SCAMP

SCAMP (an acronym for “Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project”) is an 11’11” trailerable micro-cruiser designed by New Zealand designer John Welsford after a commission from Josh Colvin, who wanted the smallest practical boat that could explore shallow backwaters, dry out upright, row when needed, and still be capable in exposed, breezy conditions. In profile it’s beamy and high-sided with a distinctive pram bow and a well-rockered, shallow hull form intended to combine quick launching and “gunkholing” practicality with real load-carrying ability for its length. 

Construction is strongly oriented toward amateur building: it’s assembled around an internal “egg-crate” plywood structure that creates multiple sealed buoyancy chambers, yielding a stiff hull and a high-reserve-flotation feel for a small boat. The standard rig is a single balanced lugsail (100 sq ft), chosen for simplicity and easy reefing, and the boat’s stability is significantly boosted by about 173 lb of water ballast—enough to change the boat’s character from “small dinghy” to something closer to a tiny cruiser when filled. Builders commonly work from plans or kits, and the design has developed an unusually active builder/owner community, including group build events like “SCAMP Camp.” 

On the water, SCAMP has a reputation for punching above its size in rough or expedition settings while still being approachable as a family daysailer: quick to rig and launch, maneuverable, and comfortable for cruising solo or with a second person. The Small Boats profile also notes real-world examples of SCAMPs being used in demanding events and passages (e.g., Everglades Challenge and Race to Alaska anecdotes, not to mention Howard Rice's expedition to Tierra del Fuego), which has helped cement its “capable little camp-cruiser” image alongside the undeniable fact that it’s a charming, quirky-looking boat that people remember.