How fast does it go?

For estimating the speed for small outboard planing boats see Planing Speed Boat Chart. This chart should be used for general estimates only.

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Joe Carozzoni offered a suggestion - When builders list the engine (.e.g CID/HP) and propeller size/pitch - it's not much help unless they give a transmission ratio. While the direct drive BW Velvet Drive was once common, I've noticed many or your recent builders using the angled transmission (like I did) and the ratio can vary from 1.25:1 to 3:1. Possibly if you outright list what information you're looking for, builders would give all the details. For example, if someone else builds a Monsoon (or another boat with similar hull/weight) - this would be most helpful:

• Design:
• Engine CID/HP:
• Trasmision Ratio:
• V-Drive ratio:
• Propeller Diamter/Pitch:
• Speed@RPM:
• Builder:

Note: On small boats, speed estimates are mostly based on experience, which usually does not involve all the various hp options. The "How fast?" page is a valuable resource for other builders. Please share your performance stats.

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The information below has been submitted by builders of Glen-L designs.

(The following report was based on the first test run.)
Up Date on Glen-L Airboat, Mon, 16 Oct 2000
Hello Barry.... I was afraid to very fast, but 2000 rpm put us at 25mph. I did open up to full throttle for a few seconds to check top end....2900 rpm and if I held it there I'm sure it run at 40mph; had lots of power. The pitch was at .095 at the leading edge of site window and this puts the pitch at 10.5 degrees...will reset to .085 thousands and this will increase the rpm with a pitch at 10.0 degrees. I'm trying to achieve 3300rpm with a max at 36rpm. The prop size is a Powerfin 60" 3-Blade and the Hp of the motor is 100Hp although my 30yr vetern Mechanic says that at 5000rpm that motor would put out 175hp, no problem. Not that 3600rpm is max for the prop. Thank you Glen-L It was a great experiance and I still can't believe we did it....... Joe & Kyle Wahl

Aqua Cat: The seats carry 8 persons comfortably. Speed with twin 80 hp Mercury motors is up to 55 mph. S. Pagliaccio

Aqua Cat: Powered by twin 55 hp Evenrudes - cruises at 18-20 mph and will reach 32-34 mph with 4 people aboard. Paul Brockhoff

1-10-98
Re: Audeen
...used 1956 Ford Thunderbird 292 cu in V8 ... a 250 hp out of a wrecked T-Bird with 6K miles. I used a Capital reverse gear box, out of St Paul, MN. Glenwood conversion parts, 12"x16" Michigan wheel to push the boat at 57 mph. In 1958, when the boat was launched, that was fast. We would pull 4 skiers most of the time, 6 skiers a lot, 8 on skis only about 4 times.
We sold the boat in 1969 to a friend, they sold after 1975 to another friend. Then in 7-1-1997 they gave the boat to my son, free, if we would rebuild it. ...after 30 long days and nights, we had rebuilt the AUDEEN into another good looking ski boat. ...40 years so far, how long will it last? Mark Prokes

14 November 2001: Barry, its funny, the experts at the performance shops said bolting a pair of 200 hp outboards to your hull would be like bolting them to a dock! With only 400 hp, they said the hull wouldn't break 55 MPH.
We proved them all wrong!
Our outboard version of "Bandido" weighted in @ 3960 lb. dry (all accessories but no fuel or water). The pair of 200 hp outboard push the 30 footer to 76.3 MPH. What a rush! Speed was determined by a Raytheon L365 fish-finder on a fresh water lake in Maine.
If we were only interested in top speed, we bet we could hit 80+ with a prop change and a salt water environment. Currently, props are 22 pitch and the outboards peak at 6000 rpm. Cruise speed is 38 mph @ 17 GPH or 2 Miles per gallon. Any of our competitors are only getting 1 MPG.
Brian Hockney

BASS BOAT / Brian Eager / 01-24-2001
This boat was built by my father Dale Eager, brother Steve and I, starting in late 1975 or 1976. Started from the frame kit and worked on the project in the evenings and on rainy days when the farming work was not pressing. ...It is powered with a 1958 Johnson V-4 50HP short shaft, it will make about 32 mph at full throttle and consume 6 gal/hr. Reducing power by 1/3 will still translate into around 27 mph and the fuel flow drops to 3 gph. The boat was a great pleasure to build and is still giving us good service 25 years later.

Bass Boat: Here it is - six months of enjoyable labor. This is the Bass Boat I reduced to 14 feet. I put on a 50 hp Mercury 4-stroke (big foot) engine - and it flies - close to 50 mph. That's plenty fast enough for me. Jim Frey, Felton, CA

Bo-Jest, 2 May 2001
Handling is a thing of beauty. - turns on its beam ends at low speed and will do 360 degrees in about four lengths at cruise which at this time appears to be just over 6 kts. That is at 1200 rpm (600 at wheel). I can drive it all the way to 2200 at which point there is a whole lot of water being moved around rather pointlessly but I don't think it does more than about 9 kts. In the 6 to 7 kt range it seems to be burning just under 1/2 gallon per hour - not bad for an old 1953 Gray Marine. ...Mike Estes

Bo-Jest, 8 July 2004
Now, I can give you the actual speed. Timed against a measured mile it was 6.58 knots. This is with the Yanmar 1GM10; 2:21 reduction; 12X8 prop. RPM was 3650. I have to admit I'm not use to all this speed; it's going to teach me patience!... Bob Ellis

Bonaza: This is the 17 ft Bonanza. It was built in 1962-1963 by my grandpa and my dad. It has a 1959 chevy 283 with powerpack heads, 1965 corvette intake and carb and corvette valve covers. I put an ISKY cam and mallory dual point distributor in it. I was clocked going 42 MPH with the stock cam and distributor. Now it will outrun a new ski Sanger with a 350. Shane Robinson

