I am frequently asked why I built a boat, and particularly, why I built a Glen-L Zip. The first part of the question is easy to answer: I love to build things and I can't afford to go out and buy a new boat, so a set of plans was my preferred starting point. And why the Zip? I was initially drawn to it because it has style and character, more than I’d ever be able to find in any boat on the market, whether or not I could afford it. But I didn’t have much boatbuilding experience, other than a stitch-and-glue plywood kayak I had finished, so I was unsure if a Zip would be within my abilities. As I searched the Web and corresponded with other novices who had successfully built one, it quickly became clear that it was the obvious choice.I am a Fire Chief in a small community in Michigan, and our Village Manager is my good friend Art Atkinson. One day Art walked into my office and said he was considering building a boat for himself. He had just returned from northern Michigan where old wooden boats are almost everywhere along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. I told him I’d been considering building a boat for myself, too. He liked the idea, and we decided we would both build wooden boats while helping each other along the way. I ordered plans for the Zip, and Art settled on an equally classic-looking runabout, the Glen-L Squirt. Both Art and I would be building our boats in our basements and so had limitations on the size of the boats we could build. The 14′ 4″ Zip was the largest boat I could build and still get it out of my walkout basement. The 10’ Squirt was small enough to be carried up the stairs from Art’s basement, and through the kitchen to get it outside.
photographs courtesy of the authorThe 5'9" beam provides the Zip with good stability and the flared sides help keep the occupants dry.
Read this article now for Free!
Ready for a second free article? Create a free account by entering your email address and a password below.
— OR —
Subscribe now for $29.99 a year and have immediate access to all of our content, including hundreds of small-boat profiles, gear reviews and techniques, adventure stories, and more! You can also browse our entire archive of back issues starting from September 2014, as well as post unlimited classified ads. This is an extraordinary value!
Beautiful job on a neat design. Love the windshield too. How did you make it?
Congratulations.
The windscreen is made of plexiglass. Using cast aluminum brackets that I polished gave me the desired look. I was going to use glass but the compound curve did not allow for that and now I am glad that I went with the plexiglass because it will be simple to replace and there are no worries about breakage.
What was old is new again! Thanks for showing us the boat and the process. Looks like a lot of fun to build and run.
Cordial saludo. me podria como hago para adquirir estos planos de este bote, cuanto es su costo enviandolos a Colombia. Se pueden utilizar madera de pino importada y tecas. para la construccion de este modelo.
(Best regards. Could I acquire the plans of this boat, an how much is its cost sending them to Colombia? Can you use imported pine wood and teak for the construction?)
Nice job, Ted. I am in a 4-year project now building a Cracker Box. Should splash next year in Lake St. Clair. I am looking forward to be traveling to the Glen-L gathering in the future.
Man, you did a fantastic job on this, sir. I, like you before you built Zip, have only built one small skiff. My wife has informed me I must build a runabout next. I was leaning towards the Malahini but I think your article just convinced me to double think that. Thanks for sharing!