Pompano 23 “Scamp”: A Compact Downeast Cruiser for Chesapeake Bay Daysails

Howard and Lynne Tag are long-time Chesapeake Bay boaters who have steadily refined what they want from life on the water. Their boating journey began about 30 years ago with a modest, trailerable 20-foot Bayliner cuddy when their first son was born. That conservative, low-cost start let them decide whether the boating lifestyle fit their family—and it did.

The Tags moved up to a 24-foot Chris-Craft that was more comfortable for overnight trips. “We really enjoyed that one,” Howard recalls. In 2008 they stepped into a Back Cove 29, a 2006 model that matched their growing interest in serious cruising and Downeast lines. After more than a decade exploring the Chesapeake’s nearly 11,700 miles of shoreline, they sold the Back Cove in 2020. They weren’t ready to stop boating, but they were ready for something smaller and simpler to maintain and operate when short-handed.

Howard wanted a compact boat with Downeast character, and he initially approached Atlas Boat Works in Cape Coral, Florida, about an Acadia 25 with gasoline power. When Covid disrupted the outboard supply nationwide, they pivoted. With help from Admiralty Sales & Services, Howard found a used Pompano 23 in Galveston, Texas. The boat’s owner was upgrading, and the Pompano 23 had been well maintained, showing only about 30 hours on its 90-hp Yamaha outboard. It also featured a full-length Bimini top over the cockpit that folded back for casting—an asset for anglers. Howard and Lynne bought the boat and christened her Scamp.

They made a few practical upgrades right away. Howard installed zippered U-shaped panels in the pilothouse side curtains to offer continuous spray protection while allowing ventilation when desired. The boat already had a Garmin multifunction display, but no VHF, so adding a radio was next. They also installed additional stainless-steel handholds on each side of the hardtop to complement the two on the forward edge and improve safety when moving fore and aft.

Dayboat Use and Handling

Today, Scamp is used almost exclusively for day trips, often with one or two friends. Howard appreciates the forward, enclosed helm station because it frees up cockpit space for fishing and socializing. He frequently runs the boat singlehanded and praises the Pompano 23’s behavior in varied seas. The semi-displacement hull and a shallow, nearly full-length skeg contribute to predictable handling and comfortable motion. Typical cruising speeds are in the 14–18 knot range; Howard adjusts speed as conditions require for a more comfortable ride. Fuel consumption at cruising speed is about 2.3 to 2.6 gallons per hour.

The Pompano 23’s lines reflect classic Downeast inspiration: a springy sheer forward and a subtle tumblehome aft give Scamp the workboat look the Tags value. That visual heritage, coupled with practical performance and easy handling, makes Scamp an ideal fit for their cruising goals.

Walkthrough

Boarding the Pompano 23 is straightforward because twin swim platforms flank the outboard. Those platforms are part of an aft hull extension that is bolted and chemically bonded to a reinforced transom and after-hull sections—the same hull architecture used for the diesel-powered Pompano 21.

An aft, full-beam bench seats two comfortably and conceals a stowage locker in the cockpit sole. Additional under-gunwale storage is available on both port and starboard. Moving forward under the hardtop, a step down onto a lower deck section increases overhead clearance for the helmsman standing behind the windshield while a raised bulkhead helps keep water out of the cuddy.

Ventilation is handled by two opening hatches in the hardtop and four opening portholes in the cabin, complemented by a Bomar-style overhead hatch that opens onto the foredeck for anchor handling. Side curtains and a rear curtain drop from the hardtop edges to shield the helm area from weather. Twin folding doors and a hinged overhead hatch provide cabin access.

Inside the cuddy, immediately to port, a compact galley includes a sink, a top-loading ice chest and teak fiddles. The V-berth sleeps comfortably for day-cruise needs, and a chemical toilet is located beneath the berth for convenience on short excursions.

Builder Background

Atlas Boat Works, based in Cape Coral, Florida, is a family-run builder founded in 1986 that specializes in Downeast-style boats. Tom Gamso, a second-generation boatbuilder and company president, notes that Atlas introduced the outboard-powered Pompano 23 about six years ago while continuing to offer the diesel-inboard Pompano 21. The company’s lineup now includes several Downeast models ranging from 21 to 25 feet, and it has also added a 23-foot center-console model, the Atlas 23.

Pompano 23 Specifications

LOA: 23’8”   Beam: 7’0”   Draft: 2’0”   Displacement: 2,400 lbs.   Power: (1) 90-hp Yamaha
Fuel: 35 gals.   Water: 6 gals.

This article was originally published in the October 2023 issue.