Cabin Skiff: I incorporated several modifications which included stretching to 18', moving forward decks up to top of bulwarks, changing cabin & berth shape and making the windshields tilt open for ventilation. I started the project on 10/26/99 and slid it off the trailer for the maiden voyage on 7/22/00.
I haven't had enough time to really nail down the performance numbers yet but this is what it is looking like so far. With the new Honda 50 hp four stroke I find it will plane at about 17 or 18 mph. Top speed is 30 mph.
I built the Cabin Skiff with the intention of doing some long river cruises and good fuel economy is essential because fuel facilities are scarce. I am equipped with Horizon's Speed/Trip meter and their Fuel Flow meter. What it is showing me is at 21 mph I am burning 2.1 gph which equals 10 mpg. At 25 mph it goes to 2.6 gph or 9.6 mpg. At full throttle 30 mph the burn is 3.3 which equals 9 mpg. Again these numbers are preliminary as I still am fine tuning both the instruments and the Skiff but so far I am quite pleased. - Ray Macke

I put a 50hp Johnson four-stroke outboard on the boat. She'll do about 30 mph with this motor and prop. Brian Bouwer, Grand Rapids, MI

Celerity, 14 May 2001: Finished the boat and got it in the water last week. The results were terrific! The boat is very smooth and fast with the 90 horse Merc (60 mph+) The deep hull keeps you nice and dry and the boat tracks straight as an arrow with no bad handling characteristics at any speed. This is a great boat that will fit in almost any garage. Thanks for the great design and frame kit. Tom Reid

Celerity: Sea Trial conditions: 1-2 ft chop with occasional big boat wake, wind 5-l0 mph. (great day for boating!)
Motor: 80 hp
Sea Trial will be a one-way 40 mile trip through mostly open water with some protected waters to an isolated Island.
The Celerity enters the water.
After checking the fuel delivery system, and looking for any possible leaks, the boat was looked over one more time for anything that might effect the longevity and/or safety. All wires were double checked, all bolts, steering system, fuel system everything had to meet at least production boat standards or better, this boat is not coming back, it will be used as a fishing boat in remote areas where reliability and safety is a must.
The driver enters the boat and pushes off. (I am always nervous when launching a new project, I get butterflies and all that kinda stuff). The Celerity looks good in the water and we are now on our way. The course is set and we will be cruising at 27mph.
After about 15 minutes of just cruising and the butterflies are going away, the driver of the Celerity radios over to us and asks for permission to open it up and give it a real sea trial. The answer is yes and the butterflies are back. The first thing he did was a few high speed passes at full throttle. The boat looked like a missile going by, next was high speed S turns. Then as we were watching and enjoying seeing the boat do maneuvers, he started launching it off boat wakes much like a jet-ski. The little boat was sailing through the air, not even in the water. If the boat makes it through this without sinking or breaking in half I'll be a happy man. Eventually we did make it to our destination. The Celerity made it too, in one piece.
(wot@ sea level) 54mph
Best cruise 32 mph
The Celerity planes at about 15mph and gives a smooth ride along with good fuel economy. Throttle response is instantaneous.
Conclusion: The boat has a big boat feel for a little boat, I have had it in 5-6 ft seas. It's a great fishing boat with lots room for two. A 50hp motor would be more than enough power. I feel safe in this boat, it is very sea worthy and brings in a lot of fish!
John Smith, Edmonds, WA.

Class C, 30 July 2001: We put a New Mercury 25 hp with late model controls on it and it pushes the boat about 38 to 40 mph, which is pretty fast considering we fiberglassed and loaded it down with more epoxy than we really should have. We beefed up everything on it because we live in the Laffayette River and its right on the Bay so I made it so it would handle the rough water conditions. It's no doubt that this boat was made to go fast. The boat probably weighs more than double of what the true competition racers weigh and only has half the motor it could but still manages to go 40 mph. The boat has really been a blast to run, and everywhere I go everybody that sees it wants to either race me or ask me how fast it goes. My favorite part of being in it is going out looking for jet skis because they're always willing to race.
Sincerely, Adam Twiford

23 December 1997
modifications...The result is a boat that weighs 1000 lbs. and logged over 1500 miles this past summer on the Maine coast. ...I have a 40 hp long shaft Johnson on the boat and it easily planes with two people and its maximum speed is 30 mph.
Building from your plans with stitch and glue was incedibly easy! I would recommend it to anyone! Scott Vaitones (GL note: At the 350 lbs. designed weight, speed potential would be greater.)

Console Skiff: I finally got the motor for the Console skiff. I bought a 25hp Mercury Bigfoot. Top Speed with 2 passangers is 19 mph. Top Speed with 2 Passengers, 30 gallons of fuel, and a full 23 gallon bait tank is 14 mph. I put a GPS/Fishfinder on the boat and have taken the boat 35 miles south of San Diego Coast fishing for yellowtail(total of approximately 100 miles roundtrip). My fuel consumption was about 6 mpg in 2-5ft swells. I think my bulwarks modifications, the console, and leaning post added about 200-250 lbs to the Console Skiff. A 25hp motor is not quite enough to plane the hull with the added weight, but when the seas are rough, I wouldn't want to travel faster than 10 knots anyway. Norm Tyler

Console Skiff: The tank is a 23 gallon Tempo mounted below deck which kept the center of gravity low. I found that this tank fit the center area perfectly. I have a Mariner 60 hp and have taken it out twice now. I think I may have finally gotten below a half of a tank! As far as performance, the top speed is around 40 mph, but it cruises great at about 20. I have taken it in 3' seas at 20 mph with no problems and a dry ride. Chris M

Console Skiff: I started construction in August of 2003. I completed most of the work and had the boat in the water in August of 2004. However, it wasn't until this spring that I truly completed the boat.
The boat performs beyond my original expectations. I installed a 1985 Mercury 50hp outboard that my family has owned since it was new. This engine has proven to be a good match for this boat. Per my GPS, the boat runs about 33 mph at WOT with one person in the boat. With 2-3 adults, the boat hits 30 mph at WOT. I have had my entire large family in the boat and it handled without hesitation. At that time, we had 2 adults, 5 small children and a small dog in the boat. The boat popped right up on plane. Given the age of the engine, I am happy with the performance. If I were to purchase a new engine for this boat, I would go with a 40hp 4 stroke.
I have used the boat in local freshwater lakes as well as protected ocean waters. Like any boat of similar size/weight (it is a very light boat!), you need to slow down in chop for comfort, but it has handled real 2' waves without a problem. Dan Hehn

