Big Day with Simeon Baldwin

Although Simeon and I had missed each other at the PTWBF we were able to quickly establish contact via email and agreed to meet at the PT Co-Op at 10 AM on Wednesday morning.  So on Tuesday night I was a guest of Jean at Kala Point which gave me an opportunity to spend time with her and Blackberry (her personable cat) on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.

Simeon with Josh Colvin

Simeon unveiling SCAMP No. 1

I arrived at the Co-Op 20 minutes early and settled down with a superb Peru coffee at the bargain price of 71 cents and enjoyed watching the activities of just another day at the Co-Op.  The place reflected the deep hippie roots of Port Townsend with the sights and scents of the wide variety of organic and health products on offer as well as the dress and calm demeanor of the customers.  The younger people had an updated look that included face piercings and tattoos.  Some of the older ones were straight out of Central Casting, locked in the '60s and exhibiting no desire to escape.

Soon after pouring myself a second cup of a French-Italian blend Simeon showed up, exactly on time.  It was great to see him again and we agreed that it was probably for the best that we had met after the hustle and bustle of the Boat Festival.  He soon asked me if I could do him a favor and it turned out that it was he doing me the favor and an honor.  He produced a very sturdy and well made burgee with the black lantern symbol of SCAMP boats and asked me if I would take it around the Horn and bring it back to Port Townsend.  Better yet, it would bear the signature of the New Zealander John Welsford, the highly reputed designer of the SCAMP and many other boats (http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/plans.htm).  John had participated in the Boat Festival (where to my regret I missed his presentation) and was flying out that afternoon to the East Coast undoubtedly to deliver more presentations.

SCAMP Burgee for the Horn

John Welsford Signing Burgee, Peter Leenhouts at Left

I left the RX7 at the Co-Op and rode with Simeon in his Prius to the home of Josh Colvin, editor of Small Craft Advisor magazine, where I met Josh in his spacious new SCA office.  It was in the garage below where I was privileged to get an inspection tour of SCAMP No. 1 by Simeon, the SCAMP Project Development Director.  This was the prototype of the design, as well as the first off of the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) kits, and was built at the NorthWest Maritime Center (NWMC)

Burgee Signed, Now Comes the Hard Part

To the casual eye a SCAMP in the water may look like a toy boat but believe me, it is an  extremely well designed and built serious "Mini Microcruiser" capable of extended coastal cruising.  When he finishes his own build, Simeon has plans to sail his in the waters between Puget Sound and Canada and perhaps even around Vancouver Island.  The boat has an off center swing keel (to allow sleeping room in the cockpit), has a generous amount of waterproof compartmentation for storage and buoyancy, a clever and easy way of loading the 20 gallons of water ballast, and sails under an unstayed balanced lug rig carrying 100 sq ft of sail.  It measures just under 12 ft in length which makes it easily trailerable and better yet is short enough to avoid licensing in many states including neighboring Oregon.  I saw videos of capsize tests where the biggest problem was getting the boat to capsize.  Righting it was easy.  

The following videos are interesting:

1. Howard Rice playing with SCAMP in Mystery Bay: http://smallcraftadvisor.com/our-blog/short-scamp-video-clip.html

2. Static capsize test at Hudson Point Marina: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du9lvJNVqnk&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL002E84E14DBCACD5

3. Open water active capsize in Port Townsend Bay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRZNWAkdkXM

4. Easy Port Townsend Bay sail with Josh Colvin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTKWlhlcXPE

5. Dan Phy's SCAMP (the second build at NWMC) sailing on San Francisco Bay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0C6Mr1HmPc

6. Redfish Kayaks: http://www.redfishkayak.com/

7. Gig Harbor Boat Works: http://www.ghboats.com/2011/08/scamp/

Restoration Project

Great Training Project

The SCAMP plans have been digitized and kits can be shipped all over the world, from Port Townsend or agents in UK and Australia.  In addition to kits, plans alone may be purchased, and some owners are having their SCAMP partially or fully built by commercial builders. There is even a nearby boatyard that will be producing an initial run of 6 fiberglass SCAMPs. The SCAMP that Simeon showed me was of top quality marine ply with 3 coats of expoxy then the paint on top. 

We had missed John Welsford who had visited with Josh and SCAMP by minutes so made haste to the home of Peter and Helen Leenhoutrs in nearby Port Ludlow.  Peter is a  Board member of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock.  I met Peter and his wife Helen, and John Welsford and his wife Denny.  We had a short conversation then John autographed the burgee and we left soon after because Peter would soon be driving John and his wife to the Bainbridge Island ferry and then on to the SEATAC airport for their flight out.

62 ft sloop under construction

Sleek and Fair Hull

Simeon with End of Bow

The we drove to the NorthWest School of Wooden Boatbuilding where Simeon led me on a comprehensive tour of the facilities.  The highlight for me was watching work on a 62-ft sloop. The school is thriving, with recent accreditation from the US government allowing study to veterans under the "GI Bill".  Before we left we had a look into a particularly charming building that had caught my eye.  It was the Ajax cafe which is open for evening meals and has a good reputation.

On the way back to Port Townsend we visited the factory of Joe Greenly of Redfish Kayaks, who builds light cedar-strip wooden kayaks of exquisite design and craftsmanship.  I had never seen boat work like that before.  Joe showed us perfectly fitting access covers that go "thonk"when pulled into position by strong magnets.  Joe told me that he had conceived and designed the system himself.  He ships his Kayaks all over the USA and probably beyond.

Maritime Wisdom at School Office

The One and Only

The Ajax Cafe

Joe Greenly's Redfish Kayaks

Joe Greenly, a world class craftsman who obviously loves his work. Note well fitting hatch cover on kayak.

Then it was time to part.  At the Co-Op car park I told Simeon that I absolutely had to get around the Horn safely now that I was carrying the SCAMP burgee.  I then drove back to Kala Point to have a late lunch with Jean and soon headed back to Kingston, thinking what a great finale to my visits to Port Townsend it had been for me.