Wooden Boat 'Bible'

[absit_omen]

Wooden Boat \'Bible\'

Anybody any recommendations for the most comprehensive publication covering, design, construction and maintenance of wooden boats? Preferably still in print!!

 

[Peterduck]

Re: Wooden Boat \'Bible\'

It's too large a subject to be covered by one book, except in the most superficial way. There are many books on design, and each one covers the subject in a different way, and also covers different aspects of the subject. It's the same with construction; different shipwrights use diffferent methods, depending on what they were taught when apprentices. Different areas have different practices, all of them valid for that area. The way it's done in Suffolk might be frowned upon in Falmouth, and thought to be plain crazy somewhere else. Maintenance is a much more uniform subject, as the problems are universal: e.g "if you're going to have water inside a boat, make sure that it's sweet and in a tank, not the bilge". There is no short cut to learning about wooden boats. Read everything that you can get your hands on, talk to experienced owners of boats and boatyards, and try to remember of it as much as you can.
Peter.

 

[Poignard]

Re: Wooden Boat \'Bible\'

"Yacht Designing and Planning" and "Boatbulding" by Howard Chappelle.
"How to Build a Wooden Boat" by Mackintosh and Robinson. Several books by Michael Verney.
For modern wood/epoxy methods see WEST publications.

 

[Mirelle]

Let me add a few more...

I endorse both Twisterowner's list and Peter Duck's comments!

Let me add a few more:

"Yacht Construction" - Watts and Jurd (Adlard Coles, but out of print)

This is the "Bible" of the British professional wooden boat builder - should be read in conjunction with Lloyds Register's "Rules for wooden yachts" (LR, also out of print!) It assumes a good level of knowledge, but if you want to know how to loft and build a counter stern, etc, this will tell you.

"Lofting" - Allen Vaitses (USA, but few differences here)

"Clinker Boatbuilding" - John Leather

"Details of classic wooden yacht construction - vol. 1 - the hull". Larry Pardey. Title is misleading. This is a perfectionist's account of building a 30ft wooden yacht to the highest possible standard. Very comprehensive and well illustrated. American, of course.

The five Uffa Fox "annuals" - Sailing, Seamanship and Yacht Construction". "Uffa Fox'es Second Boook", "Racing, Cruising and Design", "Power and Sail" and one whose name I've forgotten.

 

[neilw]

Re: Let me add a few more...

The 5th Uffa Book is "Thoughts on Yachts and Yachting"

another one worth getting hold off is Howard Chappelles "Boatbuilding", well out of print but worth it if you can find it.

 

[absit_omen]

Re: Let me add a few more...

Thanks to everbody for that. What impresses me is the simplicity of the titles - no mincing of words here!

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Let me add a few more...

And probably the best place to start is, indeed, Michael Verney's "Complete Amateur Boat Building"!