Re: [bolger] Re: Short list of Boat Books (kind of long)
Well, most of my favorites showed up, but you're missing:
"The Sailmaker's Apprentice" by Emiliano Marino, International Marine, 1994,
ISBN 0-07-157980-X.
Fine discussions of a great range of subjects besides sewing; e.g.,
Setting sails,
Ergonomics,
Helm balance,
Rigs incl Square, lug, gunter, sprit, wishbone, full-battan, batwing, gaff,
Bermudan, lateen & settee, Polynesian Claw,
Sail Shapes & Theory
... and that's just in chapters 2..4 out of 12.
Good reading.
Also, Hassler & McLeod's "Junk Rig" if you're into geometry. Lots of ideas
besides the rig design; e.g. the swinging chair and canopied conning hatch
in the cabin top, mast design and construction and fittings, ...
Roger
derbyrm@...
http://derbyrm.mystarband.net
Howard Chapelle mentions the value of the "moaning chair" in "Wooden
Boatbuilding." Does this predate Glen-L? (He might have called it the
"weeping chair."
"The Sailmaker's Apprentice" by Emiliano Marino, International Marine, 1994,
ISBN 0-07-157980-X.
Fine discussions of a great range of subjects besides sewing; e.g.,
Setting sails,
Ergonomics,
Helm balance,
Rigs incl Square, lug, gunter, sprit, wishbone, full-battan, batwing, gaff,
Bermudan, lateen & settee, Polynesian Claw,
Sail Shapes & Theory
... and that's just in chapters 2..4 out of 12.
Good reading.
Also, Hassler & McLeod's "Junk Rig" if you're into geometry. Lots of ideas
besides the rig design; e.g. the swinging chair and canopied conning hatch
in the cabin top, mast design and construction and fittings, ...
Roger
derbyrm@...
http://derbyrm.mystarband.net
Howard Chapelle mentions the value of the "moaning chair" in "Wooden
Boatbuilding." Does this predate Glen-L? (He might have called it the
"weeping chair."
--- Bob Johnson wrote:
has an insightful chapter
on the 'perfect workshop'.
...which he approaches from
a 'zen-like' path.
My memory might be wrong,
but I recall this book has
the origin of the concept
of the 'moaning chair'.
I particularly appreciate
his emphasis on having good
natural lighting...plus some
good comfortable places to
sit and comforatable work
surfaces.
> L.F. Herreshoff'sVery true, *and* it also
> _The Compleat Cruiser_.
> This book is sort of a
> primer on cruising
has an insightful chapter
on the 'perfect workshop'.
...which he approaches from
a 'zen-like' path.
My memory might be wrong,
but I recall this book has
the origin of the concept
of the 'moaning chair'.
I particularly appreciate
his emphasis on having good
natural lighting...plus some
good comfortable places to
sit and comforatable work
surfaces.
I would like to add a couple of books that are not mentioned often,
actually I would put them a little ahead of some that have made the list.
First is the Glen L book on Plywood boat construction "
<http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>Boatbuilding with Plywood
<http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>" <http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>
http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html
I have built both in stitch and glue and plywood on frame. I think that
plywood on frame is faster and easier past 15 feet or so, stitch and
glue just looks easier.
I own every book that Bob Johnson mentioned, and I have learned from
them all, but I built my first boat (26' fishing boat) using the Glen L
book.
Most of the focus of this group is sails and light outboards, but if you
ever are going to install an engine then another Glen L book " Inboard
Motor Installations" has all you need to know.
http://www.glen-l.com/books/b.html
I made my first two engine installations with no instruction but this book.
These books are masterpieces of clear understandable writing. They
provided all the information I needed for the task at hand, which was a
good thing as I was a long way from any other source of advice (Nome AK).
HJ
actually I would put them a little ahead of some that have made the list.
First is the Glen L book on Plywood boat construction "
<http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>Boatbuilding with Plywood
<http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>" <http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html>
http://www.glen-l.com/books/bb.html
I have built both in stitch and glue and plywood on frame. I think that
plywood on frame is faster and easier past 15 feet or so, stitch and
glue just looks easier.
I own every book that Bob Johnson mentioned, and I have learned from
them all, but I built my first boat (26' fishing boat) using the Glen L
book.
