Chichester Scow

The Chichester Scow was designed in 1999 based on traditional scows, but built in GRP to ease maintenance, improve comfort, and make a clean, simple appearance. The hull has a gel-coat with a wide choice of standard colours, and the one-piece deck/cockpit moulding is available in pure white or off-white. Generous radii are used on all edges, and the 'rough' side of the moulding is not visible anywhere without opening one of the watertight buoyancy tank hatches. `Under the rear thwart is a lined locker providing 32 litres of stowage space. The hull/deck bonded joint forms a convenient hand-hold, all round the dinghy, for easy lifting. An aluminium keel band protects the hull from gentle grounding when launching and beaching. The cockpit is trimmed with a solid mahogany thwart and centre console; both of which are removeable for easy maintenance. The cockpit sole has a anti-skid finish, and is easily drained after sailing or washing, through a bung at the aft end. The marine grade plywood rudder has a lifting blade. An aluminium centreboard is housed discreetly in the moulded case. The mast is of anodised aluminium, and the boom and lug are aluminium. All wooden parts are finished in tough, polyurethane varnish. We can also install a stowable oar system, including hurds, using collapsible alloy oars. The oars stow completely out of sight when not in use. Under sail the Chichester Scow is simple. The main controls are the rudder, mainsheet and centreboard lift. There is also an adjustable kicking strap and rudder blade lift. For such a small boat it is remarkably stable, forgiving and comfortable. A jib of 1.2 square meters can also be supplied. Shore handling is made easy on a three wheel launching trolley (optional).