Glen-L Hot Rod

We've decided to build a removable hard shell tonneau cover to protect the engine and related parts from the elements while towing. Normally this could be done with boat canvass stretched over the rear cockpit and fastened around the cockpit coaming with snaps, but we were after a cleaner look without any visible fasteners.

Click here to see how the cover was fabricated.

We've decided to build a removable hard shell tonneau cover to protect the engine and related parts from the elements while towing. Normally this could be done with boat canvass stretched over the rear cockpit and fastened around the cockpit coaming with snaps, but we were after a cleaner look without any visible fasteners.

1. We built a removable buck supported on the engine stringers. Cambered deck deams were produced and spaced on every frame. 1" x 2" battens were rabbeted into the deck beams. The structure will be covered with 1/4" plywood and covered with 10 ounce fiberglass cloth.

2–3. When completed, the cover will be cut out to accept the engine and related parts that will protrude through the cover. We'll be installing the engine and driveline soon, so now is the best time to get this piece completed. It would be very difficult to build the cover with the engine installed in the boat !

4. We've removed the tonneau cover from the boat and placed it on our trolley for sheeting and finishing. Corners were built up from from two pieces of 3/4" plywood molded to a width of 3/4".

Port side fuel tank was placed on its cradle and the jumpseat panels were installed. The cockpit coaming is ready for another round of clearcoat.

1. The distributor's MSD ignition box (blue box) mounts to the side of the electrical box with rubber vibration dampers.

2. A stainless steel piano hinge was used to hinge the electrical box door.

3. The electrical box is very cramped but we managed to pack a Blue Sea Systems marine rated fuse block, a solenoid-actuated master disconnect switch for the battery and an electrical fuel pump relay. We'll sort out the mess of wires when the engine is installed !

1. Here are a few photos after trimming the tonneau cover to fit around the engine. Still lots of trimming to do, but it certainly has the look I had envisioned ! It's going to be sweet !

Steeper shaft angles increase upward thrust which increases transom lift and decrease bow lift. Lower shaft angles reduce upward thrust and increase bow lift. More thrust is available to propel the boat. Reference : Basic Propeller Theory - Prop Shaft Angles (sfmbc.net)

How to measure propeller rake The Rake measurement indicates the angle of blades’ tilt towards or away from the transom. The rake angle is measured on a line extending from the center of the hub through the center of one blade. A propeller with 0 degree rake has blades 90 degrees perpendicular to the center of the hub. A 20 degree rake results in a blade that is angled 70 degrees from the hub.

Propeller is mounted to a propeller shaft and levelled horizontally in a bench vise.

Rake is the measurement of the angle of the tilt of the blade's tip toward or away from the propeller's front hub face. The angle is measured on a line extending from the center of the hub through the center of one blade.

An inclinometer (angle finder) is used to find the rake angle. The setup presented here isn't very accurate, but will work if you need a quick determination of rake angle when you're in the field.

Here's our new OJ 12x16p LH 3 blade Nibral propeller.

Propeller # 1 is a 12" diameter by 15" pitch left hand rotation propeller.

Propeller # 2 is a Menkens 11-1/2" x 15p forged steel 2-blade. We encountered severe ventilation and vibration with this propeller.