In only a few short weeks more than 100 happy, friendly,
excited men, women and children will be gathering at
Hale's Bar Marina and Resort at Lake Nickajack,
Tennessee.
Thanks to the efforts of some wonderful people who one day
opined "It's obvious that through our postings on
the Glen-L Boatbuilder Forum (even though we've
never met face-to-face) we've become good friends and
comrades-in-boatbuilding, let's pick a time and a place
where we can meet, share our boatbuilding experiences and
fully enjoy one another's company."
Thus the Gathering of Glen-L Boatbuilders was born 3 years
ago and has each year grown larger and more enjoyable due to
the continued efforts of a great bunch of people. This year
we're expecting upwards of 40 home-built boats!
Don't miss this FREE time of great fun on (and off) the
water, thanks to the continued efforts of a gracious group of
amateur boatbuilders whose finished (or partially-finished)
watercraft are absolutely gorgeous "works-of-art"
and who are anxious to share their skills and techniques with
you!
Until next month . . .
Editor
Midlife Crisis?
by Ian Gruber, Leduc, Canada
"...DYE MY HAIR BLUE AND BUY A
LIME GREEN PORSCHE..."
A funny thing happened over the
weekend.
I was busy in the garage, sanding excess filler epoxy off
the sides & bottom of my Malahini while getting ready for
fiberglassing next week when I had a thought pop into my
head.
You know those random thoughts you get when working away
solo on the boat…doing relatively low-brainpower work
like sanding for hours...your mind wanders a little…or
at least mine does.
I got to thinking
"I wonder if my wife thinks this is my mid-life
crisis?"
Hmmm.. I don't think so personally. I mean, I am
only 39 years old... 2 young kids (5 and 10), and
really it's just a boat. Sure, it's a handcrafted
boat... probably going to cost around $10k give or take a few
thousand. And yes, I am in the garage more evenings and
weekends than ever before in my life, but hey, that's
just a hobby, right?
Wouldn't you know it, on Sunday, on the way to the
family farm, while my wife and myself are talking (again)
about buying a new vehicle to replace our old Ford Windstar
when she says "I want a truck, I've always wanted a
truck and it can be my mid-life crisis thingy?"
Now, I am all for getting a truck, but that "mid-life
crisis thingy" comment got me wondering...
Me: "Honey, you don't think the boat is MY mid-life
crisis thingy do you?"
Her: "Sure it is."
Me: "No it isn't..."
And off we went…not an angry discussion but I found
myself trying to explain how a mid-life crisis would be
something more outrageous than just building a boat.
See, I was trying to "save" my actual mid-life
crisis as an excuse to do something really silly... like dye
my hair blue and buy a lime green Porsche or something like
that. You know, use it up on something outrageous that I
could simply blame on "mid-life".
But a boat, or even building a boat, does not seem that
outrageous to me. Unusual maybe...but off-the-wall
blue-haired with green sportscar crazy… no way.
But then again, I
can't think of myself as totally normal… it's
not like everyone out there builds boats for fun (most of
them should... but that's another topic).
Regardless, the jury is still out, for me, anyway.
Editor's Note:
Ian, AKA "Iggy" on the Glen-L Boatbuilder Forum,
posted the above story in the Forum, which has led to a
multitude of comments and "midlife crisis" stories
by other builders.
See what you miss when you don't visit the Boatbuilder Forum?
Glen-L Boatbuilder of the Month
Fernand Bouchard - Tornado
Well, yesterday was the big day,
the First Launch! The boat is very stable and rock-solid.
Despite the water was not so calm and that there were many
boats around, the ride was very enjoyable. You can look at
some videos on YouTube and some pictures in Customer Photos. We rode in the boat all
the afternoon, until the velvet drive transmission broke on
the last ride (that was the only part of the drive train
which my father did not rebuild...). The whole day was
classified as a "Big success"!!
A genuine Glen-L TORNADO my 61-year old father, Fernand
Bouchard of Napierville, Quebec, built himself. The Tornado plan
was bought more than 20 years ago from Glen-L. We still have the
old Glen-L catalog at home and if it falls on the ground, it
always falls open at the Tornado's page!
