An Occasional Publication for the Home Boat Builder

• GPS by Pat Larkin
• What boat is it?
• The Kentucky River by Ray Macke
• Boatbuilding with Plywood, Chapter 6 - Fastenings
• Darla's Corner
• What's the meaning of life or why I build boats by Bob
• Shop Talk: Windshield
• Boatbuilder Connection: Dyno-Jet
• Feedback: Sea Angler by Neil Quade
• Recent email

• Web site:
  • CS-20 is behind schedule. It is ready, but proofing is not complete. Sorry, but vacations have gotten in the way. It WILL be ready before the next WebLetter.
  • Does anyone browse the Project Registries? Not necessarily for the boat you are building. Although there are some entries that have not been kept up, many of them tell interesting stories, give insight and general hints about building.
  • GALVANIZED SCREWS. As mentioned in the previous WebLetter, we are in the process of phasing out our hot-dipped galvanized screws. We can no longer supply complete kits for many designs, so they are now listed on our price list as DISC (discontinued). Although hot-dipped galvanized screws are a viable option for trailer boats, we have been having a problem with unreliable suppliers and fewer galvanizers that will take screws.
  • The featured designs for this issue: the Gypsy, Quest and Delta Q houseboats, have been re-scheduled to WebLetter 61, so there is plenty of time to send in information about your project. WebLetter 62 will feature the Stiletto. If you have photos or feedback on this design, I hope you will share them with our readers. A reminder: This section is in response to reader requests. I will try to present as wide an array of designs as possible, attempting to add additional information from what is currently on the site, which can be difficult without your input.
  • Thanks to Pat Larkin, Ray Macke, Bob, Neil Quade, Ken Schott and all the others who contributed to this WebLetter.

      
Editor      

GPS by Pat Larkin This GPS receiver came with a wide head screw to hold it steady in its retail packaging. It simply screws into the back of the unit and keeps it tight to its cardboard box. I took 2 thin pieces of scrap aluminum and drilled the front enough to allow the threads to poke thru. The other piece got a hole big enough to show the phillips head pattern, but small enough to not allow the screw to pop loose. I then captured the screw between these 2 pieces of aluminum and attached this assembly to the dash. First I had to drill a hole to allow a screwdriver to reach inside. Once mounted to the dash, I stuck some self adhesive rubber pading to keep it from rotating. I shaped one like an X and the other like an O. No reason, I just liked the variety of it. Now I just put the GPS on the screw and tighten it from behind. There you have it, a free GPS mount. Garmin wanted $36 for their marine mount. I choose GPS over a speedo for several reasons. Speedo $50 - GPS $89 For the extra $39 I also, get a compass, a clock, a trip odometer and the ability to track my way home from wherever... even in the dark. Kinda makes that old speedo obsolete.

What boat is it? The conversation started, "Do you still have plans for the..." Yes we do. It is no longer in our catalog, but we still have the plans and patterns. Mr. Toro-Fernandez had built one of these boats many years ago and his family had really enjoyed it. Now he is retired and would like to build another. Does anyone remember this design? And why was it discontinued? More drawings

The Kentucky River
July 2004

by Ray Macke

I have a dream. A dream about the perfect river. Throughout construction of Therapy and since, I have held a picture in my mind of the ideal river for cruising. The banks of my river have steep rock cliffs peering out from tall growth hardwoods that shadow everything but the midday sun. The water is pure and clean and its narrow channel wanders aimlessly for miles unspoiled by industry or development. This idyllic vision is only disturbed by the breaking wake from Therapy's bow as few other boats have discovered this serene waterway. It is mine for the taking.

Continued

Darla's corner

by Darla Schooler

I welcome your contributions

The things that come to those who wait are what's left behind by those who got there first.

Never test the water with both feet.

ex-cite-ment (ik-site-ment) n. 1. the act of exciting; agitation. 2. Something that excites. 3. A jointer knive exiting the machine while truing sheer stock.

Other than that, all is well.
Ken Schott

What's the meaning of life
...or why I build boats

by Bob

In the overall scheme of things I don't suppose boats are any more important than a morning glory or a rock. So why would I, or anyone, go out in a cold garage to work on a boat until late at night? In my case, a boat I don't need and may never use. Maybe for the same reason I like to dig in the dirt... to get my hands dirty doing something I can understand.

When my computer does something unexpected, I am at a loss. When my wife's cell phone rings, I tend to look at it until it stops. I used to know how to program the VCR, but when we got a new one, I never quite got around to learning how it works. It isn't that I couldn't figure these things out, I don't want to. In a world of technology, I am very selective about what I choose and what I leave. I love my Makita drill, I am being corrupted by age, if the battery is dead, I wait for it to charge before driving screws. But I like nothing better than to find an excuse to use my bit and brace. There's something intuitive about using hand tools, I can usually figure out what to do without having to read the manual.