Cracker Box: The engine is a converted auto engine; 350 cu. in. Chevy with modifications that generate about 400 hp. The boat goes 78 mph with a 2 blade Menkens steel prop (11 3/4"x17). Ted Glowa

Delta Q - built by Gordon Haslam, Portland, OR, 85 hp Merc - 20 mph

Double Eagle: We accumulated 2836 hrs. over a 9 year peroid on the first engine which was a OMC Cobra. It performed well but the OMC does not compare to the Mercruiser 4.3 LXH that is in there now. She turns 4600 RPM at 42 MPH. That is excessive for a lobster boat and I usually cruise about 30 MPH. I am a believer I not underpowering a boat as power will help overcome a rough situation. I have plowed the bow into a 12 ft. breaker and was able to push through it, however, it was something I would not care to repeat. John E. Talley

Double Eagle: I just launched my version of the Double Eagle (lengthened to 25 feet). AgnesR exceeds my most optimistic expectations. With a 1989 90 hp Mercury she easily planes with 8 aboard, she fairly skims the water with 2 aboard. She handle just as well as a displacement hull at low speeds. I have not installed a speedometer nor tried a GPS but estimate a cruising speed on plane approaching 25 MPH. John Christian

Double Eagle: The hull was extended by %10 to around 25 feet. The lay-out was a little bit modified. There is a closed headroom in the cabin with a galley and v-berth. We choose Yanmar 55 hp diesel that forces the boat around 12-13 mph. The displacement of the boat is 2600 kg. with 140 L. of fuel, 100 L. of water and 50 L. of waste water tanks. We used high solid polyurethane paints and varnish. All the major woods are sapelli and iroko. Finally we had completed the boat in five months time. Murat Danis Gökçen, Göksumarin - Istanbul

Double Eagle: Built the Double Eagle + 10% stretch, sans cabin and deadwood for a center-console Sportfisherman boat. Power is 3.0L GM 130 hp @ 4400 rpm. Gear: BorgWarner VelvetDrive 71 series 1.91:1 ratio. 1 1/4" shaft. drivesaver installed. Glen-L large cruiser strut. Buck algonquin R3X rudder. Michigan Wheel DynaJet 16x18 3-blade no cup. Max rpm=3950 for 28 mph. 3000=21 mph cruise.
Installed DynaJet 3-blade 15x18, #5 cup=no change
Installed 14.6x18 no cup 3-blade, =4100 rpm @ 29 mph.
All runs were upwind/downwind, minimum fuel/provisions onboard. Both no cup props were scanned/tuned to class 1. All speeds per GPS onboard. Ken Schott

24 April 1998: I enjoyed building my 16' Drifter. The plans were easy to understand and straight forward. This should make a fine fishing boat. - 3 1/2 mos. to complete. Greg Frickey

Escapade: Bob Hurlburt, Costa Rica. Using a Cummings 250 hp diesel motor she runs at 30 mph. (Mr Hurlburt built a mold and made his Escapade out of fiberglass.)

9-2000: Flying Saucer with a Honda 25hp
"The boat is really fast. A couple of jet skis came up beside me last weekend as I was just cruising. They took off and so did I. They were left in my spray. Lots of fun!" - John T. Dutton

4-8-2008: Glen-L Geronimo. Planes at 15 mph, max speed 32 mph as per pitot tube speedo. Powered by a 1961 Merc 700 FGS with 13" Michigan 3 blade bronze prop. Kirk Bellamy, Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada

4-17-04: In the early 1990s I built a Hunky Dory modified to 24'with a cabin modified to accomodate my height(6'6") based on your plans and using your fasteners and epoxy fiberglass. I powered it with a well-mounted 80 HP Mercury. The boat performs impressively (22 knots with full load on calm water and handled rough waters with ease) John M. Neuhold

Imp: ...with a Johnson 6hp. With tiller extension allowing driver to sit in the middle seat we exceeded 17 mph. Peter Carras, Tequesta, FL

3-2003: The plans were straight forward and easy to follow. I used steel angle iron for the jig, wood was too light because the whole boat is made from 3/16 plate. I also changed the stern abit by eliminating the motor well and adding a c drive to the transom. The over all length is 18'. I use the Jimbo out on the west coast of Vancouver Is, BC Canada. I've been out in 15' to 20' rollers with a 2' to 3' wind chop on top and the boat carves great and is very dry. Power is 60 hp Yamaha top speed is 35 mph on the GPS. comfortable cruising speed is 20 to 25 mph. Great boat and design.
Regards Ken Blackburn

Jimbo Aluminum: I built mine (Jimbo) of aluminum about two years ago. The welds are nothing to brag about, believe me, but the boat gets admiring compliments everywhere it goes. I sold it for $6K and missed it so much I bought it back a month later.
My boy and I several times have gone 17 miles off Westport, WA into the Pacific, fishing salmon in it. We are just back from a week of fishing the North West coast of Vancouver Island where the catch was in the hundreds of pounds and the boat performed in the ocean flawlessly under varied, sometimes severe wind conditions.
It's a dry boat. Surfing tall ocean groundswell waves at 20 knots it is bone dry. Surfing steeper tall breaking wind waves offshore, its dingy bow plate sends 500 gallons of spray forward of the boat when it hits the trough. It doesn't seem to want to nose-dive into those steep deep troughs like previous boats. Bashing into tall whitecaps in the ocean on a 12-15 knot breeze it pounds hard and we have to throttle back, but we get through at 12 knots.
With a 40 HP mariner and 22 gals fuel it will just get four large adults up on the plane. Top speed is about 25 knots with low fuel and two adults. Loaded to the gunnels with camping gear, 20 extra gals gas in cans, etc., and heavy like a barge we can do 18 knots wide open. Chuck Bates Ph.D

Last year (May 1998) we, C. Hogervorst & JP Wolf from Holland, completed our building of the "Kingfisher". We finished the project in one year. The boat is powered by 80 hp, and makes a speed 30 knots.

