Our fiberglass SCAMP got a fantastic write-up in the April 2014 issue of 48 North!
It’s a pretty good sized article so we’re not going to reprint the whole thing here, but these are a few of our favorite parts:
Gig Harbor Boat Works, known for their strong, esthetically pleasing rowing boats, has already shipped a number of the new SCAMPS all over the country and overseas. “The kit boat has a lot of intricate details that the home builder may not have the talent or tools to build,” says Dave Robertson, owner of GHB. “With the fiberglass version, they can enjoy using the boat right away.” The GHB boat is truly sail-away complete; from oars to sails.
There are many innovations designed into the SCAMP that make it truly a big little boat. One thing that usually takes up a lot of cockpit room of most small boats is the centerboard. The SCAMP’s centerboard, very heavy but swings up easily for trailer or grounding, is offset to starboard so that it doesn’t intrude into the cockpit. I’ll let you call Dave to explain the physics of the offset. Suffice it to say that we didn’t notice a difference on either tack. The result is it opens up the cockpit which feels more like that of a of a San Juan 24.
The boat was surprisingly quick and very stable. “This boat can’t be just 12’long,” I thought. I stood up and rocked it side to side with minimal affect. It felt like 20-footer.
Sailing the SCAMP made me a believer that it actually would be a safe and enjoyable way to explore the San Juans, as well as just knocking around the bay for a fun day of sailing. The SCAMP had lots of surprises, all good.
I have to say it’s the biggest little boat I’ve ever sailed.
You can download a PDF of the full review here: 48 North Scamp Review