Ten pm on a week night, the discarded $20 radio in the garage is a soothing background that sounds all the better for its tinny speaker. The smell of new-cut wood... I really like fairing. A sharp hand plane is a beautiful tool. The sound it makes, the thin curls of wood, coiling up, inch after inch as I make a long smooth pass. Give me a sharp plane, a whetstone and a quiet night and I could fair forever. Roughing out with a Shurform file... and chisels... I spend alot of time sharpening chisels. With my old rawhide mallet, I feel like a part of history when I bevel the notches in the transom to provide a resting place for the keel and battens.

Like many other builders whose comments I've read in these WebLetters, the process is more fun than taking the finished boat out on the water. I envy Ray Macke and his river adventures, but somehow don't manage to be adventurous myself. I am glad he allows us to share his journeys.

So, why do I build boats? For the sounds, the smells, the satisfaction... and it pacifies my mind. If you haven't yet built your first boat, try it, there's more to it than the finished product.

Thanks for listening.

Bob

Shop Talk: Windshield

Windshield for classic boats

Fiberglassing the inside of the boat?

Boatbuilder Connection: Dyno-Jet

The following is taken from the Boatbuilder Connection. Great photos of the Dyno-Jet under construction.

Feedback: Sea Angler

by Neil Quade

LOW BIDDER TWO

Sea Angler design
Was built per Glen L plans.

Used Douglas-fir frame and battens with Port Orford cedar planking.
Small changes of the main cabin and head were made.
Fly bridge and windshield were changed from plan somewhat.
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

I am including a selection of photos - construction thru completion for you to include as you wish on your web pages.

Happy builder was:
Neil L. Quade w/help from brothers - Art and Brian
Lincoln City, OR

The Low Bidder Two rests at A-26, South Beach Marina, Newport, OR

Customer Photos

Found on the Internet

"I'm Erik, from the Netherlands. I'm a physics student, and like tons of other people, i'm building a squirt..."

Recent email:

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Saturday, August 7, 2004
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name: Peter Langevin

Comments: I've had a copy of your catalog for years, have dreamed of building a wooden boat but have always believed that I do not have the skill or patience to do it correctly / successfully. I met an attorney in Beaufort that built a "stitch-n-glue" plan of yours, and although he is very skilled and has built other boats from lofted plans, he told me it is a fool-proof method for a beginner. So, I just may give a try.

From: Graham Knight
Subject: Finished!
Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:37:45 +0100

Well it's been a while since I sent any updates on my Squirt progress, I guess I've just been too busy working on the boat whilst trying to fit in earning a living and working on my house too!

But she's finally finished, yesterday we had a big BBQ with around 100 guests, friends, family, neighbours, workmates, to celebrate the completion of the boat and coincidentally 2 years living in our house.

Something I hadn't planned was an official naming, unknown to me my wife had persuaded my mother to perform the ceremony, after which she then sprayed most of a bottle of champagne over the boat which now needs cleaning all over again!

As you can see from the attached photos the boat has turned out quite nicely, there are still a few minor bits and pieces I want to attend to, and I expect I'll find a few more fittings are needed such as a pair of lift handles on the transom. But she's ready for the water, the motor is all finished and has been test run, now I just need a means of getting her into the water. In a couple of weeks I should have my launching trolly (really a mobile launch/recovery ramp) finished and we'll be trying her out on the river, at which time I'll send some more photos and a full report.

Huge thanx to all at Glen-L, the Boat Builder Forum members, and other contributors too numerous to list!

Customer photos

Subject: Monaco Frame Kit
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004

Gentlemen,
Could the Riviera frame kit, work - or be adapted for - the Monaco?
Terry Gorton

ANSWER:
Sort of. The frames are different, but you can make the Riviera up to 10% shorter by re-spacing the frames. You could then make the cockpit arrangement the same as the Monaco.

--
Barry

From: pat
To: Barry Witt
Subject: Re: GPS mount for free
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 19:17:34 -0400

thanks Barry! (for putting GPS article in WebLetter) that's so cool. By the way... can you guess what the theme of the boat is?

To: pat
Subject: Re: GPS mount for free
From: Barry Witt
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 15:23:00 -0700

Ahhhhh... no.

Barry

From: pat
To: Barry Witt
Subject: Tiny Titan / GPS mount for free
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 18:58:40 -0400

here's a clue. My favorite cartoon growing up.

From: Barry Witt
To: pat
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 8:11 PM

Probably a generational thing... I am 61 years old. I know my son watched Speed Racer, but don't know if this is the same.

