Launch of a New Boat-Kits Company

By the Creative A-Team of Brandon Davis and Josh Colvin

In the midst of economic uncertainty, it’s a joy to let readers know that two respected members of our small-boat world—Brandon Davis of Turn Point Design in Port Townsend, and Josh Colvin of Small Craft Advisor—are teaming up to launch a shiny new operation, the Kit Boats Co., with a starting lineup of boat designs that Brandon will CNC-cut and ship from his shop.

Work continues on the company’s new website, but they’re now open for business at www.kitboats.com (which in the future will include more details, photos and additional kit designs).

Kit Boats Co. will focus on the plywood kits, epoxy and fiberglass assembly packages. and sails and masts for the sailing models. Hardware and running rigging lists will be provided, but much will be purchased elsewhere. The sailboat rigs will also be purchasable by owners of other designs, who are looking for simple off-the-shelf solutions.

Virtually all SCA readers know Josh, who’s been Editor since the launch of this magazine 25 years back, publishing more than 130 print issues before soaring production costs triggered a 2023 migration to the Substack edition you’re enjoying today.

Brandon Davis has been running Turn Point Design for more than 20 years, producing a variety of his own designs; competing in the Race to Alaska, using his computer skills and CNC machine to design and cut components for America’s Cup competitors…and of course designing some amazing small boats while working with other talented designers and cutting a lot of boat kits for customers.

Josh has enjoyed a creative business relationship with Brandon for years, so let’s take a quick look at initial designs that’ll be available in kit form from www.kitboats.com

SCAMP

The 11’ 11” giant killer resulted from a classic team effort. Back in 2011, Josh wanted a minimal camp-cruising sailboat that would be stable, safe and maybe surprisingly nimble under sail, so he turned to John Welsford. Initial sketches were for a little 10-footer, but everyone involved realized that wouldn’t do. It had to be larger in length, volume and comfort, so JW came back with a design almost identical to the SCAMP you see today.

Along the way, Brandon made small tweaks so that the final cutting file would result in an easier-to-build kit. Master boatbuilder Kees Prins, then manager of the Northwest Maritime Center boatshop, built SCAMP hull #1, with help from Scott Jones (who followed Kees as the next NWMC shop manager, and now works full-time for Brandon, building boats in their shop). Kees and Scott made some additional tweaks and today Josh is still having fun sailing SCAMP #1.

SCOUT 10

Seeking a small, lightweight and easily-trailered boat that would row, sail and serve as a minimal camp cruiser, Josh and Brandon came up with the Scout 10 kit-boat design.

Specs on the Scout 10 and other designs offered by the Kit Boats Co. are on the website linked above, but here are some shots of the boat that does everything well: Row, sail, cruise…with some comfort for minimalist sailors.

SCOUT 14

Improving sailing performance and offering more room for storage of gear for daysailers and camp cruisers, the Scout 14 was designed by Brandon and launched last year as a kit boat.

Here are a few views of the great addition to the Scout line of kits.

PORTAGE PRAM

This kit design was the result of a lot of research into the ideal dinghy design—a boat that would be light, strong, capable of carrying three adults (or two with large dog and groceries). And one that would be affordable and easy to build.

We put together the first prototype in short order, then developed a simple sailing rig. That small hull is shown here, with Josh Colvin on the left and Brandon Davis on the right.

Though not yet featured on the website, there is also a stretched Super Pram, available soon.

SKATE 15

Imagine a 15-foot-long, 8-foot-wide planing hull that doesn’t weigh much, but sleeps two comfortably and carries a 190 square foot sail (not including the asymmetrical spinnaker)—a speedster that might be ideal for the Texas 200 or the Everglades Challenge, but would also be fine for relaxed daysails in light winds.

The Skate 15 is fully described in the Kit Boats Co. website, www.kitboats.com, but here are a few photos to get you started.

RIO DRIFT BOAT

This is a classic drift boat design from Glen-L Marine, updated with massive amounts of inside watertight storage, adjustable and removable seats, full-length “chine armor,” and even built-in cup holders. It’s the perfect drift boat in kit form, constructed without a building jig or frames. (The basic kit can be assembled in 3-4 days.)

For more details, check the Kit Boats Co. website, linked above.

ROWCRUISER

The Colin Angus-designed RowCruiser is a breakthrough sliding-seat rowing boat with sleep-aboard capabilities and an optional sailing rig that has taken a few builders from Port Townsend to Ketchikan during the Race to Alaska. As a pulling boat, the RowCruiser is fast, extremely seaworthy and surprisingly comfortable when you bed down in under the forward raised deck. (I built the prototype RowCruiser, featured in an Off Center Harbor video, and enjoyed overnight cruises aboard the boat. The trimaran sailing version was developed later by designer Colin Angus, and features affordable stock sails originally intended for a small class racing sailboat.)

As a cruising boat, the 19-footer is hard to beat, and it’s been built by a number of longtime sea kayakers who appreciate being able to anchor in quiet coves and sleep aboard…avoiding the need to haul kayaks ashore—sometimes on rocky, challenging shores.

Full details are on the Kit Boats Co. website.

OLD SALT 15

Josh came up with the concept for a kit boat that would be comfortable for older as well as younger sailors, easy to rig, launch and retrieve, and capable of more-than-respectable performance. Old Salt 15 was co-designed, then, by Josh and Brandon, and the prototype hull is nearing completion as we write this.

It’ll still be awhile before final tweaks are made to the design, following testing of the prototype. A Founders Build, scheduled for March, has been sold out and there’s a waiting list of folks who are eager to build this already-popular design, so please stay tuned to the Shallow Draft column, right here, for updates as the design is tested and final kit details are made available.

Here are some shots of the under-construction prototype, which made its debut at the recent Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival.

For current information on the Old Salt 15, see the Kit Boats Co. website, www.kitboats.com

We’ll have more updates as the new company website is flushed out, and especially as full details on the Old Salt 15 become available.

Thanks, as always, for reading. - Marty