Design and Construction
Honnor Marine built the Scaffie in fiberglass, with a solid hull and deck. Fully rigged, it weighs 462 lbs. Its beam is 5 feet 9 inches, its waterline length is 12 feet 3 inches, and its draft is 15 inches.
Watkinson gave the boat a triple-keel arrangement: a full keel paired with twin 36-inch bilge keels. This leaves the interior free of a centerboard trunk and gives the boat a stable, self-righting footprint when beached. The arrangement also keeps the rudder clear of the bottom, so it can remain hung when the boat is dried out. The rudder doesn’t extend below the keel line and survives grounding without being lifted.
Molded fiberglass side benches incorporate foam-filled flotation compartments, while two wooden rowing thwarts provide additional seating. Together, they can accommodate up to four people. The flotation is a genuine safety asset: one owner reported that the boat stayed afloat when swamped and needed only to be righted and bailed before sailing on.
Rig and Handling
The Scaffie carries a 100-square-foot boomless standing lugsail with two reefs. The rig is simple to handle, and the reefs allow the crew to shorten sail as the wind builds.
A gated partner makes the mast straightforward to raise. You place the mast in its step, pivot it upright, and secure it with the gate. Cleats on the partner hold the halyard and tack downhaul.
The sheet leads are neatly arranged for single-handed control. The mainsheet runs through a block on the rudderhead and then forward along the tiller, where it can be cleated or simply held together with the tiller. Two uprights fitted into sockets at the stern support a shoulder-high rope traveler above the tiller.
Under oars, the boat normally carries one set of oars and is rowed solo from either the forward or aft station, depending on which gives the best trim.
Accommodation and Equipment
The Scaffie is an open boat with no cabin. Its molded side benches and two rowing thwarts provide seating and flotation for up to four people, while the absence of a centerboard trunk keeps the floor open and uncluttered.
An inboard engine well accepts a 2 to 3 hp outboard. The well is open aft, allowing the motor to pivot over obstructions or kick up for rowing and sailing without being removed. It is offset far enough to port for the rudder to remain useful when steering under power.
Standard equipment from Honnor Marine included foam buoyancy, rudder, tiller, sail, Sitka spruce spars, and bronze rowlock sockets.
Ownership and Refits
Scaffie ownership is straightforward. The gated mast partner makes the lug rig easy to raise and lower, while the inboard well keeps the outboard protected yet serviceable. The open, uncluttered floor also simplifies maintenance and storage.
Its light weight and shallow draft make trailering and launching undemanding. Honnor Marine supplied the core equipment, and the boat’s longevity in production since 1978 means that spares and knowledge within the Drascombe community are reasonably well established.
The Verdict
The Scaffie is a minimalist, seaworthy little daysailer and rowing boat. It trades cabin comforts for uncluttered space, access to shallow water, and genuine flotation security. Its lug rig and tiller-led mainsheet make solo sailing feel natural, while the triple keel and beachable rudder suit sailors who want to explore creeks and beaches.
Pros
- Full keel and twin bilge keels leave the interior free of a centerboard trunk
- Foam-filled molded flotation compartments keep the boat afloat if swamped
- Rudder doesn’t extend below the keel line and can remain in place when beached
- Offset inboard engine well allows rudder steering under outboard power
Cons
- Open boat with no cabin accommodation
- Engine-well size limits the outboard to 2 to 3 hp
