Boatbuilding news, building tips, and builder feedbackWebletter 70 logo

An Occasional Publication for the Home Boat Builder

Glen-L Marine Designs - 9152 Rosecrans Ave. - Bellflower, CA 90706
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In this issue
GLEN-L Update
  • Web site:
    • This WebLetter has been a long time coming. The process can be sped up if more of you share your boatbuilding experiences with your fellow builders. As always, I thank those who have contributed... especially Ray Macke. I always look forward to his stories. Does anyone else have stories of trips in their Glen-L boat that they would like to share? Stories like Ray's really enrich the WebLetter. I have heard from several other builders who were going to send a story about their travels and experiences that have never materialized. If you were one of those people... it's never too late.
    • I don't know if any of you are impressed by this, but have you noticed the location of many of the Project Registry and Customer Photos? Vladimir Vikulov (Bull's-Eye) is in the Ukraine. He has to translate the instructions, dimensions to mm and, "I began my boatbuilding process on July. Plans and Patterns – are full and intelligible. I haven't any additional question. I work only on day off. Cardinal problem is weather. It was raining 4 days from 12. Now I'm ready to cover plywood of fiberglass." From the photos, he appears to building outside.
    • There is another issue that I would like to bring up. We are having increasing difficulty finding the time to post Customer Photos and Project Registries. I don't want builders to stop sending them, but we need a different system. At present the photos are all being re-sized and pages formated by hand. Does anyone know of an alternative?

      
Editor      

The Tennessee River Again

by Ray Macke

Hi Gayle, I enjoyed the last WebLetter - keep up the good work! Let Glen know that with over 19,000 miles on my Cabin Skiff I still am having a ball. I have ridden it hard, beat it on rough water until my teeth hurt and even sideswiped a channel marker. The paint is starting to look a little "used" but it is still solid as the day it first hit the water. It is a great design! Ray

Therapy

Much to my dismay, the spring of 2005 had yielded very few hours in Therapy’s log. A few local trips but none of the aqua-marathons I normally thrive on. Our only son had set the date for an early May wedding and had asked that the ceremony be held at our home, outdoors on our multi-level deck. Naturally, we agreed but little did I know my wife would quickly slide into insanity as the date approached and had a long list of home improvement projects that HAD to be done. But obviously, I survived the ordeal and come the first week of June I was once again experiencing sever withdrawal pains and need a fix. Therapy HAD to hit the water.

Continue



It's Back: Deadman Throttle

Deadman throttle

This is probably the item we get the most inquiries about... "do you have a deadman throttle?" This is the same throttle we used to carry. The original design was by Keller, which was bought out by William's Manufacturing, which was picked up by Computerized Marine... And then we cound no longer contact the manufacturer; not by phone, email or letter. We reluctantly discontinued the item, but now it's Deadman throttle back. A former racer who cared about hardware for small boats, took over the marketing and we are again able to offer this great product.

To order, visit our Online Store.



Gentry Photos: She's in the water

by Jack Rouse

Gentry by Jack Rouse

For early photos of Jack's project, see WebLetter 56.

Latest Photos


NEW Online Inboard Hardware Catalog

We have added our Inboard Hardware to the Online Store. We now have the Boat Design catalog, Books and Videos and a partial Boatbuilding Supplies Catalog.

The Inboard Hardware catalog is still under construction, but it works. Take a Look and let us know what you think.



How our new catalog works and why

It's about space, it's about bandwidth.

So we finally got our Boat Design Catalog in an Online Store, then the first month we got an additional bill for $1,200... an extra bandwidth fee. It seems that a lot more people look at our catalog than we knew. Our host said that this almost never happens; virtually no one exceeds the 6GB limit. Well, we did. We had not known about this fee or that we would likely exceed it. What to do?

