quick" equimpent such as foto, smartphone, flag, horn which is fixed with pushbuttons (good version such as Tenax or Loxx) starboard at stern above the seat. It is connected by cord to my scamp so i can reach it even when turtled after a full capsize in order to call for help.

Collapsible rudders a stowed at the ports seat side.

In the port cuddy there is a bag at the side which accommodates clothes, drinks, food, a jacket maybe and a map if needed.

In the starboard cuddy i stow some lines and my anchor bag as well. I got a 4kg Cobra. I fix it at a clamp on starboard usually, so my starboard side faches the wind rather than portside. This makes raising sail (i got my boom on port) much easier.

Then there is still the main hathes in the cabin, which is the driest place on my boat. There are my dry clothes, towels, ... maybe some beer

cheers, Martin

Puh, so much Englich before breakfast... hope this makes sense to you

Hi Martin,
Thanks for the lengthy reply to my question - and yes, your answers make good sense to me. From what I hear from you, most of the storage you are using is in the form of bags under the cuddy or in the cockpit. That seems to make sense in that most of the stuff I would bring on a daysailing trip would be stuff I would need/want ready access to. This further convinces me that I would not have a huge need for a large number of seat or floor hatches since I would have little use for all of that storage space.
Jim