Glen-L.com

Are there any boatbuilders on this forum that has built a welded aluminum boat? Any comments from those who have built or have experience with some of these heavily welded boats, 125th-190thth. 1/8 and 3/16th. I am very impressed with these boats and am thinking of becoming a convert from plywood to aluminum. Thinking very seriously of building a 20 foot garvey with 3/16th bottom and 1/8th sides.

Ron, I have no experiance with aluminum boats, but you could say I have some experiance as an aluminum welder. I weld aluminum 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week. MIG spool gun, MIG push/pull, pulse on pulse, TIG, whatever it is, I do it. I may be able to help with some of your questions. Let me know If I can help!

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Just starting to build a Cracker Box!

Thanks rcs&m. I read your other posts and looked at websites for welders. Seen where miller had a mig welder that would weld 3/16 aluminum for about $700, and a spool gun for another $500. I am definetely going to get the book boatbuilding with aluminum by pollard- glen-l has it. As for aluminum boats i will say this- since world war 11 the american public has been sold more junk aluminum boats then they deserve, thin riveted poorly shaped junk. But now you are beginning to see custom built boats out of all welded aluminum, 1/8 side and 3/16 bottoms, and well shaped boats.If you are a aluminum welder, you should check out some of these boats,www.silverstreakboats.com ,and www.winninghoff.com, heavy welded boats to be used and abused.I am looking to build a 20 foot garvey designed by ken hankinson at boatdesigns.com the rogue runner.. would still like to hear from anyone who has built or have one of these welded boats as to how they like them.Thought i would get some other opinions before jumping from plywood to aluminum.

Hello everybody, I am currently building the Glen-L Hunky Dory plus 3'. I just finished skinning the hull and intend to weld out the plate seams and roll it over this weekend. I have a 30 year history of building metal boats and would be glad to share any info I have that might help, and hopefully learn somthing in the process. Rusty

If you are still about Rusty, I may have a couple of questions for you.
I am tacking the ribs and stringers at the moment.

How did the skiff work out?

Ron- I have used Alloy boats all my working life, as dive support vessels and tenders to fishing boats.

Alloy boats are designed two ways-
1) the hull is insulated from the stringers and ribs by rubber, this allows flex and give.
Usually 2-3mm hull thickness.
2) heavy welded rigid plate contruction, usually 4-5mm on the bottom and 3mm on the sides.

Would you like some photos?

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14" all aluminium 130hp jetboat.
Currently in bits, lots of bits.

hi i am building my tug boat 21ft in alloy this dis it is my 3one
40 yers experinse on alloy and 9 pressure vessels certificates on welding.
my sugestion is to looking at KEMPPI WELDING 180amp portable
mini arcmig ready to use with LCDuser interface ,i had been use them up
to 5mm thickness with argon could be up to 8 mm with mixture of helium
on prep plate look for a demo you will by like
chears carlos

carlos bairo,

I decided to model this little tug because its lines are much more clean than many small boats in her class. I've included a few views to add to the study plans for the Titan Tug 20 incase anyone is interested in this very clean little vessel. I hope these images will help you visualize her more clearly.









Hull modeling done in Delftship Pro, then exported to SketchUP to clean up and cut windows out. The lines are just an approximation since I don't have plans but she's roughly to scale if the hull is 20' long and about 8' wide.

No details to speak of, just too much work, and no keel or running gear, but everyone can see how cleanly proportional she is, how nicely balanced her hull's sheer, trunk and visor brow? I think she looks nicer in 3D than flat, but I doubt that inexpensive 3D systems were as common when she was drawn?

If any Glen-L'er's are interested in the hull model *.fbm file or the SketchUP model file *.skb please feel free to email at k.morin@kmmail.net and I'll send them to you. There are no costs, but the design IS from the Glen-L book so I would expect anyone receiving these files to respect the ownership and designer's work.

cheers,

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Kevin Morin