Well, our webmaster got creative. We shifted the browsing from the Online Store host to our site. With a link at the bottom of each design page to check prices or order (on the Online Store site). It works well... sorta. If you use the Back button to return to the catalog, you will definitely be back on our site. If you use one of the other buttons on the order page, you may end up on the Online Store site. To change this, we would have to pay the provider a lot of money to make a new template. I don't know if our readers want to know all this stuff, but many people think we arbitrarily try to make things difficult, and I just wanted to give some background.

This last month we added the Inboard Hardware module. It is really an improvement over the old online catalog, but you can get tripped up, since it works the same as the Boat Design Catalog, as described above. The Online Store index is much harder to follow than the one on our site. (We don't have control of the basic Online Store format.) Within the store, the back button will often be the safest way to return to the menu.

So, since we have a Online Catalog on our site, why do we need the Online Store? The catalog on our site did not have prices or a convenient way to order. Our Online Catalog contains much more information than the Online Store can hold and we add additional information almost daily, but this is all entered by hand. The Online Store automatically loads prices from our database. We are not really satisfied with the way things work and will be trying to improve it. We would probably look for an alternative to the program we are using, if it didn't integrate with our database.

The reason I have gone into all this is to answer questions that we have received. I guess if the webmaster was a bit MORE clever, we would have made our own shopping cart, but... he isn't.

webMASTER



Buy Glen-L Poxy-Shield
THE BOATBUILDER EPOXY

Poxy-Shield Epoxy is formulated BY boat builders FOR boat builders. This is YOUR resin! Poxy-Shield was developed over 25 years ago to be easy to use for amateur builders. Poxy-Shield is non-sagging and gap-filling to insure that your boat is strong and watertight. Plus, the dual purpose feature allows you to use it for laminating as well as a glue by adding fillers. The price is reasonable and ordering is simple. Order your Poxy-Shield Epoxy Resin today!
Poxy-Shield




Feedback: TNT

by Sean Stephen Luggosy

Sean and Mallory in the TNT

Enclosed you will find photos of my TNT boat. The boat was built over a couple of years by myself, my Grandfather (Erwin M.) and my Dad (Robert L.). I received the plans & materials for the boat as a Christmas gift when I was 12 years old in 2003. My Grandfather and I completed the structural build (frame & outer hull) in the summer of 2004 at our family cottage in the Kawartha Highlands lakes region of Ontario, Canada. My Father and I completed the remainder of the construction and finishing throughout the winter & spring of 2005 at home in Oakville, Ontario CA. We finished the exterior with epoxy sealer, marine paints, and only fiber glassed the seams with 3 inch strips of cloth. It was fun building it (and hard work at times).

We collected/salvaged many of the parts (i.e. steering assembly, lights, controls, etc...) from retired boats, and the engine (1987, 20 HP Johnson) we already had. This engine achieved a maximum speed of 27.5 mph. We used a four blade propeller with variable pitch and replaceable blades made by "ProPulse" of Sweden (www.propulse.se), with the pitch set at 13 inches. This gave the boat great hole-shot when starting. The boat is awesome, and it gets a lot of attention here.

Best regards.
Sean Stephen L.
Oakville Ontario, CANADA



Customer Photos



Feedback: TNT

by Michael Forbis

This is a follow-up to my question about a TNT that porpoises.

I used a Stingray Hydrofoil Junior. It did wonders! My research finds primary cause of the porpoising is too much weight at the transom. I find the boat runs better with more fuel. I have a built-in 11 gal tank in the bow. The motor weighs 120 lbs. A better choice would have been Tohatsu/Nissan 9.8hp (or a lighter Honda). I used the 18hp because I planned for 9.9 with tilt tube steering. The 9.9 is not made any more and 15 hp did not come with remote controls in short shaft. Still the 9.9 weighs the same. The 9.8 weighs about 85 pounds. Electric start and battery added a few lbs too.

I plan to extend the hull on each side of the motor (this winter). I'll follow the deck, side, and bottom lines and extend back 8 inches and 16 inches to the center line. With flotation at each side of the motor and a bottom that emulates trim tabs. I think it will not only set higher in the water, but also ride a bit smoother. This is what all the RIB manufacturers are doing to compensate for 4 stroke motors. I'll let you know the results next summer.

