Description
The Glen L 11, a nimble 11-foot fiberglass daysailer and tender designed by the innovative team at Glen L Marine Design in Victoria, British Columbia, during the early 1970s, captures the essence of West Coast minimalism with its lightweight, low-maintenance construction tailored for trailering, beach launching, and auxiliary service aboard larger yachts in the Pacific Northwest's fjords and inlets. Measuring 11 feet LOA with a 4-foot 6-inch beam and 6-inch shoal draft (retractable daggerboard adds 2 feet 6 inches for upwind bite), it displaces a mere 95 pounds (no ballast, crew weight provides stability), making it towable by a bicycle or small vehicle and easily rowed at 3–4 knots; the gunter sloop rig unfurls 48 square feet of sail (balanced lug main and jib, SA/D ratio ~28 for quick planning), delivering playful speeds of 5–7 knots on reaches in 8–12 knots of breeze, ideal for sheltered bays or youth instruction. Crafted via hand-laid fiberglass with foam flotation and a self-bailing cockpit, it features a simple open layout with thwarts for two adults (or three juniors), oarlocks for auxiliary propulsion, and minimal fittings like a hiking strap and centerboard trunk—eschewing luxuries for pure functionality at a build cost under $1,000 in era dollars. Glen L Marine, founded by engineer Glen Cairns in 1968 as a design consultancy evolving into a boutique yard, produced ~20–25 hulls before pivoting to custom tenders in 1975, fostering a loyal cadre of owners in Vancouver Island fleets.
