Marine book shop in London

[jonjo]

I will have a few hours spare in London this week and hope to peruse some refit related titles (see below) prior to the big book order. After the closure of Kelvin Hughes, is there an alternative bookshop?

The Project over the next 18 months involves a diesel rebuild, new electrical system, GRP rudder rebuild, d.i.y. osmosis treatment and galley update. I probably need two views on each subject.


*** Electrics ***

BOATOWNER'S ILLUSTRATED HANDBOOK OF WIRING by Charlie Wing

The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible by John C. Payne

Sailboat Electrical Systems: Improvement, Wiring, and Repair by Don Casey

Reliable Marine Electrics by Chris Laming

Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible by John C. Payne

Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual by Nigel Calder


*** Engine ***

The Care & Repair of Small Marine Diesels by Nigel Calder

Troubleshooting Marine Diesels by Peter Compton

Marine Diesel Engines 2nd edition by Nigel Calder

Diesel Companion by Pat Manley

RYA Book of Diesel Engines by Tim Bartlett


*** GRP & Internal Fitting Out ***

Boat Interior Construction by Michael Naujok (Pub Nov 2002)

From A Bare Hull : How To Build A Sailboat by Ferenc Mate

The Boat Repair Manual - George Buchanan Editor

Fibreglass Boats 3rd Edition (revised) by Hugo Du Plessis

 

[tillergirl]

You could try Stanfords in Longacre, walking distance from Leicester Square or Covent Garden Underground Stations. Besides Maps and Charts, they do have a wider selection of books downstairs. Head west from Leicester Square Station or East from Covent Garden which is actually in Longacre. There is also Foyles in Charing Cross Road which is reachable (five minutes) goping north from Leicester Square Underground but actually closer to Tottenham Court Road Underground (the next Northern Line station north). I assume they are still there as it is a couple of years since I went there. Foyles have many things, the trick is finding them. I seem to remember finding some interesting stuff in their Maritime select but they also had a section on Sailing/Yachting. Worth just checking with the telephone directory that they are still there. Not sure about the other bookshops in the Charing Cross Road but they might bear fruit.

Hope this helps

 

[Twister_Ken]

Unbelievably, London is now a bit of a desert for serious chandlers. The only remaining place I'm sure about is immediately left as you come out of the Villiers St exit at Embankment u/g station. Sorry, forgotten its name. Trouble is it's bigger on diving than sailing, so I doubt they'll have half the titles you're looking for.

 

[Rowana]

Have you ever thought of Amazon? They also do second-hand books from individuals. I've bought a couple of boaty-related books this way, the cost was MUCH cheaper than new, and the books came in first-class condition.

You could then sell them on again once you've read them or completed your project, and recoup some of your outlay.

Jim

 

[rhinorhino]

It's Ocean Lesuire.
Reasonable stock of books.

 

[tr7v8]

The best place for books on the web is ABEbooks.com (also .co.uk) this is used by all serious book sellers.

I've also found a few on Ebay.co.uk

Jim
------

 

[AndrewB]

I've bought a couple of the books in your list at Waterstones (formerly Dillons) on the corner of Malet Street and Torrington Place in WC1. It's a general bookshop, but with a reasonable selection of in-print yachting books, if you happen to be that way. (tel: 020 7636 1577).

 

[clueless]

foyles is still there, although last time i went they'd rearranged the store a lot...but not quite got round to changing the store plans yet so it was even more of maze than usual - its worth asking straight away for the department you want or you can wander aimlessly for hours!

 

[Keen_Ed]

Chandleries in London are generally hopeless. There is Ocean Leisure, on the Embankment, next to Embankment tube, and OM Watts, on Dover St, in Mayfair. OM Watts has the larger range of books, but at you do suffer from Ocean Leisure, or OM Watts (as appropriate) Added Tax.

I would think the web is your best bet. Amazon.co.uk, Bookfinder.com etc. Maybe http://www.bookharbour.com/
Kelvin Hughes's online nautical bookshop?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Capt Watts currently closed

due to bankruptcy

 

[jhr]

Foyles

Yes it's changed in the last couple of years and, in the words of Damon Runyon, "a story goes with it".

For about 50 years, the shop was run by the, ahem, 'autocratic' Christina Foyle, daughter of the original Mr F. She was responsible for retaining most of the shop's little idiosyncracies, such as the Eastern Bloc queuing system (you queued to pay for your book, a handwritten receipt was given to you, a handwritten entry made in the sales ledger and you then queued again to collect the book on presentation of the receipt). She was also famous for firing staff before they had served long enough to attain employment protection rights or to find out anything about the layout of the shop - which accounted for the complete lack of knowledge of the assistants and the fact that nobody had a clue what they had in stock. The place was a mecca for shoplifters, since nobody knew when things went missing and I believe that many students (though not me, guv) financed their degrees by 'borrowing' a few books from Foyles and selling them on. It was always very difficult for the audiors to place a value on the business but, as she owned the freehold of the shop (a massive building in the West End) it didn't really matter.

Anyway, Christina finally died at a ripe old age, amidst fulsome tributes along the lines of "what a character" and "oh dear, what a pity; never mind". Her heirs moved in and discovered, erm, suspiciously large piles of money missing - though how they worked it out, God knows. Several senior staff departed but the matter was finally resolved without recourse to m'learned friends because of the mysterious re-emergence of most of the said dosh, presumably as part of some kind of deal. The new management team have worked hard to pull the shop into the 21st Century (or at least the 20th) and have introduced subversive innovations such as computer systems and (really controversial, this one) an HR Manager. The layout of the shop is, I believe, a work in progress but the general perception is that things are much improved and, if you go there in search of a book, you now have at least a fighting chance of finding it.

The old Foyles was unique, almost a museum piece and, as such, I suppose some will mourn the passing of the way it was and the loss of some of its individuality. Others will say that it's better gone and that the new owners are trying hard to keep it unique in other ways, so that it doesn't turn into a book chain clone. I, for one, wish them well.

 

[Mirelle]

Save some money

Join the Cruising Association and borrow them from the library!

 

[Forbsie]

Re: Save some money

Great library.

I would have loved to have seen what they sold to pay for the clubhouse.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>

 

[rhinorhino]

Books on Web

www.Bookbrain.co.uk is a general search site that will search a large number of on-line book shops and give you the best price. Well worth a look if buying online.

 

[jonjo]

Re: Torrington Place

That must be the bookshop near the University, useful because Kings Cross is my London portal.

 

[jonjo]

Re: Pret a Manger

> Stanfords in Longacre

Think I have a plan, browse, buy and then a sandwich while reading up on how to dismantle a diesel engine.

 

[philmarks]

Ocean Leisure

 

[Mirelle]

You can

Members are entitled to see the Hanson Collection at the Cambridge University Library; just ask the Secretariat for a ticket, and arrangements are made. It was a term of the sale. They are, well, fabulous books. There is no other word.