10-28-00: Took me 15 months time working 3 to 4 hours a day. Powered with 1 cyl. Bukh diesel of 10 hp turning 3000 max through 2/1 reduction. Speed at 2300: cruise 6 mph. Capt. Chuck Stinchfield

Mai Tai without cabin: This is the second Glen-l boat we have built. We wanted a center console fishing boat with a hull that had a steep dead rise to it. The Key West hull design did not have the desired dead rise at the transom, however the Mai Tai boat hull suited us. In the end we built the Mai Tai hull and finished it off similiar to the Key West. We have it powered with a 225 Mercury outboard, 52 gallons of fuel capacity and loads of storage area. The prop we chose is a 15 1/4 x 15 which brings the boat up to plane very quickly and has a top speed of about 45 MPH (faster than I need to go ). Jim Vander Wiel & Sue Shelley, Page, Arizona

Malahini design, with Seapower set at 2 degrees, using 11 x 9 puller wheel and stock Ford 60 with gas tank in the bow. Boat performs very well, especially with skiers in tow. The 2 degrees seemed to work very well. The boat and motor combination makes a top speed of about 35 mph. M. A. Vistica, Gladstone, OR
I finished my Malahini in August 2007 and launched late that month. She runs very well-the 60 HP, 4-stroke Mercury is exceptional-instant start, smooth, quiet, nice idle operation and pushes the boat to 40 mph at max revs of 6600 rpm (fast enough for me!). George Redden, Staunton, VA

7-9-06: Jim Jones
For your speed of boats section this does 20.2 mph (GPS verified) with me in it (235 lbs) and I used 7/16 plywood instead of 1/4" therby adding an extra 35 - 40 lbs to the design. Power was an old sears gamefisher 9.9 with a plastic prop. It is a poor choice of power but it is what I have. The boat has all water-tight compartments and is foam filled. I also enclosed the coaming air tight for added floatation in case I submarine it.

...the Missile, which took a drag trophy in 50-55 class. It went just over 54 mph with a stock 283 cu, in., 230 hp with 4-barrel carburetor and hydraulic lifters, 4500 rpm. The boat has no cavitation plate and is using a 12 x 13 cupped wheel and 12% overdrive. M. A. Vistica, Gladstone, OR

4-18-00: Henry Thorpe
9-30-98: Setup is complete...keel, frames, chines, sheer, longitudinals. Presently fairing. 4-18-00: I have finished the Monaco. It has a 351 Ford PCM engine in it which drives it at 48 mph. The boat handles well although it is a little wet on the nose. I am planning to try spray rails along the chine. The boat is finished with dark green topsides and bright above the sheer; all deck, trim, and covering boards are mahogany.

9-11-00: Bill Yonescu
Monaco has a MerCruiser 350 MAG MPI (315 HP) engine and almost reaches 50 mph... took about 10 months full time (I'm slow) and the raw materials cost about 19K$.

Monaco: Photo at 70MPH (yes 70)
70 mph? sounds very fast. Are you sure your speedo is working properly? How modified is the motor?
Hi Barry,
Speed was checked with Radar. Unfortunately my Speedo only goes to 65. With one person (Driver) and a half tank of Premiun fuel, motor is turning 5300RPM, 1:1 Gear, 12x15 Prop. Motor is Fairly extensively modified, 306 cu in, modified heads (9.5 comp) Isky cam, 750cfm Carb, producing about 380HP (at flywheel) & 380LB-FT Torque. I couldn't be happier with the way the Boat performs at ALL Speeds. John Gondek

• It worked perfectly, gets on plane almost instantly with almost no bow rise. A very smooth dry ride even through choppy water.
• It ran 55 mph with four people and a full tank of gas according to speedometer on board and friend in bass boat along side. Should do even better with a lighter load.
• Power: carbureted 350 chevy, 1:1 velvet drive, 13 x 16 prop at 5000 rpm.
• Total build time was 934 hours.

Nor'wester: 28.2' long with the 30" hull extension and a two foot bow pulpit. 47 mph at 6200 rpm with a 3 blade powertech 15¼" X 17P "goatram" on the Glen-L Boatbuilder Forum

Outrage: I used the motor from my smaller boat... It's an 18 horse, 4 stroke Nissan long shaft. I get about 27 mph out of it... Not enough!!! But still fun as can be!!! Jeffrey A. Brunot

Fri, 2 Jun 2000 From: Gary Brickell
Your smallest boat the Pee Wee has provided me and my two sons many hours of enjoyment. We call it "Little Zipper". Pushed by a reconditioned 1962 9hp West Bend it skims along at 20mph. We have even taken several long distance trips through the Kawartha lakes with two aboard. Thank you many summers of fun in your Pee Wee runabout.

25 August 2000: Hi, I'm 16 and recently my little brother and I restored a Pee Wee built around 1970 by my uncle. It's bright red and we are currently running it with a 9.9 Johnson. We have a GPS and it goes about 30mph.

Power Skiff 14: The boat is powered by a 15 HP Johnson tiller and will plane out quickly, reaching a top end speed of approximately 23 MPH. Ken Muenster, Albertville, Alabama

Builders: Jim Vander Wiel and Susan Shelly, Page, AZ
Length of project: 20 months working part time.
Features: Hot/cold water, shower, toilet, full galley with sink and stove, fish finder, stereo/CD, VHF radio, dual batteries, generator, natural Honduras mahogany,/birch cabinets and woodwork, 5 foot wide couch and dinette settee that converts to a queen size bed, foam flotation insulation in roof, cabin sides and hull, and lots of storage.
Engine: 2002 225 Hp EFI Mercury outboard with 15 dia. x 17 pitch propeller.
Fuel/oil capacity: 56 gallons of fuel, 4 gallons of oil.
Performance: 28 mph cruising speed at 3800 rpm. Very quick to plane using hydrofoil on cavitation plate. Extremely well balanced and corners well. Expenses: Shorelander trailer - $4,000
Engine - $9,000
Boat - $14,000
Total - $27,000

Rebel: After starting in January of 1998 with your frame kit, I spent about 18 months and about 900 hours on the boat in my garage. I built the boat using white oak for the keel, battens, chine logs and shear clamp. I then used 1/4" marine plywood (fir) for the sides and bottom. Then, I laminated 1/8" mohogany strips over the plywood and finished the whole thing bright. I installed a 50hp Evenrude outboard on the back which pushes the boat with two adults and two kids at 30+ MPH. She pounds a bit in choppy water, but is very stable at high speed in smooth water. Scott Harris

6 Feb 2000, Robert Jamieson
...inline 350ci Chevy engine which was coupled to a Borg Velvetdrive transmission and on to a 13x13 prop. We proped the boat for torque as it is primarily a waterski boat and a speed of a little over 40MPH. It will pull at least six skiers out of the water nicely.