The building started in 2006. The boat frames are made from
white oak and the rest is Brazilian Mahogany. The motor is a
1961 Ford FE 390ci. This motor was also brought more than 20
years ago; the pistons had to be hammered out of the cylinders,
the engine was completely disassembled and stored for about 15
years, then my father successfully rebuilt it himself in
2003.
My dad did not only build the boat but, as being a machinist,
built also all the metal parts (except the gas pedal), including
the trim tab control lever, the steering hub, the shifter and
all brackets and mounts. The transmission is a Velvet drive 70C
or 71C, with a Casale V-Drive (before the split case).
If you look closely at some of the photos, on the wall in the
background you can see pictures of another Tornado; many
pictures of Rob Kauffman's Tornado as
inspiration.
I am very proud of my father, and you can contact him if you
have any questions or comments at
. Please watch all of our Tornado videos at YouTube for the
pleasure of your eyes and mostly your ears!
Just to be sure you don't forget, all congratulations go to
my dad, who built the boat (he doesn't speak English very
well so I translate for him).
Yes, another Glen-L boat is born!
-- Joe Bouchard, Very Proud Son
Bob and Billy's Mini-Gathering
by Bob Perkins & Bill Cunningham
The past few years Bob Perkins and
I have been throwing out the idea of getting his gorgeous Biscayne and my Belle Isle together for a day of boating
and celebrate our launches over a beer or two. We had been
cyber building together on the Boatbuilder Forum, sharing our ideas and
helping each other keep our builds alive.
As I was not a happy camper this week, having to cancel my
2010 Gathering vacation (had a floating
cabin reserved since last December) - the Gathering is going
to be such a great time; I envy you guys who can go - getting
together with Bob was great timing.
Anyway, this past Friday Bob trailered to the Back Bay
launch at Lake Winnipesaukee New Hampshire and we took the
girls out for a spin. For those of you who like pictures Bob
and I took a few of our day together. -- Billy Cunningham
This was a lot of fun - Thanks for writing, Billy. It was
great to meet you in person!
We could have stood on the dock all day and just fielded
questions from passers by... -- Bob Perkins
Meeting other builders is so therapeutic. Someone that can
talk building boats and more is heaven!
The Admiral and I will be retired by the next Gathering so
nothing will stop us from attending!
Thanks, everyone, for letting us share our boating adventure
pictures with you! -Billy
Editor's Note:
See all of the spectacular photos Billy and Bob posted, along
with comments from other Glen-L boatbuilders in the Boatbuilder Forum.
Designer's Notebook: Rudders for Inboards
We all know that
thing-a-ma-bob at the back end of the boat is a
rudder, and it pivots to turn the boat. This
discussion will primarily cover the typical inboard
rudder on a small runabout or cabin cruiser with the
bottom of the rudder unsupported.
For greatest efficiency, a rudder is best mounted
completely under the bottom of the boat. However,
especially on shorter runabouts, a portion of the
rudder blade often projects aft the transom in order
to keep the shaft angle as small as possible. When a
rudder is not under the boat and it is turned, air
can be induced resulting in loss of rudder action.
When turning the bow will drop, the boat refuse to
turn, and a wall of water can be induced; this is
both scary and potentially dangerous.
One cure is to use a rudder (Fig. 1)
that has the upper aft portion reduced. This helps
sometimes, but the best cure is to extend the boat
bottom, often with a bracket, to keep solid water
over the rudder.
Initially, rudders were almost always square, or
close to it. At first the rudder post was at the
front like a barn door. However, particularly as
speeds increased, the effort to turn the rudder
became excessive. A portion of the blade was left in
front of the rudder, about 20% of the total area. As
speeds increased, the 83%/17% type of rudder with
only 17% forward of the shaft became common.
Excessive area in front of the shaft exerts such a
force it can cause the boat to suddenly turn. A
rudder should be restricted as to the amount it can
turn, usually 30 to 35 degrees each side of the
centerline.
Older rudders were made from wood, and then later
they were made with steel plate. As speeds increased
a flat plate could vibrate. Once rudders began to be
made by casting a better shape could be induced, but
that contour was somewhat restricted due to weight.
