Drascombe Scaffie Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Drascombe Scaffie is a 14-foot, 9-inch double-ended daysailer that represents the entry point into the storied Drascombe range. Designed in 1978 by John Watkinson, the Scaffie was conceived as a simpler, lighter alternative to the ubiquitous Drascombe Lugger. Watkinson’s design philosophy emphasized a "safety-first" approach for his own family, resulting in a boat with high bulwarks, a boomless rig to prevent "skull-cracking" accidents, and a hull stable enough to allow an adult to stand on the gunwale without capsizing. According to the Drascombe Association, the model was originally built by Honnor Marine and later by Churchouse Boats, with modern versions often marketed as the "Devon Scaffie." Unlike many of its larger siblings that utilize a heavy pivoting centerplate, the Scaffie features a distinctive "triple keel" arrangement—a shallow central long keel flanked by two smaller bilge keels—which allows the boat to remain upright and stable when the tide retreats.