Most of the focus of this group is sails and light outboards, but if you
ever are going to install an engine then another Glen L book " Inboard
Motor Installations" has all you need to know.
http://www.glen-l.com/books/b.html
I made my first two engine installations with no instruction but this book.
These books are masterpieces of clear understandable writing. They
provided all the information I needed for the task at hand, which was a
good thing as I was a long way from any other source of advice (Nome AK).
HJ
>
>
On Monday, September 8, 2003, at 01:45 PM, Bruce Hallman
<bruce@...> wrote:
I think are the boat books everyone interested in boatbuilding, boat
design, and boating should have or have read at least once. I'll
confess that I'm not much of a boatbuilder, having only built two
tortured plywood kayaks, which actually, never quite got finished, but,
someday when the garage gets cleared out enough to again see the floor,
I intend to finish. I've also spent some time helping to replank and
recaulk a traditional plank on frame replica sailing ship. I've spent
more time messing about in a variety of mostly small boats, power and
sail, and I'll say that I probably enjoy canoes and kayaks more than
anything else. Infinitely more time, however, has been enjoyed reading
and dreaming about boats, boatbuilding, and cruising, and I've probably
gotten at least as much pleasure, if not more, from the reading and
contemplating as from the actual doing.
All this is just to show where I'm coming from, and of course, your
list may vary.
This being the Bolger list, all the books by Phil Bolger and Dynamite
Payson are automatically at the top of the list. Read enough stuff
written by PCB and you'll have the beginning of a very good education
in boat design. Payson has shown time and again that anyone CAN build
a boat. After those:
L.F. Herreshoff's _Sensible Cruising Designs_. To me Herreshoff
represents the pinnacle of classical yacht design and beauty. Bolger
cites him as an inspiration. The writing is some of the most highly
literate on boats and boating, worth reading for itself. LFH comes
across a bit crusty and elitist at times, but, like all of us, he's
just the product of his upbringing. Aside from the beauty of his lines
and the quality of his writing, the drawings are worth studying for the
details of rigging, etc. He is a strong proponent of shallow draft, the
sharpie, and leeboards. He also was an advocate for the double paddle
canoe, or what we now usually call a kayak. For many of the designs in
the book, pretty much all the lines, offsets, and complete plans are
there, though greatly reduced, so theoretically you could build from
the book.
L.F. Herreshoff's _The Compleat Cruiser_. This book is sort of a
primer on cruising in the form of a story of a couple of fictitious
boats, crews and cruises. Lots of good information, though some may
consider it a bit polly-annish. Though given the current state of the
world, I find the innocence refreshing.
H.I. Chapelle's _American Small Sailing Craft_. Chapelle is the dean
of American maritime historians, at least so far as the boats
themselves go. A broad survey of working and sporting craft, beginning
with the colonization of America running up to the early 1900s. Lines
and offsets for many types are included, and larger scale drawings are
available from the Smithsonian Institution.
H.I. Chapelle's _American Sailing Craft_. Similar treatment of some
larger traditional types, including Chesapeake Skipjacks, Catboats,
Pinkie Schooners, cruising adaptations of sharpies, etc. Not quite as
essential as the above, but still worth reading.
H.I. Chapelle's _Boatbuilding_. Covers traditional wooden
boatbuilding, and while most of us are not really interested in using
the methods, there is still useful information to be gleaned here. But
the best reason to read this book are the many interesting designs
scattered throughout the text as examples. Again, larger scale drawings
can be had from the Smithsonian.
While we're on traditional boatbuilding, here I'll throw in
S.S. Rabl's _Boatbuilding in Your Own Back Yard_. Covers traditional
boatbuilding and "traditional" plywood-on-frame
building. Also covers the Chesapeake herringbone style of
construction. Here again, the general information will be of more
interest than the specific building methods for most of us here. But
again, it's the boats included that are of most interest. The section
on "Uncle Gabe's flattie skiff" alone is worth the price of the book.
and
George Buehler's _Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding_. A modern treatise
on building traditional plank-on-frame cruising boats, and one which
makes you think that yes, you really could build a boat like that.
Since I don't want a big heavy timber boat, though, I find the book
inspirational for its can-do philosophy and embrace of alternative
approaches.
For modern epoxy-based boatbuilding I like
Rueul Parker's _The New Cold Molded Boatbuilder_ and _The Sharpie Book_.
