SF Pelican vs SCAMP

A Round 2 Mini-Cruiser Madness Matchup

Two iconic beach-cruising prams face-off in what is bound to be a slug fest. The boats share many similarities, but also some significant differences.

About the San Francisco Pelican we wrote: The first Pelican (called Chloe Maru) was launched in 1959 and it’s safe to say she exceeded even her designer’s most hopeful expectations. The little 12' 10.5" Pelican proved stable, buoyant, and capable of comfortably sailing in the wind and chop of the San Francisco Bay. Maybe more surprising was that she offered pretty decent overall speed and handling as well. The combination of these virtues and her relatively simple construction method has led to the sale of approximately 6,000 sets of plans and to 4,000 Pelican launches in the years since.

Because of her tremendous volume, the Pelican can carry a couple of crew and everything they’d need to camp-cruise for a week or more. Unfortunately with the exception of the space under the foredeck, there really are no designated lockers, so gear needs to be kept in waterproof bags lashed here and there. But still, the space is available. As Pelican sailor Bill Paleck once said: “Pelicans can pack a load. I know for a fact that the fully loaded bed of a Ford pickup, my wife, and our dog, can fit into a Pelican and still have enough freeboard and space to sail her to our destination.”