14 Nov 2001: Our Renegade, which was named "Sugar and Spice", was finished in 1984. The boat is now seventeen years old and has been enjoyed every year!
'Sugar and Spice' is powered by a 440 cubic inch Chrysler engine that has been marinized with some of your components as well as : Velvet Drive transmission; Stern Power outdrive, model 107; 16 1/2" x 24" cleaver style propeller. The boat is an excellent ski boat, all around day cruiser and runs in the mid-60's, wide open.
Allen and Robin Cohon

River Rat-Aluminum: I just finished my River Rat, the hull is 20'6" with a 2'6" outboard bracket/swim platform. If anyone is thinking about this hull, it's super. I get a solid 23 knots with a 1986 70 hp Evinrude outboard. It handles great, overtaking other boat wakes, it tracks incredibly straight. It makes an excellent crabbing, clamming and fishing boat, and it's very stable at rest. It is an excellent bay boat, and from the design and how easy it is to plane, real easy on fuel. I also like the bow, nice and high. I don't know how much water it draws, but its not much, the transom corners at the chines are about 1 1/2" under water. It planes at 12 knots with 3 adults on board, and doesn't squat at all coming out of the hole. My outboard bracket is an extension of the hull for about 26" and is about 2'6" wide at the bottom. Bill Zubko

Riviera: The boat has a Chev V8 350 with about 325 hp and a Borg Warner gearbox driving a 13 x 12 prop. The boat does about 50 mph and gets there real quick so I think I should play with the pitch. Wayne Cox, New Zealand

Riviera: Powered by a 351-cu-in V-8 engine, she can reach 53 mph - Henry Thorpe

Just took my Rob Roy out for its first test on the Coquille River here in Southwestern Oregon. It was great. Took 45.5 hours to build (not bad for a first boat, I'm told; subsequent ones should take less time). Art Spinella

Roustabout: I built mine in 75, powered with a Mustang 289-Ford V-8 and Volvo I/O. She's a little rear end heavy but OK. Roustabout is NOT a rough water, or off shore boat at all! After 23 years of service, only the epoxy paint coat is worst for wear! I've had her up to 51 mph, by myself, in smooth water. Mike Stabler

April 1998, Greg McGraw. Built in 1991, Sheer line and super structure changed. Framed in Douglasfir. Hard top: African mahogany. Power: 3208N, 210hp. Speed: 13 1/2 knots top. Wheel: 23 x 18 4 blade, 2 x 1 gearing.

Sea Angler: Started construction 08/2001 and completed 7/15/04. Power is twin 230 HP Yanmar diesels w/ 2:1 reduction/3 blade 21x20 props. Rudders are bronze 1.2 S/F each w/hydraulic steering Dry weight was weighted at 11,520 pounds The boat handles very nicely.
15 mph at 2,000 rpm just slides thru water
24 mph at 3,000 rpm sterns digs in slightly
? at 3,300 max rpm
Neil L. Quade, Lincoln City, OR

3-15-02: I have completed the Sea Knight, but I'm still working on some small things here and there. It took 1 year and 18 days from start to getting her in the water. It was a great experience and I hope to build another boat someday. I stuck a 60 hp merc on it and so far I haven't had water smooth enough to go flat out, but 60 seems more than enough.

Sea Knight: Had it out a second time in November (in Minneapolis!!) and put 108 miles on the Mississippi River. (Next summer maybe I'll motor down and see Ray Macke and his Cabin Skiff!) GPS'd at 45 mph upstream with a '93 Mariner 100 on it. Bob Maskel

Sneak Box: ...I bought a new 3.5 Nissan. It is a nice motor and pushes the boat about 6 to 7 mph when loaded with decoys, dog, gun, camo-covers etc. I now wish I had pushed my credit limit another $400 and gone for a 5 hp. I think that I could now use that reserve power for when tide, chop and wind are against me. I think the 3.5 is too small for comfort. Fred Dobler

Posted by Gary Baker on September 18, 2000:
Finally I have gotten my engine problems sorted out-- am running a 1957 Johnson electric start 18hp on a stock Squirt with seat, center and bow flooring, steering system and 6.5 gallon OB tank. Motor weight ~110. (Not your lightest boat.)
With 218 lb occupant-- boat planes at 1/2 throttle, tops out at about 30 mph. Boat runs bow level at full throttle, skids (but flat) through turns, and runs best in very smooth water-- was run successfully in 8" chop to get home. Assume recommended fin would cure skidding-- but sure is fun. With spouse in boat-- also planes flat, with somewhat less speed. Absolutely no porposing. Plenty of boyancy. Very sensitive to engine angle-- when run perpendicular to transom-- performance as above-- when run tilted up at all, performance suffers and harder to plane.

Squirt: Let me relay the experience we had when we first used the Squirt. My wife weights 110 and I'm 190. With both of us aboard, the Squirt easily hit 20 mph. When my wife drove it alone, it was clocked at 26 mph. Art

Squirt: I've had three different engines on her. The first one was a 10 hp Seahorse, second, an 18 hp Evinrude. I wasn't really happy with the older engines, although they looked good on the boat. Now I found a 1984 Johnson, runs like new (very few hours). With this motor, the boat runs around 27 mph and rides very flat and stable with smart tabs, smallest ones. The Squirt has no bow rise when accelerating. I used a small fin on the bottom, so it doesn't slip in turns. Mike LeCompte, Corona, CA

Squirt: Our Marine Mechnics program provided a rebuilt Johnson 35 with electric start. The motor was fitted with a dolphin which eliminated the porposing. Sassy will run out at 36 mph according to our GPS. She is a fun boat and we've had a good time building her. Chris Chadwick, Melbourne, FL

