Description
The Glen-L Fancy Free, a graceful 21-foot auxiliary sloop designed by Glen L. Witt in the 1970s and offered through Glen-L Marine Designs, captures the essence of classic pocket cruising with its lightweight plywood construction tailored for ambitious amateur builders seeking trailerable seaworthiness for weekend escapes or coastal jaunts along the Intracoastal Waterway, Great Lakes, or New England harbors. Measuring 21 feet LOA (19' LWL) with a 7-foot 6-inch beam and 3 feet 6 inches draft on a full keel with 1,200 pounds of lead ballast (displacement ~3,800 pounds for a 32% ballast ratio and comfort ratio ~25), it delivers a balanced, forgiving motion with hull speed ~5.9 knots and responsive handling under its masthead sloop rig carrying 265 square feet of sail (SA/D ~17; 160 sq ft main, 105 sq ft genoa on a tabernacle-stepped aluminum mast for solo raising, achieving 5–7 knots reaching in 10–15 knots breeze). Built via stitch-and-glue marine plywood (¼-inch planking over oak frames, fully sheathed in fiberglass/epoxy for durability and low maintenance; 700–1,000 build hours using full-size patterns), the design features a self-bailing cockpit, kick-up rudder option for shoal waters, and a cozy interior with 5'10" headroom, V-berth forward, convertible saloon settees (sleeping 4), compact U-galley with sink and icebox, enclosed chemical head, and ample lockers for gear. Auxiliary power via a 4–9.9 hp outboard in a transom well provides 4–5 knot motoring; renowned for customizability—the Fancy Free has inspired dozens of completions worldwide, with documented Bahamas circuits and club races. Plans (~$200–$300) and hardware kits remain available at glen-l.com,
