SCAMP # 330 Wildflower sailing 10 3 22 Tomales Bay

Another beautiful fall day in Northern California. Taking off from Marconi in Tomales Bay on Wildflower, a home built SCAMP. I have lashed a GoPro 3 to my boom, and it made for some nice footage. Unfortunately my voice is not heard well, and you get some noise from the vibration of the main in the blocks, but oh well.
I am wearing my Gill Dinghy sailing dry suit, and it is terrific for beach launching and retrieving. I also have a TillerClutch for managing the tiller and a nice thwart-mounted ratchet block and swivel cam cleat for the main. This allows me to single hand more easily. When I have others aboard I remove the thwart and go with a ratchet block on the boom.
The SCAMP is the ideal boat for these waters.

[@jwboatdesigns]

Great to see Daniel, I'm betting that many of your colleagues have, lets just say' much larger yachts, but my feeling is that they dont get anywhere near as much fun from them.

[@dndrich]

No doubt. My little “yacht” meets my needs so well. You really did a great job on the design John. And, it was such a joy to work with you back in 2015 at SCAMP Camp. Your signature is still inside the boat under epoxy but visible on the port side mast trunk! Such a fond memory for me.

[@kenkindrick4227]

Where? US?

[@kennethloy6371]

I have a long term friend in Hudson Sailing Club, Quebec. Are you a member there? Wonderful sailing there on the Ottawa River I believe and a bit hairy at times if a strong wind is with the river flow. I love your boat which looks beautifully made. I am 91 now and live in the Sth of England nr the beach although I lived in Montreal during 1967-68. I have always raced dinghies, Mirror, Enterprise, Solo, Comet, Laser etc. This is a lovely video. Congratulations.

[@dndrich]

Thanks for the comment! I live in California, a long ways from Quebec, so I am not a member of that sailing club. You have some fun experience in some great dinghies!!

[@chrisleggatt3240]

Excellent! More scamp stuff please!

[@music-jj2pl]

Excellent video great boat. I love that you can beach it. Talk about coming in hot, last time i sailed a hobie cat and came in hot on purpose just to get it as far up the beach as possible so we didn't have to dragged it too much. My guests were going crazy thinking we were going to wreck like in a car accident. 😂

[@dndrich]

Yeah I had a fun time. Love a boat that you can beach.

[@fernandolopezmachorro7616]

FERNANDO form Mx Port Progreso. Beautiful sealing boat. But Capitan most not hit the beach or sand. Un simple cambio de dirección al viento para frenar y llegar suavemente a la playa.

[@dndrich]

Está playa tiene polvo muy suave. ¡Por eso!

[@fredretteketet]

Nice boat to learn to sail!

[@scottieles]

Wow! Great video, almost felt I was there as I got a little seasick just watching!! Really Daniel, you must get so much pleasure sailing and I can see why. Nice landing, too. Love to see the sailor bro-mances!

[@dndrich]

Thanks! Love sailing this boat.

[@jamessandman3708]

Sweet boat, sweet video and I love that camera angle! Thanks for taking us along. I got to go sailing this morning without having to raise a mast or freeze my ass thanks to you! 🤣⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵

[@dndrich]

Hey thanks! I too love to watch sailing videos. Makes me feel like I'm there!

[@thomaswilliamloftus]

livin the dream Daniel... livin the dream! Beautiful boat!

[@dndrich]

You got it man! Hey, we gotta get out there together soon. You gotta take the tiller.

[@graemekenyon1649]

Go-pro attached to boom extension - brilliant idea. Well done.

[@dndrich]

It is such a jury rig I’m amazed it didn’t fall off! Since it works so well I will probably try something better to attach it next time!

[@hugomeares7325]

Great shot from the boom. Love the tiller clutch, good on ya

[@dndrich]

The way I had the thing lashed to the boom, I’m amazed it didn’t fall into the water! It is my old GoPro 3, and I wondered if the arrangement would work. It really did!

[@svslowmotion6611]

Great video and nice boat. Looks like a great day on the water.

[@dndrich]

Hey thanks. It was a fabulous day. Love a SCAMP!

[@andrewbeale2585]

Greetings from the UK, you have a beautiful Scamp, and wonderful local waters for sailing her on. What a lovely video, you have made my day. I wish there were more Scamps in England but they are barely known here, which is a shame.

[@dndrich]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@chrisleggatt3240]

Slowly but surely we're finding them!

[@salorjim1000]

Not too many videos of Scamp sailing. I have a fiberglass version and coming from racing sailboats it has been hard to bond with the little Scamp. More videos I see the more I realize what a very cool little boat this is. And I need to take a trip from SoCal to Tomales bay to do some sailing up there. And maybe the Sacramento Delta as well!

[@dndrich]

Worth the trip. Tomales has some of the best small boat sailing on the west coast, and spectacular scenery. Racing boats that plane or use foils are just for a different purpose. The excitement of speed and thrills has its place. But SCAMP sailing is like fine wine…made to savor slowly. It is remarkable how much fun I can have at 5 knots. Love the SCAMP. Just don’t be in a hurry!!

[@Jeff-by5me]

Nice video. Great boat. Hey Jim if you want to sell that Scamp I'm in Phoenix and I would buy it. Jeff

[@davidprocter3578]

Dear Mr DryDitch it always surprises me how well the scamps sail, they might not be the fastest kiddie on the block but in a reasonable air appear to put up a good show.. I am forced to ask what was I missing you seemed to be using the same technique used by dinghy sailors all over the world, of course you do get the stand and duck brigade and then you get the flamboyant pirouette and jive fraternity and the rear facing twist and shuffle, but in the main most helmsmen go for the behind the back swap and switch. Still it looked a cracking sail out my sailing days over I am just a little envious.

[@liamstone3437]

I want the boat and the hat! I have plans for the first but need a link to buy the second - please?

[@dndrich]

Ah yes! The classic Tilley. It has a lifetime warranty, even if you lose it! Washable in the washing machine. Has a nice front and rear wind cord that will hold the hat on even in a gale! www.tilley.com/products/ltm6-airflo-hat

[@johnc6809]

Steer clear of them Oyster beds on the South side of the ramp. You were late enough that you had some wind, even if it’s a lee shore! Beautiful video.

[@dndrich]

Yep, I know the spot! Nice thing about Marconi is you can launch at any tide. Not so at Miller Park, where you have to watch the tides. Plenty of room by those oyster beds! Tomales Bay has to be one of the best small boat sailing areas in the world. Yet, it is often empty. I did not see another sailboat that day.

[@johnc6809]

@@dndrich Don’t tell everyone, or things will be crowded! 😬I was there last weekend for the annual TSCA camp out at Marshall / Felix Cove beach.

[@dndrich]

@@johnc6809 Cool! I sailed on Friday and there were some ER doctors and family camped there. So nice to see. What are you sailing?

[@johnc6809]

@@dndrich I was aboard a glued lapstrake canoe cat ketch, by the name of “Annie Wren” 18’6”. She has a cabin just big enough to sleep aboard. Built by Edwin Foster. Most everyone else put a tent on the beach. We reserve it every year. You and your Scamp would fit right in.

[@dndrich]

@@johnc6809 Hey that would be great. I will look for this next year.