Anyone know what type boat this is?

[kwbrian]

I just bought this boat. The bill of sale says it is a 1968 "homebuilt". It it not a homebuilt boat. That is unless the home builder had the molds and quite a bit of experience. The boat is 11'6'' LOA with a 54'' beam. Fiberglass construction, including the rudder and centerboard. It appears that it was cat rigged originally. I think the current mast, boom and sail were changed out at some point in it's life. The mast and mast socket are of different shapes and the mast seems quite short for the boat. 13'5''. The boom also seems to short.7'. I have not weighed it, but I estimate the weight at 250lbs to 275lbs. As it is now, the original hull color was blue and the interior color was a cream color. If any one knows who made this boat I would like to hear from you.

 

[saildan]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

I just bought this boat. The bill of sale says it is a 1968 "homebuilt". It it's not a homebuilt boat. That is unless the home builder had the molds and quite a bit of experience.

Actually, home-built fiberglass isn't that uncommon. Either a lightweight framework of wood or higher-tech core foam is constructed and fiberglass laid over it to form the boat, or temporary forms are made from plywood and laid up with fiberglass that becomes the mold. Then the boat is laid-up like a production boat. Sometimes the mold is a one-timer, sometimes it's a group effort of heavier duty proportion that then gets passed from one participant to another for each to build a boat from, forming a unique fleet.

As an example:

Glen-L 11

Click on image to see the Glen-L web page
​

I don't doubt a boat built this way is even more expensive than a production boat. Saving money is usually not a goal for home builders of this level of boat construction. If it were they'd build a Puddle Duck instead.

Home builts are frequently foundations for rig experimentation. I can see the forward set mast step of a cat rig. Given this, don't rule out it may have also been a gaff or gunter rig as well. What you think is a boom may, in reality, be a gaff and your boom is missing.

Photo - Beetle Cat Boats
​

 

[Doug N.]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

There was a company called Lugar (or Luger) boats that sold fiberglass boat kits in the '70s. They turned pretty nice. I don't know how long they were in business and whether they are still going. Maybe its one of those; you could google and see. Not real much help, but at least its a lead.

 

[kwbrian]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

Saildan, Thanks for the information. Very interesting. If it is a kit boat it was very well done. I can see from the photo of the Glenn-L 11 that it's possible. Beautiful boat.
Your comments on the rig are very helpful. I plan on modifying it or changing it out entirely. Any suggestions?
Doug, Thanks. I'm still looking. No luck yet.
Time for me to go back to sanding for now.

 

[Doug N.]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

Try this link to Luger Boat references. It turns out they went out of business in 1987, but it looks like there is a ton of information out there.

http://lugerboats.webs.com/home/index.html

 

[saildan]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

Saildan, Thanks for the information. Very interesting. If it is a kit boat it was very well done. I can see from the photo of the Glenn-L 11 that it's possible. Beautiful boat.
Your comments on the rig are very helpful. I plan on modifying it or changing it out entirely. Any suggestions?
Doug, Thanks. I'm still looking. No luck yet.
Time for me to go back to sanding for now.

Is that a wood frame exposed at the bow. That would pretty much clinch it's a home-built from kit or plans. Could be a custom boathouse build too, pretty much the same difference, with a competent craftsperson. Either way, I haven't seen a production boat built in the style of glass over wood since the 1950s.

Interesting bilge, is that hollow or foam filled?


Any idea what this is (arrow), a bailer drain?

This boat wouldn't happen to have a second mast tabernacle somewhere aft?

The dagger board's present location appears quite a bit forward. As you plan your re-fit, you may need to consider the overall balance between sail and fins.

Google Center of Effort (CE) and Center of Lateral Resistance (CLR). Lots of info out there.

I used to own a [production] Luger and don't see anything about this boat that resembles [that] one. The layup work I see says to me home-built whether from plans or a kit.

 

[kwbrian]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

Is that a wood frame exposed at the bow. That would pretty much clinch it's a home-built from kit or plans. Could be a custom boathouse build too, pretty much the same difference, with a competent craftsperson. Either way, I haven't seen a production boat built in the style of glass over wood since the 1950s.

It's not a wood frame. The gunnel is glass(rather dry glass) over what appears to be PVC pipe. The bow portion may have been glassed over foam. There are several small pieces still there(the light brown stuff in the picture). I am re-building that portion with glass over shaped sheet PVC.
The only wood that I have found so far are the two pieces that form the sides of the "bilge clean out". They appear to be there to support a hatch cover. I do suspect there may be more wood in the transom and maybe the center seat. I don't know about the bottom. There are no soft spots that would suggest a wood bottom.
The forward and aft compartments were made using preformed fiberglass pieces and installed after the hull was fabricated.


Interesting bilge, is that hollow or foam filled?
Any idea what this is (arrow), a bailer drain?

I don't know if the bilge is hallow or not. The clean out section in the photo is the only section exposed or accessible. The forward and aft sections are connected with a 1'' brass tube. I would say that the photo shows a bailer drain.


This boat wouldn't happen to have a second mast tabernacle somewhere aft?

No second mast tabernacle that is presently visible.

 

[saildan]

Re: Anyone know what type boat this is?

It's not a wood frame. The gunnel is glass(rather dry glass) over what appears to be PVC pipe. The bow portion may have been glassed over foam. There are several small pieces still there(the light brown stuff in the picture).

Interesting, thanks for the explanation.

There are no soft spots that would suggest a wood bottom.

I wouldn't expect to find soft spots unless there was some rot going on. I don't see any blistering in your pictures that would make me suspect water intrusion. Of course, you have a much better view.

The forward and aft compartments were made using preformed fiberglass pieces and installed after the hull was fabricated.

There is some logic to making and installing the lockers separately.

I don't know if the bilge is hallow or not. The clean out section in the photo is the only section exposed or accessible. The forward and aft sections are connected with a 1'' brass tube. I would say that the photo shows a bailer drain.

The raised deck seems unconventional, just in that it places crew and gear weight a little higher than more traditional board work would.

If the area is filled with foam flotation, no doubt the boat would stay afloat if swamped, but given the buoyancy distribution I suspect it would be upside down.

It strikes me the fore and aft lockers alone have enough volume to buoy up the boat provided they are kept sealed shut while under way.

Forward sail, oar locks, sealed cockpit floor, a large bailer with clean out sink, and fore & aft wells/lockers with drains. I'm beginning to wonder if this was some sort of small scale fishing boat.

Despite being fiberglass, this would be a good one to run by the old-timers at Wooden Boat Forum.