Barry

From: pat
To: Barry Witt
Subject: Tiny Titan / GPS aka- Racer X
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 20:58:36 -0400

yeah, I wouldn't know what to compare it to. maybe the 'Shadow' or something. I'm 36 yrs old and it came on after school thru grade school. Racer X was the brother of the main character Speed Racer. He had a fight with his dad and ran away, only to become a secret agent and race car driver. He wore a mask to keep his identity hidden. But whenever Speed Racer found trouble, Racer X mysteriously appeared to help save the day. My favorite character on tv, growing up.
The welding shop said my trailer will be done this Friday. I can't wait to launch it. Pennsylvania granted me a horsepower exemption. My capacity plate is stamped THRILL CRAFT. So I didn't need 20hp badges on the cowl, could have left the 25hp. No biggie. Nice talking to you, action shots ASAP. -pat-

Subject: Topper Registry Update
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004

I have completed the fiberglassing and painting. I turned the boat over and am now working on the inside.

A few notes and comments. First, I am glad to see that you are phasing out the galvanized screws. I ordered some silicon coated bronze screws to do the butt joints on the planks. There is quite a difference in how they work! The fiberglass video was invaluable and the fiberglass kit had plenty of epoxy, however I would suggest about a yard more of the fiberglass cloth. Especially for newbies!! However, all in all it worked great.

I also used fiber-filler to reinforce the bow area. This boat will be used on a beach type setting hence I was interested in a very strong front end. This was probably overkill, but I will feel better! :) I used silica and microspheres for the rest of the boat (both inside and outside) to fill minor holes and gaps. You are correct: this mixture sands much better. Finally, I used Interlux Brightside paint all over. After about a week for drying and curing, I "tested" a portion of it with hammer to see if it would withstand scuffing. The result: PERFECT! I was surprised at how light the boat was after the form structure was removed. This ought to be a fairly fast little boat.

Here is the link to my updated website.
http://mis.aug.edu/mmiller/boat/boat.htm

Next month, I will be ordering the Hardware, Mast and Sails! Won't be long now!

Marc Miller

Subject: Tubby Tug as a Fireboat
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2004

Here is a picture of Tubby Tug as a Fireboat, the "Higden Bay". It will operate out of Higden on Greer's Ferry Lake Arkansas. Built for my Grandchildren ages 6 & 10.

Boat is equipped with compass, radio, bell, air horns, siren, CB radio, hailer, navigation, emergency, and searchlight. The pump is a Sure-Flo Extreme washdown. The Monitor is constructed of PVC pipe. Power is a 5 HP Briggs & Stratton.

Neal Fleming

Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 20:20:04 -0400

Barry, Why didn't you tell me boatbuilding was addictive? I have built 5 already and had a hand in 3 others. This has also happened to a friend of mine. We are now looking at building the "Outrage".
Thanks, Don S.

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Thursday, July 15, 2004
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name: JAY DEGGES

Comments: I have been buying your plans for years. I only built one design but still enjoy studying the plans.

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 at 08:17:50
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name: Robert Zopp

Comments: I recently ordered my second set of plans from you (Cruisette). The first set was the Glen-L 17. My father and I are still enjoying building the 17 ft sailboat. I have decided to build my own now, so I will send pics once I get started on the Cruisette. Thank you for the wonderful customer service, and I also really enjoy my Boatbuilding with Plywood, Fiberglassing Boats, and Inboard Motor Installation. I look forward to completing another wonderful Glen-L designs. Thank you and God Bless.
Robert

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at 15:21:04
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name: Rick McKenna

Comments: Originally a marine engineer who spent the first 12 years of his professional life working in and around shipyards, I now work away from the maritime environment, and miss it dearly. My wife and I recently moved to Seattle, WA, and are thinking about buying a boat for weekend tooling around. The idea of building a boat at home gives my heart a little leap of joy--I think I'm more interested in the building than in the having!

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Monday, July 5, 2004 at 19:46:49
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name: Dan Braswell

Comments: I built a Glen-L Flying Saucer from a set of plans and a frame kit when I was in High School in 1957-58 (in Birmingham, AL). The 'Saucer is long gone now but was easy to build and was a great performer!
I'd recommend the 'Saucer to any boat enthusiast who is a good woodworker.

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted on Sunday, July 4, 2004 at 20:12:54
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name: Leo Maack

Comments: I built "Swish" in 1958, launched in '59. Plans came from Popular Mechanics. Sorry to say I do not have it anymore, sold it about 15 years ago, still in great shape. Won a "Golden Hammer" award from Popular Mechanics, still have the tie clasp.

Customer photos

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