For moderate speeds a foil section with thickest
point about one-third from the fore end proved to
work well. When still higher speeds became common, a
4 degree wedge-shaped section proved to be more
efficient.
As speeds continued to increase, the
profile of the rudder changed from a simple
rectangle to one with greater area toward the base
(Fig. 2). This made the boat bank better on turns
and also lessened the possibility of air being
sucked to the rudder blade.
Rudders are usually mounted on the boat centerline,
however, this may prevent the prop shaft from being
able to be removed without dropping the rudder. Some
rudders are cutaway enough to compensate for this.
The alternative is to offset the rudder so the prop
shaft will clear, usually no more than one shaft
diameter from the centerline. The offset direction
is opposite the rotation of the prop; to the left
with a right hand prop and vice versa.
A power boat will always turn better in the
direction the prop rotates due to the torque
reaction. Offsetting the rudder will compensate for
this torque reaction to some extent; seating the
driver on the side the prop rotates is also
helpful.
A rule of thumb for rudder blade area sizes for
small planing boats is 0.03 x hull draft x waterline
length. The slower the boat the larger the rudder
blade area; the faster the boat the smaller the
area. Most inboard runabouts won't turn well at
slow speeds because there isn't enough rudder
blade area, but a large blade causes more resistance
at speed, so there is a compromise, usually on the
side of speed. Owners of such speedboats find that
by giving the boat a little more throttle when
turning the boat helps; rather tricky when
approaching a dock.
The rudder post extends through the boat bottom and
is encased in a bronze sleeve topped with a packing gland, much like the
one on the prop shaft. This sleeve acts as a bearing
but the rudder shaft usually extends well above the
rudder stuffing box. Due to the high forces caused
by the turning of the rudder, a bearing near or at
the top of the shaft is desirable, usually mounted
on a bracket extending between
stringers or other boat structural members. A collar, riding atop, locks to
the shaft preventing the rudder from dropping out
through the boat bottom.
An alternative to the above
eliminates the packing gland and is generally used
on slower boats. A tube fitting firmly around the
rudder shaft, going through the bottom of the boat
and extending well above the waterline (as shown in
Fig. 3). This tube can be made from fiberglass
laminates wrapped directly around the rudder shaft
and epoxied into the boat bottom.
Noah Had a Plan
Noah had a very special
plan
Given to him by God
To build a really large boat
Today, that does seem odd
The instructions were quite clear
But the plans were very basic
“Build it 50 cubits by 300 cubits
And don’t worry about being seasick"
Noah had to work on the plans
That is, all the details of the boat
How to fit in all those animals
From A to Z, including goat
He finished the ark on time
Though it took him 20 years
He had never built a boat before
But he toiled on without fear
Noah completed this difficult task
With minimal help, he found a way
But there is a lesson to be learned
For the novice boat builder of today
If you consider building a boat
Know that detailed plans are available
Expert help and advice abound
For you to build a craft that’s sail-able
As long as the boat you want to build
Is a tad smaller than Noah’s Ark
Glen-L probably has a plan to build it
It will be as easy as a walk in the park.
Building a boat from Glen-L plans
Is like climbing a ladder rung by rung
But if animals start collecting nearby
Work faster, and watch out for the dung
-ArtDeco
Photos posted since the last WebLetter...
Glen-L Walk-in Customer of the Month
Thursday, July 15 brought a special
surprise to us at Glen-L Corporate Headquarters in
Bellflower, California, when in walked Martin, Mia, and
Yvonne Lundqvist of Stockholm, Sweden.
Martin and his posse were vacationing here on the west coast
of the United States, and prior to visiting Glen-L had made
stopovers to see the giant redwoods in Sequoia National
Forest (looking for boatbuilding material?) as well as
enjoying the scenery and fruits of Napa Valley in the heart
of California's wine country.
As a multitude of Swedish tourists do, Martin wanted to make
a special point of touring the expansive grounds of the
Glen-L World Headquarters while in America, and after a fun
(for all of us) visit left with a set of plans and patterns
for a "fast boat" in hand.
In all seriousness, Gayle, Darla, Buckshot and I
tremendously enjoyed meeting and getting to know the
Lundqvist clan, and we hope they'll one day drop in on us
again.
