Drascombe Scaffie

D

dartmoor

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 Sep 2011
Messages
303
Visit site
Not been on here for a long while, but looking to return to the world of boating now that I have just got a mooring. The trot mooring dries to gloopy mud, and is not that flat. Max 6.5m. Looking at the simplicity of the Drascombe Scaffie as with no centre plate/lifting keel, no issues with mud and small stones jamming the system up! (Have had that on a boat in the past). Also the rig looks beautifully simple with no boom to wipe out unsuspecting passengers. Any views on the Scaffie? Are they ok on a drying mooring? Any other boat recommendations? Thanks
 
dartmoor said:
Not been on here for a long while, but looking to return to the world of boating now that I have just got a mooring. The trot mooring dries to gloopy mud, and is not that flat. Max 6.5m. Looking at the simplicity of the Drascombe Scaffie as with no centre plate/lifting keel, no issues with mud and small stones jamming the system up! (Have had that on a boat in the past). Also the rig looks beautifully simple with no boom to wipe out unsuspecting passengers. Any views on the Scaffie? Are they ok on a drying mooring? Any other boat recommendations? Thanks
Click to expand...

Also sail extremely well.
However, might lean over a bit on a drying mooring, so might depend upon how level the ground is.
 
prv said:
Hopefully sit alright in "gloopy mud" though.

Pete
Click to expand...

I used to have a Dabber, bigger & centreboard acted as an ech sounder when sailing out of Keyhaven. Rudder lifted of pintles when run onto a beach, which was ok when expected. Couldn't find a Scaffie at that time & wonder how the rudder would survive grounding. Presumably it would need to be lifted off, if on a mooring.
 
alant said:
wonder how the rudder would survive grounding. Presumably it would need to be lifted off, if on a mooring.
Click to expand...

Certainly seems like a wise precaution - though a quick google image search makes it look like the pintles are well down under the counter, might not be the easiest thing to get on and off from inside the boat.

Pete
 
I have a Character Boats Post Boat.

Similar size but with more string to play with, being a gaff sloop.
No centerplate, shallow draft ballasted hull that dries out flat due to the bilge stubbies. Has a boom but that's hardly a problem as its set so high you'd have to be very tall indeed for it to bother you.
Significantly heavier than the Scaffie but carries a lot more sail. Very easy sailing, safe craft. Class C. Will take 5 adults but is no problem to sail singlehanded (which I do most of the time). Doesn't like to heel too much. Once the breeze is above 12 kt she asks to be reefed, which is quick and easy to do.
Not as much deck space as the Scaffie but a lot more enclosed storage and a lot of buoyancy.

I keep mine on a non-drying trot. The rudder is easy to take on and off. I always take mine off when leaving the boat.

My only complaint is that the outboard well is quite a tight fit. It just fits a 2.5 hp petrol outboard (which is plenty to drive the hull with ease) but you can't get something like a Torqueedo in there because the motor pod+prop is simply too big.

There's a decent one for sale on the CB brokerage page

https://www.characterboats.co.uk/product/kingfisher-sp-20180608/
 
I used to have a Scaffie, which I kept on a drying mooring. Good all-round boats:

Lots of room, and without a centreboard easy to move around on. Can get several people on board, so great for picnics and exploring creeks. We once had 8 people on board, although that did reduce the freeboard a little ... Since there is no boom, there is no stress when tacking or gybing in a full boat. Very shallow draught (about a foot), so you can get pretty much anywhere.

Sails and motors well. Rigging/de-rigging takes moments. Without a jib, tacking takes a bit of practice but usually fine if you can go into the tack with some speed. It needs a bit of puff to make the sailing interesting, but it’s great in a Force 3 or above. The sail reefs easily, so it’s possible to be out in decent winds. With no centreboard, you can’t get close to the wind when beating, but then if you wanted a performance sailing dinghy, I doubt if you would be considering a Scaffie. 2.5hp outboard is plenty.

Can be rowed, which is useful for coming ashore, but too heavy for travelling very far or fast.

Being a heavy boat, coming ashore can be a pain because it’s difficult to pull up a beach. So you either have to anchor out or plan your trips so that you are on a rising tide. It was this issue that I regard as its greatest weakness.

There is almost no stowage onboard, so anything you want to take will have to be in the cockpit.

I never had any problems on the mooring, and that was on uneven ground/gloop. Never felt the need to take the rudder off and I imagine it would be quite awkward doing this when afloat. I never had any trouble launching or recovering onto a trailer by myself.

So like any boat, it has strengths and weaknesses. For me, there was plenty to like and it was the weight that I found its biggest drawback.
 
Many thanks for the replies - very helpful. The only other contender at the moment for me is the 16ft Devon Yawl day boat (one with the front cuddy/open cabin). More complex rig etc. And a lifting keel - so perhaps more to go wrong and maintain that the lovely simplicity of the Scaffie?
 
I had a Drascombe Longboat Cruiser for many years - the range are all good boats with the emphasis on simplicity. Not sure which part of the country you come from - presumably your user name is a giveaway!
If you are not sure what to go for a trip to the Southampton Boat Show next month could help. Although many boats there are for the gin and jet set, many of the smaller manufacturers also exhibit such as Character boats and Churchouse (Drascombe). Some are even in the water where you can "have a go", so the trip could be helpful to you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top