Description
The Glen-L Spirit Cutter, a robust 39-foot steel-hulled cruising cutter variant of the flagship SPIRIT design by Glen L. Witt introduced in the 1970s and offered through Glen-L Marine Designs, represents the zenith of DIY blue water capability for welders envisioning self-sufficient passages from the Mediterranean to the South Pacific, with its multi-chine hull prioritizing simplicity, strength, and long-range endurance over outright speed. Measuring 39 feet LOA (35' LWL) with a 12-foot beam, 5 feet 6 inches draft on an encapsulated full keel (23,000 pounds total displacement, including 8,000 pounds of low-cost concrete/scrap steel ballast for a 35% ratio and comfort ratio ~38), it affords a gentle, seakindly motion in 25–35 knot seas while attaining a hull speed of ~7.8 knots under its masthead cutter rig with 800 square feet of sail (main 334 sq ft, staysail/jib 392 sq ft combined, club-footed self-tending jib for singlehanded ease; SA/D ~14 for balanced, low-heeling progress and versatile storm tactics). The multi-chine mild steel plate construction (5/32"–3/16" plating over 25 frames, fully welded with integral fuel (300 gallons), water (200 gallons), and waste tanks plus watertight bulkheads for collision safety) demands 2,000–3,000 hours for a proficient builder using Glen-L's precise offsets and patterns, resulting in a virtually unbreakable shell primed with epoxy for corrosion resistance; the interior spans 6'4" headroom across a private forward stateroom (double V-berth, hanging locker, convertible seat, and en-suite head), expansive saloon with U-galley (gimbaled stove, double sinks, fridge), dedicated nav station, convertible dinette/settees for six, and aft quarter berth with second head—provisioned for months at sea. Auxiliary power via a 50–70 hp diesel inboard (e.g., Perkins 4-154 or Yanmar 4JH) ensures 7.5-knot motoring; with ~15–25 SPIRIT hulls completed worldwide (cutter rigs comprising about half, including notable Atlantic circuits).