Squirt: My Squirt has 15 HP Long schaft Johnson and max speed 22 Knots (because of the long shaft). Hakan Zorlu, Istanbul Turkiye (9-07)

June 2000. Here are the final photos of my Stiletto. The lake we are on is at 4500 feet above sea level. Second day on the water I reached 52 mph and very airborn. The boat only weighs about 900 lbs. complete, motor, and all in the water. ...I have done everything myself, boat, paint, trailer, etc. ...It took 9 months until a finished product! Parker McQuown

Stiletto: I completed a Stilletto in 1992 and installed a 115 HP Mercury. Handling is rock solid with top speed, as set up, just under 50 mph. Two skid fins were installed instead of the one shown on the plan. Cornering can be tight enough at full speed to dump unsuspecting riders off the seat and onto the floor. The boat stays almost completely flat in corners on smooth water. Some porpoising is experienced on smooth water when the motor is trimmed out too far at any speed. In rough water the boat handles nicely until the motor is trimmed out past vertical and the boat gets very light feeling. In order to handle the larger motor the transom was doubled in thickness, the motor well was strengthened and the vertical boards on the sides of the cockpit were doubled all the way from the transom to the deck. Sean Morris

Super Spartan: 6-5-04: I finally got my Super Spartan in the water. Here are a couple pics. With a warmed over 9.9 Yamaha and a stock 12" pitch aluminum prop and a 160# driver, we saw 34 m.p.h. which exceeded my expectations. Now it's time to start tuning the motor and testing props.

In Reply to: Re: Super Spartan Questions posted by Alfred Marshall on November 24, 1998
I have built a Super Spartan and found it to be a real blast. I have a heavily modified 25hp motor and it will hit aprox 58 mph. I have seen 50 hp motors on them but it requires someone to hold it up when you start or you will sink. Expect 30-40mph with 25hp. Remember fast will come from a race prop you can get one used at the local races. Have fun and safe before speed. P.S. I have seen them go 80+mph so don't think they're slow!!! Mark Severance

Sweet Caroline - 2-28-01: Launched for engine break-in and trials. Very satisfactory at intended speeds (18-20 mph) but overpowered with 40 hp, tops out at 29-30 mph (didn't stay there very long). 25 hp would be sufficient, 9.9 if you are into displacement-speed loafing. This is my first light, narrow flat-bottom planing boat and it is a nice experience: smooth transition to plane,goes on up through 10,12,15, 20 mph like a fast electric boat. Engine (Yamaha 40 2-stroke) is quiet enough at these speeds for conversation. Minimal slapping/pounding in light chop. Upwards of 24 mph, starts hobby-horsing and getting "loose", scantlings probably too light for these speeds in chop. More on performance after correcting items from trials (raising swim steps added on stern to stop spray pattern on engine). Don Hodges, Lynn Haven, FL

Sweet Caroline - 5-2-05: I'm putting the finishing touches on my Sweet Caroline and I found that the boat will do 13 mph w/ an old 9.9 Evinrude w/ just myself on a calm lake... R.N.

Thunderbolt: Using a stock '59 283 Chev., pushing the hull at 59 mph with a 12" x 14" prop with 3% overdrive V-drive... M. A. Vestica

I purchased a used Thunderbolt nine years ago. It's powered by a big block olds 425 super rocket and has been over 90 mph and often had two to three feet of air at aprox 40 - 50 mph. I am told the boat was built in 1965 and have re-glassed twice (due to the serious abuse ). Eddie

25 Jul 2000
Dave Tillusz
I built a Tiny Titan about 20 years ago and had much fun with it. It did about 36 MPH with a 9.9 HP Johnson and a 2 blade brass racing prop. I weighed about 160 lbs at the time. I ran as little fuel as I could in the tank, maybe 2 gal. tops. I really wanted to put an 18 hp on it, but I was a poor kid at the time. I'm thinking the thing (which I called Thunder Boat) would have done about 70 mph. Now that would have been a serious blast!

20 Jul 2002
I recently built a Tiny Titan and am running a Johnson 10 hp on it. I've had it up to 24 miles an hour... David Moyle

11 Sep 2002
My Tiny Titan goes 32mph using a stock 1998 15HP Evinrude and alum. three-blade 9.5X12.5 prop on a full 6 gal tank. I weigh 165LBs. The boat is heavy, with 1/4 in. decking, solid 3/4 in. fir frames, a seat and trim. The cavitation plate runs 3/4 inch above the surface, motor is on the third notch.
Many first-time drivers have run my boat successfully (on the second notch). A 20HP would be too much for beginners. Alf Marshall

Sun, 6 Jun 2004
I completed the Tiny Titan last fall.
I started my 13 year-old son out with a '50s classic Mercury Mark 5 outboard, set up with a dead man throttle and stock prop. He drives it easily, and has topped out at 23 mph. Not bad for 5 horsepower!! This was just to get him accustomed to the feel of the boat. We are now working on a classic Mercury 10 Lightening.
Bill Wright
Osterville MA

Tiny Titan: Driver: 250 lbs., 25 hp, 45 mph. with a hydrofoil on the motor. Alan Thomas, Saskatoon, Sask, Canada

Tiny Titan: The boat was built to the plans with the exception of some extra reinforcing for a battery hatch in the front. The boat is fully fiberglassed and rides great with a 15 HP Mercury, having a top speed just over 35 MPH. Cameron and Peter Walters, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

TNT: I loved building it. It has a 1969 20 HP Johnson on it, the first time out it would only go 22 mph. After some digging I found it to be a prop problem and have ordered the correct prop. I was very suprised at how stable it is for such small boat. Ken & Karen

