Squirt by Bill and Linda Whitney

Squirt by Bill and Linda Whitney

Posted by BillW2 on Dec 7th 2015

We probably qualify for having completed a Glen-L Squirt in record time.  Actually, the record for longest time, since this boat was started in 2002 and finally finished (maybe) in only 13 years.

This little boat is shown at the up-side down stage in your customers photo section. Then it was also in your web letter numbers 65 and 84. After that, while still unfinished, it was temporarily rigged with a Johnson 35. This was an experiment to see how the Squirt would handle a 130 pound outboard. It was only run in the water one time, but the boat handled that motor very nicely.

Following that, the unfinished Squirt was parked in the shop for a while, which became nearly a decade. It began to gather dust (sawdust) while we embarked on another boat building project. But that's a different story.

This Squirt was stretched 15 inches. It has the gas tank behind the seat and the battery ahead of the foreword frame. It has lights, in case we are inclined to venture out on a dark and stormy night in a tiny boat. Probably not likely.

This motor is a 1957 Mark 55 and, yes, it weighs about the same as the Johnson. These four cylinder motors were 40 horsepower, but this one has a larger block from a 45 hp motor. The top speed is still to determined; probably about 40+ mph. No doubt some of the jet squirts are considerably faster than this one.

We would like to know some of the history of the Squirt. Was Mr. Witt the designer? And what year was that? The Squirt looks like a scaled down, low profile, California ski boat. It that the case?

I have been a fan of Glen-L boats since I was a kid in the 50's.  I would have really wanted a boat like this when I was ten years old in 1957. Linda says I am trying to re-live my childhood. She's right; the wait was worth it.

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