Another Source For Wood Drift Boat Plans: Glen-L

In my search for stitch and glue wooden drift boat plans, I came across a company called Glen-L.

In this post a comment was left by Barry, the Glen-L webmaster. He mentioned their website. I wrote him an email and Barry gave me permission to use photos and quotes from their website and to let him know if I had any questions.

I went to the the Glen-L Website and the first question I had was: What is her name? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Wait, did I say that out loud?

Turns out, this is one of the Pin Up Girl pictures they used in their boat plans catalog in the early 1950’s.

Glen-L was started back in 1953 and though they are one of the largest suppliers of plans and boat building supplies, they are still a small, close knit family type company. I mean, there are people other than family that work there, but they all seem like family.

I recently got an email from them announcing Barry’s retirement. They were all wishing him well and letting him know that he would be missed. I’m sure many Glen-L customers will miss him as well.  He seems like a great guy from our emails.

When you visit Glen-L, be sure you sign up for their newsletter and the e-book on boat building. Both are free and full of really useful stuff.  The ebook is free when you sign up.  It’s Boatbuilding 101. Good notes in there.

 

What About The Wooden Drift Boat Plans?

I’m glad you asked.  They have plans in there for a wooden drift boat and a metal drift boat.  The wooden drift boat plans can be found from their home page by clicking on the plans and kits link.  That will take you to another page and you’ll scroll down to find the link for specialty boats. There they are!!

The folks at Glen-L have been in the boat plans and boat building supply business for a long time. They provide all kinds of designs, plans and materials for all types of boats.  Sailboats, cruisers, race boats,  bass boats, ski boats, runabouts and human powered boats from drifters and canoes to regular old fashioned rowboats.  They even have plans for boat trailers.

I like this quote from their website:

In 1953 no one talked about mission statements, but if we had had one it would have gone something like this: Our goal is to provide plans, kits, and building materials to home boat builders. All of our plans will include full size patterns, to eliminate the process of lofting which is required with boat plans that are now (1953) available. We feel that lofting excludes many potential builders from ever beginning their project and our patterns will eliminate the tedious lofting process.

• We will sell Fastening Kits and Fiberglass Kits for our designs.
• We will also sell Frame Kits to those builders who are in a hurry to complete their boat building project.
• If customers have questions, we do everything we can to see that those questions are answered; the success of our builders is our best advertisement.

That’s still how they run their business today.  One of the things I really like about Glen-L’s plans is the full size patterns. That means no lofting. Granted, the lofting process for a boat like this isn’t that tough.

My version of the definition of lofting is: Look at a sheet of regular, letter sized paper with the drawing and measurements on it. Transfer those markings and measurements to the full size sheets of buildinng material. Done.

If you can use a pencil, read a tape measure, use a framing square and follow directions, it’s not that tough.  Not for a wooden drift boat anyway. I figure you can do that or you wouldn’t be interested in building a boat anyway. Still, it would be a real time saver to have full size patterns.

 

From Plans And Patterns To A Float Yer Boat

Here’s a shot of a boat built from their plans and patterns. Brett Wilson sent the photo to Glen-L and says:

Thought you might like this picture. This is the 14′ Drifter built by Tom Holt. Thigh braces and anchor system by Brett Wilson. From the Green River in Utah, Sept. 2003. Mother-in-law rapid. Note the canoe wrapped around the rock near the back of the boat.

Nice huh? The canoe is that submerged red thing you see just up and left of the back of the drift boat.

Reading through their website, everyone says the same thing over and over again. It was fun.  It was easier than I thought it would be. Get lots of compliments on the boat. Glad I did it.  Thanks for a fun project.

You’re thinking about trying it, aren’t you? Yeah, me too.  I’m also thinking about the set of plans this gal is looking over.  I’m not sure that’s a set of drift boat plans though. It may be a sail boat.  You know, I’ve often thought of taking up sailing.  I wonder if she knows how to tie a fly?

You should look them over. Glen-L has a ton of information on their site, as well as a boat builder’s forum. You can order anything and everything you need except the tools to build your boat. It’s kind of like a one stop shop. I only found 2 drift boat patterns in their plans catalog. It could be one of them is exactly what you are looking to build.

Start planning, start dreaming of drifting down the river in a boat you built with your own two hands.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

UPDATE:

My Boat Plans is another great source of boat plans.

Martin Reid is a master boat builder with 31 years of experience behind these boat plans.

You can now access Reid’s archive of 518 illustrated, step-by-step boat plans here.