GLEN-L TNT posted by Larry Stewart on April 29, 1998 at 16:57:25:
: I am thinking of building the Glen L TNT. Any info would be appreciated. How big of motor, does it handle good, easy to build,etc.: This is my first try, I am starting small.
Posted by anonymous on May 24, 1998 at 09:49:46:
I built the TNT about a year or two ago. It was fairly easy. Its a great boat. Have a 15 hp and it flys along the water at 30. Could take a 30hp and really fly very stable, takes waves well. cost about $800.00 ..
Great boat!
Posted by Jim on July 23, 1998 at 03:47:30:
I built the TNT about 25 years ago and used a Merc 30H racing engine for speeds of 50 mph. It is a very nice boat, but would advise taking care and getting Glen-L's "Boatbuilding with Plywood". Use mahogany marine ply only; you might have to order the ply, as it's hard to find locally.
Good luck and you will like this boat.
Posted by Blake on August 07, 1998 at 14:27:21:
I built a TNT 12 years ago and used it for 10 great seasons. It's fun safe and a topic of conversation everywhere you take it. I finally sold my boat as it was getting a little small for my new family. I miss it.
Over the years I used 4 motors on it. Three of them were quite old.
1: 25 hp Gale = 30mph
2: 1956 40hp 4cyl merc Mark 55E = 34 mph
3: 1965 35 hp merc = 34mph
4: 1992 Nissan 50hp = 50mph (power trim & elec start) I could have run this setup considerably faster if I had opted for a 19" ss prop instead of the 17" aluminum. However the boat is not designed to run 60+mph.
If you really want great performance I would suggest a 40hp Japanese (lightweight) motor with a good ss prop.
I would think that you could have fun with this boat with any kind of engine.
I reinforced my transom with an extra 3/4 of an inch to hold my 50hp. I customized my boat a little and it showed very well in the 1996 Toronto International Boat show.

TNT vs Squirt posted by Cecil Floyd on October 02, 1998 at 11:37:38:
I origanally was going to build a hydroplane but the TNT and the Squirt have caught my eye. I see a lot of people praising the TNT but have saw nothing on the Squirt. Does anyone know if the Squirt has the speed of the TNT? I would be happy if the thing would go around 30mph. If anyone has more info please let me know. I like the styling of the squirt more than the TNT.
Posted by Don Fisher on April 17, 1999 at 22:01:13:
Update on Squirt: 30 mph is exactly where my Squirt tops out. Using a 1967 Mercury 20 hp. outboard. The same boat with a new prop rated 18 or 20 hp motor would probably run circles around it. But in a 10 ft boat, 30 feels like 50. In spite of my still not completely solved the handling problems, it has been tremendous fun. A litle more power would make it easier to get my big kids on plane on their kneeboard.

TNT / Don Slomke / 12-12-01: Turned hull over and began topside construction. Only about 40 hrs into it at this point.

TNT Update, 10/18/02
I am running a hopped-up 9.9 Yamaha with a stock aluminum prop and I am getting 26+ m.p.h. on G.P.S. After I get a few more hours on the motor, I'll work on it some more. I also have a SS prop coming for it.

Thu, 10 Aug 2000
TNT: The length was increased 4 inches in the back behind the divers seat. The hull was professionally fiberglassed and gel coated. Seven coats of varnish so far on the deck; 2 go-kart seat side by side, all Mercury components: Tach, Speedo and control box.
... Fiberglassing the hull is highly recommended in my book. It added about 60 lbs. but the weight is low and it is indestructible now. The motor is a 25 Merc Stock electric start with a 18 inch Mercury Racing copper which so far after two weekends has pushed the boat to 42 mile per hour. Mike Moore.
(Note: Normally fiberglassing would add 10 to 15 lbs.)

TNT 8 Nov 2000: Modifications include a hatch behind the seat that lift's on hinges to store thing's. Also the back for a seat was built in, but the seat is a removable cushion. Other than that it is to spec. The motor on it is a ten horse and I am surprised to say that it was clocked doing 23 miles an hour. Nick Rakic, Vancouver B.C Canada

TNT October 29, 1998: I just wanted to take a quick moment to express my pleasure in the plans and framing kit I recently purchased for the TNT. I found the instructions and plans to be complete and easy to follow... I worked on it in the evenings and some weekends and completed it in under two months, which was much faster than I had figured it would take. ... I currently am running a 25 hp with a 10 x 17 prop and she moves and handles great. Tony Allen

TNT 5-1-01: ...The boat has a 20 hp. Mercury engine which pushes it along pretty well, and a rotary steering system which was quite simple to install. Although it took over 325 hours to build, the results are worth it. Kyle Crawford

TNT 8-7-03: ...With a new 25 hp Mercury, she was clocked at 37 mph. I'm not sure whether I built this boat for me or the grand kids. Thanks for your help. John Wilmot, Damascus, MD.

TNT 8-8-03: The boat was increased in length by 8 inches... long shaft Mercury 25-horse... We have tried three props on the boat, 13.5 in., 14.5 in. and a 18 in. chopper prop, for overall performance we run with 14.5 pitch prop most of the time. The boat is extremely fast to plane and when trimmed to the max we have reached 37 mph (speedometer reading) with the 14.5-in. prop on the stock 1974 Mercury. Overall the TNT has been a great experience for myself a first time boat builder and has been more than impressive in its handling on the water. Richard Jasieniuk, Saskatoon, Sask., Canada

TNT 6-12-06: ...This is a TNT Junior Runabout with an 18 hp Merc. Runs and handles great. Very Stable. Does 25 mph max with the 18 hp engine. Mike Toews

TNT: I installed a new motor and tilt-trim package to the TNT. Motor: 30 HP - One of the last years of the Two stroke... She runs great – the tilt really helps with top end and keeping the nose slap to a minimum. I’ve been clocked at 42 mph with two adults. When you trim the nose down she really digs into the turns. Will Bolton

TNT: The TNT was very easy to build, especially with the frame kit, And will easily carry 2 youngsters. Mine runs about 26 mph w/ a stock 15hp and alum. prop (I weigh about 280#). Don S.

TNT: With a 20 HP Johnson we had previously, 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. Sean Stephen L., Oakville Ontario, CANADA

John White, Whittier, CA: John was 18 when he built his Tornado. It was powered by a 450 cu. in. Lincoln, 80 mph... "The engine was not performing as well as it could".