The boat goes over 25 knots with two 200 lb adults. Actually, it is way under prop'd. It is revlimited at 80% throttle. There are few performance parts for this motor so I'm having my local shop add an inch of pitch.

TNT smiles

The pictures are a bit deceiving, the first one shows my boys' maiden voyage (after I tested and trained them). The second is 8 days later. Notice the smiles? The boat is a total hit with my Yacht Club too. It tows fine with motor up at 10 to 18 knots.

Photos



Feedback: TNT

by Nigel and Kenwrick Mayo

My son and I started construction of the TNT in October 2005, and launched at the end of June.

We have a 35 hp Johnson and we get about 35mph tops. We had many challenges along the way, though finished with a beautiful, exciting boat. I would highly recommend bolting on the motor (not just relying on the clamps) as we almost lost the motor when the whole boat came out of the water at 32 mph and the prop hit the water again at 5500 rpm. The motor rotated sideways about 20 degrees, leaving only one clamp on the transom. TNT outboard runabout built by Mayo

Our finished project weighs 282 lbs! This includes fiberglass bottom, seats, floor boards, teleflex steering, gas tank and full size marine battery. The motor adds another 131 lbs (1977 35 hp electric start johnson).

We are located in Brampton, Ontario, and cottage on Gloucester Pool in Ontario.



Harold the boatbuilder

You probably think it's easy to say something pithy in each of these Webletters... well, it ain't.


Feedback: Ke-Pau

by Timothy Nichols

I finally finished it! My eight year old twins have been bugging me to get it done! So, I stayed up until 2:00am last night and finished it. It turned out pretty good. I learned a lot.

Ke-Pau

I used scrap walnut and cherry for all of the solid wood pieces. I had decided early that I wasn't going to be too persnickety about the epoxy part of it. I didn't do much sanding, but it still looks reasonable. All of you epoxy perfectionists would probably laugh me out of here! I'll have to get psyched up for the next project and actually sand it like it's supposed to be! I was probably too liberal with the epoxy so, I basically ran out or, thought I would run out. So, I stole/borrowed some from a friend who had built 3 kayaks and had some left over. Anyway, you just can't make a mistake on the epoxy measuring. The last portion of the final coat must not have had enough hardener in it. It was still a little sticky after a week. I did fiberglass the bottom, only because I wanted some experience for the next project. Regarding the bearings, I had decided to paint the stamped housing, shaft and bearings so that I could avoid rust. You know? I worked for a bearing manufacturer and you'd think I would know better! Don't paint the bore of a bearing or the shaft. You'll never get the bearing on! So, that's why I was up till 2:00 am last night. I took more time sanding the shaft and bearing bore than I did the whole boat........not really but, it seemed like it.

I commend Glen-L for the engineering of this wonderful water toy! I couldn't fill a gallon bucket with the material waste from the design! Awesome! I was suspicious of the efficiency of the paddles! Boy was I wrong! This little boat is surprisingly fast and tracks better than any old production paddle boat! The kids had a ball today and all the neighbors loved it.

Mentally, I'm ready for the next boat. I learned however, that I have trouble being consistent with the build! That Zip is on my mind though!

Thanks again Glen-L!

Photos



Speaking of Ke-Pau

4th of July... Kepau test model gets a workout.
Photos



Zip by Darrell Hodo

Feedback: Zip

by Darrell Hodo

I completed the boat and the upholstery in about a 14 months by myself. I used oak for the frames, quarter inch marine plywood for the hull and mahogany and maple for the deck and flooring. Everything is coated with epoxy. One sheet fiberglass cloth on the outside of the hull.

The boat handles very well with the 40 hp motor; planes out quickly. The boat turns very quickly with no skipping. Top speed is about 30 mph with a 13 pitch prop at about 5000 rpm's. I think with a 14 I would pick up a few more mph. It will pull one skier with no problems.

