Glasply Model ID help....anyone?

Bigprairie1

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Jun 13, 2007
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Ok, all you Glasply owners.....can anyone offer up any information on the included Glasply boat here?
I am pretty sure it is a mid-70's model, about 18' long, bowrider model. Originally this boat would have come with an i/o motor. This is just a reference photo that I found of the same model of Glasply.
Any assistance or info on this model of Glasply would be appreciated.
 

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Bigprairie1

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Re: Glasply Model ID help....anyone?

wow...quiet crowd that Glasply bunch. I guess I'll see if I can google the info.
 

columbiatom

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Aug 18, 2007
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Re: Glasply Model ID help....anyone?

This is a 74 or 75 glasply bowrider model 176BR. They "copied" the hull from a donzi speedboat. Put their own deck on it and away they went. They used this hull on most of their speedboats during the 70's. You may have heard of the 5.5's these are the closed bow versions of these boats. I have a 1974 176BR, but mine has blue sides, and it came as either an inboard, or as an outboard transom. They are good, fast boats, and can handle the water very well. I live in Wrangell, AK and there are about 20 or so of the Bowriders and 5.5's around here. I have a 200EFI Mercury outboard on mine. All the glasplys here have 200's hung on the back. We have to put an all aluminum transom on them, but they go like heck!!!
 

Bigprairie1

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Re: Glasply Model ID help....anyone?

Thanks C-tom. I asked because I drove one of those equipped with the 302/188hp merc. in the 70's. It was used as the primary ski-boat at a resort I worked at. I must say it was a phenomenal boat from a reliability standpoint. I easily put 1000-1500hrs (maybe more) on it and it never missed a beat. Everyone around me seemed to be fixed there boats and motors constantly but that boat was simply an ignition key waiting to be spun.
Mistakingly (in retrospect) I once pulled 8-9 skiers out of the water with that boat...(3) of them on slalom. It was a mistake (I was young and stupid) because the boat had no tow bar, just the back hooks. Regardless...it all held and it went great. It was equipped for skiing prop-wise so its top end was about 45mph...but it would fly out of the hole. No slalom skier ever slowed that boat down....and jump starting?....bring your friends....no problem.
However it behaved very strangely in higher speed left hand turns....it would not dig and turn but it would rise and tilt...I almost flipped it more than once. So I became very cautious about turning in that direction.
Regardless it was a heck of a boat.
 

VINTAGEBOATGUY

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May 2, 2014
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Re: Glasply Model ID help....anyone?

I have a 1974 Glasply exactly like the one in your photo. My boat has the MerCruiser 165 hp inboard and the The MerCruiser outdrive. Its an awsome boat. Bow Rider. This is one clean, dependable, original and very rare boat. So I am told.

Made in Marysville WA. The story goes that Glasply during the years it was about to go out of business, made a last ditch effort to save the boat business, and bought a Donzi racing boat mold, and made a hull the Glasply way, thick fiberglass, and solid as a rock. I could be wrong about how Glasply got a hold of this boat hull, but thats the only info I was able to muster up on the net. There isn't very much info on this boat if any.

Ownership History:

This boat was purchased new off the showroom floor back in 1974. The original very elderly owner, sold it to the person I got it from, in 2009, and he did the motor and the outdrive work. He used it 5 times, logging under 30 hours, and he fell thru divorce, and hard times, and thats how I got the boat. There was a NEW Hour Meter installed at the time the motor and outdrive were replaced. This boat has never indulged in saltwater ever. Fresh water boat only!! The unbelievable condition of this vessel tells me without a doubt, this is true.

This boat has a MerCruiser 165 Horsepower, Inline 6 Cylinder, and a MerCruiser Outdrive which was installed new in 2009, and this thing scoots along pretty darn good. At 3000 RPM im going around 35 mph. At 4000 RPM about 40 to 45 mph.
A lite forward touch of the throttle, results in fast acceleration, and it jumps out of the water effortlessly, planes in 2 seconds, with a smooth clean ride,and cuts thru wakes like its nothing. Since I bought the boat, I have logged under 10 hours by me, and run a maximum of 2 hours each time. So this motor and out drive have under 40 hours on them. The motor was painted yellow in order to indicate any oil leaks in the future and there are none to date, by the prior owner. The motor, and Outdrive get a full service each year regardless of the amount of run time each season, by the prior owner and myself.
(Service every 50 hours is the norm)

It has a Bimini Top in Excellent Condition, that also converts in to an entire enclosure making boating in cold weather a non issue, and also protects the interior from the elements, and has a bow cover as well.

The boat holds approx 22 gallons of fuel.
The boat seats 8.
The original interior seats and dog house (motor cover) upholstery are immaculate. And the front bow seating area had been recovered with marine grade vinyl. New Marine grade carpet had been installed thru out the entire boat. The floor is stable and solid. Under the hull is flawless. The topside is in excellent condition. All gauges, tachometer, fuel, volts, temperature, lights, horn, engine blower are in working order and look like new.

Im guessing the boat and trailer combined weigh under 3500 lbs because I tow it with a Chevy 6 cylinder Blazer with a 2 inch tow ball off the bumper. I do not have a heavy duty tow system on my vehicle. Trailer is a 1974 EZ Loader has a complete new surge brake system installed.
(This trailer did not come from the factory like this), a new 2 inch ball coupler, with auto brake system, and new beefy 14 inch tires. Brand new wheel bearings, and bearing buddys too. Trailer was professionally painted fresh and had all new rollers installed. The boat slides on and off the trailer easily, and the new roller configuration keeps the boat balanced and secure.
Do the lights work? Now that's a very silly question.
This trailer is like NEW trailer and is MINT.
Clear and Free Titles along with current registration on both the boat and trailer.

THIS BOAT IS FOR SALE AT $4000.
ANY INTERESTED PERSON CAN CONTACT ME AT DANNYDTIMESTHREE@YAHOO.COM TO OBTAIN PHOTOS AND A UTBE VIDEO OF THE BOAT.

HAPPY BOATING!!!
.
 
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