We truly hope that all of you will come visit us, too!
"I
don't think anyting is unrealistic if you
believe you can do it."
--- Mike Ditka, Hall of Fame former
football player and coach
Shop Talk: Evening Caulk Lines
& Marking Dark Wood
SPOONING AN EVEN CAULK
LINE
Laying out an even
line of caulking compound can be a challenging job for even the
most experienced boatbuilder. The "perfect bead" of
caulk requires an even squeeze, steady motion, and a little
luck. If your caulk line needs help, an old spoon may be the
tool for the job.
The tip of a spoon is the perfect tool to remove the excess
caulking compound. Simply scrape the tip along the groove,
frequently wiping the excess caulk into a moist rag. A moist
finger can clean up "lap marks" in the caulk.
Most hardware stores also sell caulking tools that work well.
Some of these store-bought tools are designed to leave only the
smallest line of caulking compound exposed. These tools are
great if you have one handy, but in a pinch a spoon is a great
tool to have around.
TRACING PATTERNS ON DARK
WOOD
Use a white pencil from an art
supply store or a soapstone used in metal work. You can also
find soapstone markers at your local sewing/quilting supply
store. The light color will stand out against the dark
wood.
Recent email:
Subject: 3 Generations
Hi all at Glen-L. I just wanted to send a few pictures of the
Minuet I have been building.
I had never even been in a sailboat before but got the urge
to try sailing so thought this would be a good way to learn.
I spent about 3 years working on this, putting in time as I
can, and working with my father. I must say it has been an
incredible journey, and I can't think of a better way to
have some father and son time (I am in my forties and my dad
is 74) to give you an idea.
I would also like to thank you guys for being so friendly
and helping when I have called.
This is my version of the Minuet, splashed on July 4, 2010.
The photo shows 3 generations of "boat builders" -
my father and my son (7) helped on the construction of our
Minuet.
-- Mike Miller
Painesville, Ohio
Subject: A Soft Spot
I look forward to
receiving your catalog. Like so many of your customers, I too
have a soft spot in my heart for Glen-L boats. My first was a
gift from my father. He surprised me with a beautifully built
Tiny Titan for my 10th birthday. It was
quite fast with that little 10 HP Johnson. I remember the
first time I took it out. It would hardly get up on plane.
Turned out that the prop was way too deep in the water. If
you look closely you can see the riser block we had to
install on the transom.
My next Glen-L was the slightly larger Super Spartan hydroplane. It was about
90% complete when I had to leave it behind with a good friend
as a result of my move across the country.
I have the bug again to build another Glen-L - maybe a small
runabout. I'm going to need a bit more room now with my
wife and two small daughters.
-- Dan Doss
Defiance, Missouri
Subject: Early 1960's Missile Conversion
I wanted to give you a report on conversion of my early 60's
Glen-L Missile from inboard to outboard. We've
had it in the water for a week and a half now. It is fantastic!
This is the first time this boat has ever been in the water. It
was started years ago and never finished.
I removed the inboard transom as there was some bad wood in it
from outside storage over the years. I had a 135 hp Mercury tall
stack short shaft that was looking for a home, so I decided to
convert the boat to outboard. I built a 2" thick transom; I
did NOT angle the transom as is typical with outboards because I
think it would have destroyed the beautiful tumble home lines on
the Missile's transom. I built an enclosed rear deck with
hatch that hides 2 fuel tanks and the battery. The Missile has
automotive style seating with everyone facing forward.
Once the
prop gets its bite the boat is onto the water like a rocket. The
boat is bone dry, it rides beautifully flat, no porpoising, and
is fast as blazes.
People have stopped and stared at this whenever we dock, want
to know what it is, etc. It is going to be in the Antique Race
Boat Regatta in Clayton, New York Aug 11-15th making its formal
début. I will have a story board of its history and
conversion.
I am thrilled with the boat, and love its clean lines. Please
let Glen know how well this conversion worked. I've sent in
a few photos to you. The one of the boat underway
was taken with a cell phone last night coming back from our
favorite restaurant in the 1000 Islands. It's not the best
photo but at half throttle you get the idea of what a hoot this
boat is to drive.