Drascombe Scaffie
The Drascombe Scaffie, now marketed as the Devon Scaffie, is a British trailerable sailboat that was designed by John L. Watkinson and first built in 1978. The modern Scaffie is based upon a traditional British boat design that dates back several hundred years.[1][2]
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | John L. Watkinson |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1978 |
| Builder(s) | Honnor Marine Classics |
| Boat | |
| Boat weight | 463 lb (210 kg) |
| Draft | 1.21 ft (0.37 m) |
| Hull | |
| Type | Monohull |
| Construction | Fibreglass |
| LOA | 14.76 ft (4.50 m) |
| LWL | 12.30 ft (3.75 m) |
| Beam | 5.74 ft (1.75 m) |
| Engine type | Outboard motor 2 to 3 hp (1 to 2 kW) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | triple keel |
| Rudder(s) | transom-mounted rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Lug rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Lug sail |
| Mainsail area | 100 sq ft (9.3 m2) |
| Total sail area | 100 sq ft (9.3 m2) |
The Scaffie design is one of a large range of similar Drascombe boats with different hull, cabin and rig configurations.[3]
Production
The design has been built by Honnor Marine Classics in Swanage, Dorset, United Kingdom. It remains in production.[1][2][4][5]
Design
The Scaffie is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fibreglass, with hardwood trim. It is an open boat, with no cabin. It has a lug sail rig with Sitka spruce spars and a loose-footed, terylene mainsail. A sloop rig is a factory option. The lapstrake-style hull has a spooned raked stem, a rounded transom, a transom-hung, wooden rudder controlled by an ash wood tiller and a fixed triple keel. It has a central long keel and two side bilge keels, allowing it to remain upright when left high and dry at low tide. It displaces 463 lb (210 kg) and weighs 748 lb (339 kg) when fully equipped. Foam buoyancy is fitted. It uses flooding water ballast, which is drained for road transport.[1][2]<[3]ref name="Official"/>
The boat has a draft of 1.21 ft (0.37 m) with the standard triple keels.[1]
The boat is normally fitted with a small, well-mounted, 2 to 3 hp (1 to 2 kW) outboard motor for docking and manoeuvring. It also comes with oarlocks for rowing.[1][5]
Operational history
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "the Drascombe Scaffie is a design that has been used in coastal sailing for over 200 years. Scaffies have been built for many years in England, and they are now also built in Maine. The loose-footed lug sail is carried on an unstayed mast. Since there is no centerboard trunk the cockpit has a lot of space, and with a tent, the Scaffie is used for cruising."[2]
In a 2018 review for Watercraft Magazine, writer Alice Driscoll stated, "she's incredibly easy to sail and manage but still has the power to make for an exciting sail. And yet, if the wind dies to nothing or you realise you've only got a short time to make it to the pub for lunch, then you can quickly power her up and chug along with the outboard."[6]
See also
Related development
Similar sailboats
References
- McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Drascombe Scaffie sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 48-49. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN 0-395-65239-1
- Drascombe Association (29 July 2014). "About Drascombes". drascombe-association.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- McArthur, Bruce (2019). "Honnor Marine Ltd". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- Drascombe Boats (2019). "Devon Scaffie". drascombe.uk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- Driscoll, Alice (2018). "Who Needs Hassles?" (PDF). Watercraft Magazine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.