Eight Ball Design

April 12, 2019 - Here is a brief cost & time summary for my Eight-Ball. I've also enclosed a photo with the original rig. I built my Glen-L Eight Ball in the Spring of 2003 for approximately $350. I used local exterior-grade plywood and dimensional lumber. Fiberglass for the hull and polytarp for the sail was purchased online to save money. I used polyester resin for the fiberglass because it was cheaper than epoxy, and it has worked flawlessly. I purchased the Glen-L Bronze Fastener Kit and the Glen-L Eight Ball Hardware Kit. It took me 6 months to build. Having sailed her for 16 years, I've rebuilt the mastbox once and have experimented with a home-made gaff rig and gunter rig, the former being my favorite for this boat. The Eight Ball is still my go-to boat for introducing folks to sailing, as it doesn't scare them half to death like some production sailing trainers have a habit of doing.

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Subject: Eight-Ball Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 From: Pihlstrøm Stein Hello I just want to send You a couple of pictures of my finished Eight-Ball dinghy. I bought Your catalouge and later the plans for the Eight-Ball through a Norwegian company called Marine Design Norway, some years ago. I started with the Eight-Ball to gain experience for a bigger project, the Cabin Skiff. I have also bought these plans from the same company. A radio controlled boat (made from drawings in the book \"Boatbuilding with Plywood\") together with the Eight-Ball. Yours, Stein Pihlstrøm Knarrevik, Norway

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This project turned out great - have been using it on Lake Michigan, between Milwaukee and Chicago. It is very satisfying to see how thin, floppy pieces of plywood can turn into a strong vessel. This boat attracts attention and smiles everywhere I go. The design is great - the construction went very well - and this boat handles well for its size. Thanks for a great design!

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Subject: 8 Ball project Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 16:21:15 -0700 (PDT) Dear Sirs, I have just finished building a Glen-L 8Ball, not SG the original. I actually ordered and received the plans in November 1978, and soon after went into hospital in Barbados for an operation, and a couple of days after coming out heard the news about the revolution in my home country, Grenada. I now have a 33\' yacht and wanted a light plywood dinghy that I could carry on deck, and the 8Ball seemed to fill the bill. The project took 3 months and as you can see from the attached photos looks quite nice and sails very well. Sincerely, Arthur Bain

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Hello, My email is good and my Eight ball has been finished for almost a year now. I\'m the guy who sent you the video of the chirstening that went oh so bad. Here is a photo of my eight ball tied up at Balboa lake, which is a beautiful man made lake in the middle of the San Fernando Valley. I am having a great time with my boat, but she is a lot of work. You know how dog years are supposed to be like 7 human years? Well, I think boat years are like 17 human years. This winter the rain filled up my boat like a bath tub, and water seeped through the sealed seat chamber and filled them up completely. Water could get in, but it couldn\'t get out. When I drilled a small drain whole the thing \"peed\" for hours. Now I have drain plugs and I am keeping the boat in the garage until summer. James McLain Mission Hills, CA

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Date: 1 March 2004 I owe you some photographs of the boat \"Eight Ball-SG\", that I finished building in 2001. (see copy of your \"Project Registry\", below) The photos are enclosed. Some day in the future I will send photographs of a lobsterboat \"Eagle\", now under cointruction. Regards, Jose Reis

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My first boat build - I wanted to make a safe boat my kids (7 and 11yrs) could learn to single hand. I grew up racing a mixture of both 20-30' sailboats and small one designs. I knew what I wanted for my kids to learn on, but never found a boat that had all the things I thought my kids should have to learn to handle a boat. I wanted something that would sail first, motor second, row 3rd. It took me a few years (work got in the way) but here she is.

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Just tried Benjammin\' out yesterday and it handles great! Lots of fun. Here are a few shots of the Eight Ball I built. It took me 2 winters every Friday to complete. Thanks, Jerry

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February 2013 I am in the process of building your 19’ Barrelback runabout which is similar in appearance to a 1939 - 1942 Chris Craft Runabout. I took a break from construction of the runabout to build a Glen-L Eight Ball pram for my grandkids and me to use for fishing on some of the small lakes up here in Idaho. I have constructed the Eight Ball so it can be rowed, sailed or used with a small outboard. It took me about a month to build the her not working on it continuously. I built her with marine plywood, mahogany trim and mahogany cold molded bow and transom. It cost me $810.00. This cost includes all the hardware to set it up for sailing. The $810.00 doesn’t include the cost of a sail or mast & boom. The picture of the boat on the water is my wife rowing the boat on her maiden voyage on Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho. The Eight Ball sets well, rows easy and my grandkids love it.

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May 24, 2020 - Just sending a picture of finally getting back out on the water this season. Took the Eight Ball to celebrate. Enjoy reading the email newsletters. June 2013 Update - One new photo June 2012 Update: Getting Closer. I painted the boat this weekend. After a lot of comparing I decided that no more than this would be in the water, I would use enamel implement paint from the farm supply store. Time will tell if it was a wise choice. In case any one is wondering it is International Harvester Red. I intend to cover the inside of the boat with spar varnish.

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Eight Ball by Steven Sage June 25, 2008 I recently completed the Eight ball SG in the sailing version. Construction took about 1 1/2 months of evening and weekend time.

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