SCOUT 10

What does the smallest possible camp-cruising sailboat look like? If larger cruising keelboats are akin to motorhomes, what does a backpacker’s boat look like? Just how small can one go, practically speaking?

The Scout is a wide, stable, 10-foot boat that's a blast to sail and row. At less than 70 pounds it makes a great tender, yet has enough dry stowage below deck to take on a beach camping trip of its own. The offset daggerboard makes an open footwell so you can even sleep aboard.

1. Light enough to cartop

2. Safe boat with lots of flotation

3. Especially quick to rig

4. Sails and rows well

5. Lots of dry stowage

6. Room to sleep aboard

It was an interesting design exercise, as some of these features—like car-topping and sleeping aboard—would seem mutually exclusive. But before long we had drawings that seemed to tick all of the boxes and, most remarkably, with judicious use of closed-cell foam panels to augment the 4mm plywood, he estimated we could keep the boat down under 70 pounds.

Lifting the finished boat was a shock, as even with two layers of glass inside the cockpit sole and on the bottom, the prototype came in at only 65 pounds! Scout is indeed truly car-toppable—no need for a trailer.

Looking for a roomy cockpit? How about 52” of beam and a deep, totally unobstructed footwell (the daggerboard is offset). And how many 10-foot cartoppers offer a sleeping bunk? The Scout footwell measures 20 3/8” wide by 81.5” long—not a luxurious berth, but wider than the traditional British sailboat bunk and much longer. Want more space? Use a cloth, hammock or filler boards over footwell to create a double bunk.

The boomless, unstayed rig that is simple and safe, and she is designed to row easily (oars stow out of the way under the lip above footwell). And those locking rowing thwart/seats are moveable. Not rowing? Slide them out of the way or position them so that you can sit on the cockpit sole and lean back comfortably against the slanted forward panel—slide the second thwart over in front of you to use as a table or cook station.

Stowage? Checkout the photo before the decks went on. Obviously the deck access plate diameter will limit the size of gear, but the photo gives you an idea of the tremendous dry stowage volume.

As the ultimate mini beach-cruiser, Scout features modern NACA profile, high-performance. foam-core rudder and off-daggerboard.

The Scout is available as a CNC plywood-and-foam kit exclusively here at KitBoats.com. We also offer the epoxy/fiberglass kit, and the unique boomless sail and mast. 

BUILD TIME AND DIFFICULTY RATING:Easy (150 hours)

The foils kit (rudder and centerboard) is included with this kit. 

Our foil kits include the rudder and centerboard, cut and pre-shaped from marine plywood. Lines, fasteners, and hardware are not included but will be listed in the builder’s manual.

Fiberglass and epoxy kits provide all the epoxy, fiberglass cloth, and tape required for assembly. Application tools, gloves, and fillers are not included and should be purchased separately. The builder’s manual will include a suggested list of these additional materials.