TUFFY I am powering it with a 9.9hp YAMAHA ( the closest lake has a 10hp limit) but this winter I will rebuild the engine with a few mods and a 15hp carb. 8-2-01: A mere 61 days after starting the project, we launched TUFFY. The boat performed well (for a 13' boat, I'm used to much larger ones). We got 21 m.p.h. with a stock 1985 9.9 YAMAHA and a "well used" prop. That is with two 250+ lb passengers! 10-1-01: Update on "Tuffy's" performance: with a new 10-1/2" Yamaha prop, (which I may have worked over this winter) we saw 25 m.p.h. with a 200# passenger in the front seat and myself (280#) in the back! I did find out the 15 hp parts are already on the engine, but there is surely more speed to be had! Thanks for a great project, I highly recommend the Tuffy for a first timer, the instructions are super easy to follow and very detailed. Now I am starting my T-N-T for when I want to zip around by myself.

TUFFY 9-26-02: Started work in September 2001. Built the frames, and waited for warm weather. In April, moved to the garage, built the jig, and completed the project July 7, 2002. Modified the transom (3 laminations of plywood) and transom knee (4 3/4 laminations of plywood) to support a 60HP 2 cylinder short shaft Evinrude (1981). With a 19" aluminium 3 blade prop, the boat will hit 42 MPH, and will hold 40 with 4 teenagers. It rides like a dream on calm water, corners well, but avoid boat wakes at 40 MPH! ...David Langman, Orangeville, Ontario, Canada

Tunnel King: With only 120 horsepower, I reach speeds of 70+ mph with one person, and low to mid-50's with four people! Matthew Green

Glen-L test model: 20 hp motor, 165 lb driver = 35 mph.

Tunnel Mite: I picked up several Motors on E-Bay, First was a 1968 20 HP Merc with a 11 pitch prop and a 1987 25 hp Merc with a 13 pitch propeller. the 20 hp weighs 97 lb and the 25 is just over 110. With the 20 hp motor I was able to make 25 MPH measured with a GPS and with the 25 HP it made 30 MPH. I weigh 185 lb and the fuel tank is a 3 Gallon plastic tank. Peter Nicola

Tunnel Mite: The boat handles very well at all speeds. The Tunnel Mite seems to thrive on choppy water, the stability of the hull is impressive. The turning is fairly flat. Top speed with a 25 hp motor and a re-pitched prop is close to 40 mph (probably a little faster with a lighter driver!), so far no tendency to flip over. This boat is a lot of fun. John C. Smith

Tunnel Mite: I used a 25 hp Tohatsu which is plenty of power and just slightly over your 100 pound weight suggestion. Speeds in the upper 30's with an aluminum stock propeller. I suspect 4 to 6 mph faster with a higher pitched SS propeller. The boat rides a little "shifty" from side to side at slow speeds but smoothes out and really begins to lift at top speeds. Handles very well in light chop water. This boat was fun to build and a blast to drive. Got "White knuckles"? Steve Powers, Aliso Viejo, CA

Top speed of 38mph with 454, Merc out drive. Laid up with heavy glass over wood. Hull is stretched to 30 ft. plus 2 ft. swim grid. She has been tested in 10 ft. waves with very close crests. It was a bit scarry but no harm done except the dinghy got torn off the grid and lost. Sincerely, PHIL SWIFT, Vancouver Island

V-Dory: 11 Jul 2006. ...the hull is a V-Dory, but the cabin is a mismatch of your ideas plus some of my own. I recently got back from a long trip in Puget Sound and it performed WONDERFULLY!! Everyone comments on how comfortable and how stable it is to ride in. I have twin 50 HP Evinrude ETEC engines, and at 5500 RPM, it scoots along at 30 MPH (in very calm water). David Holmes

V-Dory: I built the Glen-L Vee Dory pretty much to the basic plan with no options. It took me about 7 months starting Nov. 2004. I powered it with an Evinrude E-Tec 90 horse and it does about 31 mph. I have fished the boat out of Bodega Bay in California 6 times last summer and it has been a pleasure to fish from. It handles a medium sloppy ocean at 16 mph and is extremely stable. Nick Kies, Novato, CA

Powered by Mercruiser 3.7 liter, 185 HP; Top Speed: 43 mph; Cruising: 22 mph. 3.2 miles/gallon. Hull: $1700. Robert & Eric Vader, Capistrano Bch, CA.

Vee Gull: We have had it out in Lake Simcoe (North of Toronto) on a pretty rough day (2-3ft waves) and we were fine, we had to back off the throttle a few times when larger waves came by but overall it is a pretty stable boat. With 120 hp it will do about 35-40 mph easy. It is a nice and wide boat offers a lot of room on deck. Matt Culham

3-11-02: I purchased your Wee Hunk plans and completed the boat this past weekend. I have about 60 hrs into the project. It was my first boat building project, although I have built a couple of houses, custom cabinets and furniture. I enjoyed every minute of the project. I hope to send some photos to you soon. I put a 30hp 4 cycle motor on the boat and I hope to try it in the water next weekend. - Paul G. Sadeck

2-18-01: Built xp-8 in 1978. Put fiberglass over plywood. Boat still in use. 25mph estimated with 9.9 hp outboard.--- Greg Gardiner

Darryl Mabee / 10-31-01: Built complete XP-8 in two weeks during summer vacation in 1990. Boat still in use. 25mph estimated with 9.9 hp outboard.

Yukon - 2-1-01: It is my understanding that my Ford Model 2715E is rated at 115 brake horsepower. I used a 2.1:1 reduction gear that came with the engine. I installed a Drivesaver and a 1-1/2-inch shaft. The propeller is 22 inches in diameter, with an 18-inch pitch, and is a four-bladed model. I generally run the engine at about 1,800 rpm (maximum rpm is 2,500), and according to my GPS unit, cruise at 7.3 knots. I get 8 knots at about 2,100 rpm. Fuel consumption is almost negligible-about 2 gallons per hour. It is my impression that the propeller could stand a bit more pitch.
The launching took place five years and a few days after I started the project. I probably averaged about two working days per week over that period, which makes roughly 4,160 hours of work that went into the project, and I still have some inside finish work to do.
The project cost about $40,000 Canadian (about $27,000 U.S. at current exchange rates). The finishing-up period is a real money hemorrhage, since there are many bits and pieces of hardware involved that tend to be expensive. Wayne Milner
(See the MISC pages, "Building the Yukon" for a description of Mr. Milner's project.)

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