While we’ve featured interesting boats on Barn Finds in the past, it’s rare to find a seafaring vessel that is a genuine time-capsule discovery. This 1984 Glasply Alaskan has just 17 hours of operation since new, and the seller speculates it was the last one made before Glasply ceased operations. The boat has some not-for-production features and is said to run well. Find it here on craigslist for $24,969.
Glasply has a faithful following, with most enthusiasts preferring the earlier examples due to perceived quality control issues. The company founder was apparently quite passionate about his work, and employed a no compromises approach to boat construction. When times got tough in the 70s and ownership changed hands, the next group to run the company was rumored to be more fixated on profits than perfection.
This example is a desirable Alaskan model with the enclosed roof design (at least that’s my impression of what sets the Alaskan model apart), and the seller notes the Arneson Surface Drive was factory-installed but not listed as a factory option; in addition, the engine is a 270 b.h.p. SBC when the largest publicly offered engine was rated at 260 b.h.p. It’s certainly all hearsay at the moment, but the seller is convinced this Glasply Alaskan once belonged the company’s former president.
The boat does appear to be in very nice cosmetic condition, certainly far better than anything un-restored with regular exposure to water. Other notable features include “….closed loop cooling with heat exchanger, cabin and cockpit heaters,” and photos show a clean interior with accommodations you wouldn’t mind sleeping in. While I’m not a boating expert, I’d love to hear from some of our readers as to the significance of this find and whether the nearly $25K asking price is fair.
There’s 2 times you enjoy a boat like this, when you buy it, and when you sell it. It’s a lot easier buying boats, than trying to sell them. I love boating, grew up with it, smaller boats, mostly, but with this, same thing, it just costs too much today. With a $40K dollar gas hog truck to pull it, fees, and the atrocious fuel usage these get, be a couple hundred dollar day, if that’s an issue for you, that is.
The high asking price is based on an unsubstantiated claim, if the seller can back it up with documentation,’he should, otherwise ithe story should be considered a ploy to get someone to overpay for a 30+ year old boat with questionable value.
Steve R
B.O.A.T. means “Break out another thousand” Just like with a car, the rubber parts are going to need replacing and a thousand would be a pretty modest cost for that alone. If this where a classic wood boat with a furniture like finish then it would fit the “collectable” category. Either way it’s still just a hole in the water that you throw money into.
It looks like a fun “Hole-in-the-water”.
fair winds and following seas to whomever gets her.
Um..no
I have never heard of the Glasply brand but from the pics it looks like a well put together craft. I would reserve final judgment on physical inspection. The surface drive seems to be a interesting concept. I have never piloted a boat with one.
Even with the supposed low hours, the price seems a little steep. A boat in reality is only worth what someone is willing to pay.
Hook that baby up to a 23 mile Grand National and stare at it in an oversized, climate controlled garage.
Looks like a decent deal to me. Have any of you priced what a new boat like this would cost? Lots of specialized equipment. You pay at least half that for an average boat of the same size needing repairs. Trailer adds value too.
Nice to see a boat on Barn Finds that doesn’t have four wheels!!!
Glasply is a PNW phenomenon. With the extras and condition this example is worth every penny. My uncle had a Glasply cuddy cabin and it cut through chop like a knife.
These are big water boats you can trailer, and with those factory bus heaters you can fish on Christmas Day.
I’m in the Great Lakes, might explain why I have never seen a Glasply. My suspicions must have been right. Sounds like they built a good boat.
I’ve fished the great lakes quite a bit myself and there’s no doubt that an enclosed, heated cabin would be a nice thing to have!
Perfect made boat for the swells off of the Pacific.. They are a very well built boat for rough water.Grew up in the San Juan Island and these are well though of by everyone here..I have a flush deck 55′ Constellation C.C. and see these all the time..I do find it odd that no mention of the length or beam…The trailer itself is worth a bit also..
Skibum, can we see a pic of your Connie? I love those old wooden Chris Crafts.
Ah. This is a nice boat. 24k nice? No. Glasply boats from what I’m told used no wood in the transoms of their boats which is why they do command a decent price most of the time. But 1984 was right in the “quality control” issues for fiberglas boat makers. I’d look this one over very carefully for hull blisters and delamination before making about a 15k offer, tops. Low engine hours are great, but old glass is old glass. Expect to pull and reseal all the hydraulics, and a minimum of an outdrive top end service and water pump impeller in the lower end. This boat was built for the PNW, it would be wonderful at bouy 10 or for close offshore salmon fishing.
“…2 times you enjoy a boat like this, when you buy it, and when you sell it…”
Then don’t get one.
Nice blue water boat but needs mast’n sails for my interest.
8^0
It would be interesting to try to dock this with a surface drive. I bet you get prop walk like crazy. This is one you not only want to have a survey done on but a thorough sea trial as well. If everything checks out this is a fair deal and will make one heck of a PNW fishing machine.
“Dock Finds”
Daddy, why do you have 2 motors on your boat? Why daddy? What’s an “SBC” daddy?
For the same money get a nice 28′ or 33′ Bertram.
I own and operate a 17 foot Glasply in Puget Sound. The boat was bought new by my grandfather in 1973, and I estimate that it has well over 10,000 hours of fresh and saltwater use.
I wonder how well that Arneson drive unit works on that boat listed? Those surface drives are pure racing tech, set up for going really fast.
I’ll clean this up for BF but a well to do friend once blessed me with this wisdom.
If it flys
Floats or
Makes love
Rent it
Actually it goes…
“If it flys, floats, eats oats or doesn’t vote, rent it”
There doesnt appear to be a belt present for the circulation pump or power steering either, acting as a hydralic pump.
Assuming the trailer is 8 1/2 ft wide, the beam looks 8ft with a very narrow deep V multichime design hull. I can see how it could cut through chop.