Glen-L.com

I'd like to check out the the 25' Coastal Cruiser. If anyone has any plans laying around for this boat let me know. I'm not sure I want to build it yet but a drawing in a 2003 Boatbuilder magazine looked intriguing then I find out the advertiser is out of business. Any ideas and comments about this boat would be appreciated. It looks like the kind of boat I want to go down the Ohio to New Orleans in. Yes or No???

Thanks much,

John

Just this week I have started building the frames for a True Grit which shares the same hull as the Coastal Cruiser. In fact, the only difference in the two boats is in the cabin with the CC being a pilothouse cruiser while the TG is a sedan. I have been looking off and on for over a year and a half for plans for a boat that suits my needs which include long distance cruising on rivers and the Intracoastal Waterway.

My primary design criteria included, Displacement or semi-displacement hull, Trailerable (8'6" beam), 26" to 28", Wood frame construction (can't do stitch & glue - epoxy aleregy), Fixed berths (don't want to drop down table or anything else to make a bed), Individual comfortable salon chairs (hate spending the evening sitting on "L" shaped straight backed benches), Head and Shower, open aft cockpit with hard cover and possability of outboard power. I really would have loved to have a flybridge but trhat's a lot to ask on a boat this size with a 8'6" beam.

To my surprise, my extensive plans search yielded only one candidate - the Coastal Cruiser/True Grit. I looked hard at the Hercules but it has a narrower beam, its a foot shorter and the suggested layout is the drop down table/beds. Just didn't look like enough room in the bow to get a workable V berth. Also, as offered there is no outboard power option.

I actually purchased the plans for True Grit in aluminum construction about a year ago and then hesitated starting. The more I though about it the less attractive aluminum seemed - just didn't think I would enjoy the process. Fortunately, about a week before Hankinson closed I called and ordered the extra plans sheets I needed to build in wood. I talked to him and asked a couple questions - he didn't mention a word about closing.

When I heard he retired I did about a couple weeks of soul searching concerning the project. Do I proceed with such a major task knowing there will be NO tech support? I once again looked for other plans - nothing! Finally I decided this was the boat I wanted and this week I have started..................

Ray Macke

PS - Since Hankinson has pulled down his web site I stuck a few items together with info on the boats plus my planned version. I had pulled down all his web info for both designs prior to his shut down. If I get a complaint about using the information I'll dump it but until then here it is - http://egyptian.net/~raymacke/CC/coascruz.htm

I just noticed that the boat you are going to build is very simular to the Glen-L Hercules other than the layout is a little different.

I am currently constructing Coastal Cruiser of wood at the 27' length. I'm about ready to glue longitudinals and so far so good. I think building a boat is pretty much a "You're on your own" business anyway. The plans give you basic info and frame shapes. Other than that you can modify as you go. I plan to only modify height in the forward berth so I can stand up without bumping my head. In a few conversations with Ken back in Feb. he said pretty much any modifications were o.k. topsides as long as they were not too drastic and didn't offset the balance. Also, adding or reducing hull length is o.k. but not width as that changes the lines.

I plan to go with outboard power(Evinrude 2 stroke E-tec) for simplicity, reliability, economy and noise. Ken said a 90 shp engine would be fine and would get me up to about 12 knots which is what I was aiming for. I intend to go slow anyway. So I don't need 200 horses to get up on plane. His only concern with outboards was the prop diameter. Small outboards are somewhat limited on prop size and a larger engine would afford a larger prop. So I gather efficiency will be a product of prop design versus engine size/rpm.

Sorry, I don't have plans available. They are too valuable to me and besides which I have written and drawn all over them anyway. They are sent as blueprints and the sun is very hard on them. Keep any blueprints you have under cover!

Any comments on powering this boat are welcome. I've already cut the transom for the outboard. So inboard, or I/O are out of the question.

Chris

Chris,

You don't know how happy I am to find another Coastal Cruiser Builder! One of the things that aggavatied me about Ken was his absolute refusal to share names/addresses of builders - even if the builders gave their OK. It just seemed he didn't want builders to communicate. Glen-L on the other hand goes out of their way to GET builders to talk. They know that shared knowledge is one of the most satisfying and valuable parts of boat building.

About powering - I have exactly the same idea. My intention is to use a 90 hp outboard. I have been pleased with my 4 stroke Honda but currently am considering a 90 hp two stroke fuel injected Tohatsu. I have read a report in a boat mag that tested it against a carb 2 stroke and a 4 stroke the same size and the Tohatsu yielded beter fuel economy! It easily beat the carb 2 stroke in every rpm range and just slightly bested the 4 stroke at midrange. Plus at lower rpms it did considerably better than the four stroke. Hard for me to believe but thats what it said.

Also, at 315 pounds it is very light which is another major consideration for me since I plan to "bracket" mount it. I don't want to cut through the transom and lose the interior cockpit space with a splashwell. Planning on welding up an aluminum mounting bracket plus reinforcing the transom to handle the load. But the lighter the OB the better.

I would really be interested in comparing notes from time to time. If you wouldn't mind, how about dropping me an email so I have your address.

Ray