Designer Articles

What’s the Difference Between “Drawing” and “Designing” a Boat?

On March 12, 2013, in Designer Articles, Glen-L Styles, WebLetters, by Glen L. Witt
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Most anyone can draw a boat; designing one takes a lot more effort and ability. Of primary importance in designing a small boat is knowledge gained by experience. At GLEN-L we design boats, build testing prototypes, and then test the in-water performance. Most designers don’t have the luxury of being able to test their final […]

Filleting: What Is It? Where Can You Use It?

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Once you’ve tried filleting, you will find any number of applications for this technique, but it is used most extensively in Stitch-N-Glue construction. A fillet is a radiused bead of resin putty at the inside corner of wood junctions. Fillets are commonly applied where plywood parts join (such as planking junctions), where bulkheads mate to the […]

Boatbuilding Plywood Facts

On February 7, 2013, in Designer Articles, Plywood Construction, WebLetters, by Glen L. Witt
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PLYWOOD FACTS The two types of plywood acceptable for boat building are exterior and marine grade. The exterior veneer surfaces are graded alphabetically, “A” being best, etc. Douglas-fir is commonly available in the U.S. and imports with various types of veneers usually can be found. Exterior and marine plywood generally use the same adhesives. However, […]

Fiberglassing the Bottom Trailing Edge of a Power Boat

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The well radiused corner required for proper application of fiberglass cloth is not desirable on some areas. For example, the bottom edge along the transom of high performance boats or along the inside edge along sponsons of hydroplanes should have a crisp corner for ultimate speed and performance. This illustration shows a good method for […]

SELF-DRAINING COCKPIT

On November 8, 2012, in Designer Articles, Glen-L Styles, WebLetters, by Glen L. Witt
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SELF-DRAINING COCKPIT Let’s set the record straight. Almost everyone would like to have a boat with a cockpit that would drain any rainwater or spray back to the ocean or lake the boat is floating in. Why aren’t ALL boats made with such a feature? Let’s analyze the subject. A self-draining cockpit must be above […]