Customer Photos



Recent email:

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Wednesday, August 31, 2005
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name: Ron Porter

Comments: Lots of great stuff here. I've dreamed about a Glen-L boat since I was kid and computers were still science fiction. You've done an amazing job moving to the new world.


Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Friday, August 26, 2005
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name: Thomas

Comments: I hope to build my first boat this winter with my Dad now that I have my Canadian Boating Card. I am 9 years old.


Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Friday, August 26, 2005
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name: Jim Patterson

Comments: I have ordered plans for the Airboat. Have a Revmaster 2180cc (modified VW) with dual aircraft magneto ignition and using a Posa carb. I might have to make some minor modifications to the engine mount to use it. Anyone interested might want to check out www.diehlaero.com for info on the case, etc.
I would like to hear from anyone who has, or presently is, building the Airboat.


Subject: Picture
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005

Thank you. Recently we purchased some cavitation plates from Glen L. They got mounted on our 1986 Marlin Aries Jet boat. Wow... what a difference. Attached is a picture of our "Orange Rush" 21 foot, 454 Chevy... bored a little 540 Hp. Thanx for the great customer service.

Dennis Weimer
Fort Wayne, IN.


Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Friday, August 19, 2005
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name: Rick Heaney

Comments: You have a fantastic website here. I think it's probably the best resource that I have seen for wooden boat builders. I look forward to the newsletter each month. Thanks,
Rick Heaney


Subject: Sliding Seat Rowing Wing
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005

Greetings,

I have recently completed your sliding seat kit and a CLC Annapolis Wherry to put it in. I am delighted with the result... I also made the oars from your plans. They get immediate positive response from anyone who sees them and are a delight to use. Now if they will stand up to years of hard use they will be a complete success.

Bruce Patterson


Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Wednesday, August 16, 2005
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name: Roger Jiles

Comments: Thanks for the quick service I received the plans (yesterday 15 th). I'm looking forward to the fun of building and using it. I have just about finished a boat similar to your Squirt, they didn't come with half as much info as your plans, but gave me a few lessons in boat building, mainly what not to do. I will be in touch again I'm sure. THANKS

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Wednesday, August 3, 2005
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name: Roger Jiles

Comments: I am a big fan of Glen-L, your designs, and your philosophy as a company, and have been so since I was a small boy. My father built a 19' Hot Rod design in the late fifties that was a fine boat with clear redwood deck, and oldsmobile engine. When I was 12 in 1970 Dad and I built a Glen-L 10 just after it was featured on the cover of Popular Mechanics magazine. I am currently constructing a 10' bifurcating sailing punt of my own design with my 13 year old son Dylan. Armchair design and construction of boats with the Glen-L catalog in my lap I have to say has been my greatest inspiration in my passion for the design and construction of boats. There is an old line from a book whose name currently escapes me that I have modified. "There is no greater pastime on earth than messing about designing, building, and sailing Boats."
Thank You again.
Sincerely,
Roger Jiles


Subject: Dead rise at transom for Odyssea
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005

Dear Glen-L, Hello to all and congratulations on your fine company and its longevity. I am the owner of an Odyssea design pilothouse trawler. The original builder of this fine boat, Mark Temple, modified the Odyssea design to include a pilot house instead of a flybridge. He then took the completed project from San Diego down the coast through the Panama Canal into the Carribean and back on a one year voyage. I believe possibly he might have been the impetus for the design of the Argosy, because he said if there had been plans for a 42 foot trawler, he would have built that. The hull was built in 1968. Of course, the above has nothing to do with this e-mail, I just thought you'd enjoy the fact that one of your boats was still alive and kicking as it was intended to do...

Thanks in advance.
Sincerely,
J. Bruce Palmer


Subject: Your boat plans...
Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2005

This is just a note to let you know... that if the "adventures" I have, on my home-built Glen-L boat, are 1/100 as wonderful as the ones I have already had in my mind while building your boat... your DIY plans will end up being the single best dollar investment (I believe) that a man could ever make.
Thank you!
John Wright


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