Glen-L.com

Hello everyone!
My name is Chuck and I live near Cleveland, Ohio. Many years ago my father, two brothers and I built the Glen-L design NOMAD, and our family of seven had many great boating adventures in that boat. Since then I’ve built a jon boat with my son and have bought, repaired and restored three other boats.
Currently, I am building the Glen-L design TOPPER. The boat is near completion and I’ve begun sending pictures to John@glen-l.com. I’m hoping to be able to view them on the web site soon.
I have a couple of questions as the project comes to an end, and I hope this forum will help me resolve those questions.
I have purchased an aluminum mast and boom on-line and hope to adapt them to this boat (TOPPER). The mast is a tear drop design 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. It is 21+ feet long and weighs approximately one pound per foot.
1. The TOPPER plan calls for a 16 foot long mast that tapers at the top. I plan to remove the rollers at the top of this mast I purchased and cut the aluminum mast to the 16 foot length needed for the TOPPER. Will the sail sold by Glen-L for the TOPPER fit and work on this mast?
2. The TOPPER plan calls for an 8 foot 9 inch boom. The boom that came with the mast is 8 foot 5 inches. Will the sail sold by Glen-L for the TOPPER work with the aluminum boom or is it best for me to build the wooden boom detailed on sheet #2 of the plans?
I greatly appreciate any help or advice you can share,
Chuck

Hi Chuck

I didn't see any other replies so I'll give it a go.

I also used a purchased aluminum mast extrusion for my Bull's Eye. Cutting down the spar is quite easy and then simply replace the sheaves. You will likely need to adjust the mast step to fit your spar/base cap combination.

I fabricated a wooden boom from the plans and I'm quite happy with it. I finished it bright along with my shears, thwart, breast hook, etc. If you have a gooseneck for your mast/boom combination I would use it. However if you don't have gooseneck it might be easier to build a wood boom to fit a gooseneck you can find that fits your mast. You will need to fit the clew outhaul on your boom and the mainsheet tackle purchase and deadend of the mainsheet. This will all be detailed in your plans.

As for the Glen-L sail on your mast the important part (outside of the physical dimensions) is the size of the bolt rope in the luff of the sail - it must fit the luff groove in your mast. I'm sure a quick call to Glen-L will get you that answer. I had my sail fabricated locally, and had the sailmaker use slugs sized to my mast groove. I like the slugs better than bolt ropes as it is easier on the sail cloth.

You can see some of this in the pictures of my build in the Customer Photo's section http://www.glen-l.com/picboards/picboard15/pic754a.html
WARNING: In one of the pictures near the end, with the mast being rigged on the ground first......I had to be very careful. Sails will pick up grass stains VERY EASILY. If you absolutely must do this, don't drag the sail!! I didn't have another surface to do it on, or any other material big enough to lay down underneath it.

I hope this helps. Happy Building!

Cheers

Mark C

Mark,
Thanks for your reply. In regards to the sail sold by Glen- L, I'm told it's a "sock type" sail. I take it, that means it slides over the mast. How do you raise and lower a sail like that?
Thanks again,
Chuck

Hi Chuck

The answer is with a sock type of luff you can't. To de-power the sail you release the outhaul and brail the sail up around the mast to keep it from flogging. You can put the sail on the mast before you step it, or beach the boat, heel it over to reach the top of the mast and pull the sock down. When ready to sail you would connect the clew to the outhaul and tension the foot along the boom.

I believe you said you had an aluminum mast you wanted to use. You could look at the Bull's Eye sloop rig sail as a possibility - if it is the right diminsions to work with the Topper and your mast. Also you may want to enquire with a local sailmaker and have one made to measure from your plans to specifically fit your mast. This is the route I followed. It is nice as you can get exactly what you want - rope vs slugs vs slides, sail markings, reef points - not really necessary on such a small boat but if you want them you can get them. Also the aluminum boom to fit your mast may have a groove for the foot. I believe the plans call for a loose footed sail, so a custom one would allow you an additional option to go with a secured foot.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Mark C

Mark,
Thanks again for your help! I do have an aluminum mast and boom. I plan on cutting the mast down to the 16 feet designated in the plan. The boom is 8' 5" and the plan calls for 8' 9". You've given me some great ideas and next week I'm going to check with some Lake Erie island area sail makers, give them all my measurements, and see what they suggest.
Thanks again,
Chuck

Hi Chuck

My pleasure.

From a cost perspective, I don't think you will find anything less expensive for the same level of quality than a Glen-L sail. If lowest cost was the priority, I would have purchased a Glen-L sail and modified my mast to fit the sail. Instead I chose to go the other way, and get a sail for the way I wanted to set up the boat.

The cost for mine was significantly more than the Glen-L price, but I was able to get exactly what I wanted, so...... a made to measure suit, always costs more than one off the rack - right?

Cheers

Mark C