Also
Sam Devlin's _Devlin's Boatbuilding_. Parker and Devlin are guys who
have each built a lot of epoxy-based boats and their respective books
reflect that extensive experience. For me, these are the books that
give me the kind of hands on detail that make me believe that a larger
scale building project is doable. Each of these guys also is a fine
designer and interpreter of traditional design to modern material.
To round out the modern methodology I'll throw in
Tom Hill's _Ultralight Boatbuilding_ for glued plywood lapstrake
and
Mac MacCarthy's _Featherweight Boatbuilding_ for strip planking.
For Boat Design
H.I. Chapelle's _Yacht Designing and Planning_,
Francis Kinney's _Skene's Elements of Yacht Design_,
and Douglas Phillips-Birt's _Sailing Yacht Design_. These are all
older, highly readable, non-mathmatical treatments of yacht design.
There are some nice classic cruising yachts shown in each book.
Two books that are harder to classify, one older and one newer, are
Dave Gerr's _The Nature of Boats_. This is an encyclopediac work
covering a range of boat design, construction, and historical topics.
A good discussion of scaling designs up or down in size.
and
Edwin Schoettle's _Sailing Craft_. This 1949 book is a survey of a
variety of sailing craft (mostly cruising and racing yachts) from
around the world. Of particular interest to Bolgerados, a good chapter
on the Dutch Boeiers, Botters, etc. on which the Schuyt Houseboat shown
in chapter 40 of _Boats with an Open Mind_ is based.
To end this short :) list, two author/designer/builders that deserve
inclusion are
the late John Gardner and his four books on "Classic Small Craft".
Dories, canoes, sharpies, skiffs, rowboats, you name it, he shows you
how to build it.
also R.D. "Pete" Culler. His book _Skiffs and Schooners_ is a
treasury of old time boat lore. His designs are documented in a book
by John Burke called _Pete Culler's Boats_ and range from double paddle
canoes and rowing skiffs to large cargo schooners. Very traditionally
styled and as beautiful as Herreshoff's designs, but in a more workboat
inspired way. His scow schooner is particularly appealing to me.
Ok, that's it. My short list. Obviously it reflects my interest in
classically styled cruising yachts and traditional small craft.
If the list were to be longer I'd add these names to it: William
Atkins, John Atkins, Westy Farmer, William Garden, Harry Sucher, Philip
Rhodes, Uffa Fox, Eric Hiscock, John Leather, Roger Taylor, Richard
Henderson, W.P. Stephens, .....etc. But then it wouldn't be a short
list, would it?
Bob
<bruce@...> wrote:
> Subject: Short list of Boat Books.Since you asked :), I'll be happy to run through my short list of what
>
> --- Bob Johnson wrote:
>> book _Boatbuilding in Your Own
>> Backyard_, by S. S. Rabl.
>>
>> By the way, this book is on
>> my short list of books that all
>> boatbuilders should have.
>
>
> Please tell us of the other books
> on your short list...
>
> I would include:
>
> All the Bolger Books and:
>
> L.F. Herreshoff's; _The Compleat Cruiser_
> H.H. Payson's: _Instant Boats_ & _New Instant Boats_
I think are the boat books everyone interested in boatbuilding, boat
design, and boating should have or have read at least once. I'll
confess that I'm not much of a boatbuilder, having only built two
tortured plywood kayaks, which actually, never quite got finished, but,
someday when the garage gets cleared out enough to again see the floor,
I intend to finish. I've also spent some time helping to replank and
recaulk a traditional plank on frame replica sailing ship. I've spent
more time messing about in a variety of mostly small boats, power and
sail, and I'll say that I probably enjoy canoes and kayaks more than
anything else. Infinitely more time, however, has been enjoyed reading
and dreaming about boats, boatbuilding, and cruising, and I've probably
gotten at least as much pleasure, if not more, from the reading and
contemplating as from the actual doing.
All this is just to show where I'm coming from, and of course, your
list may vary.
This being the Bolger list, all the books by Phil Bolger and Dynamite
Payson are automatically at the top of the list. Read enough stuff
written by PCB and you'll have the beginning of a very good education
in boat design. Payson has shown time and again that anyone CAN build
a boat. After those:
L.F. Herreshoff's _Sensible Cruising Designs_. To me Herreshoff
represents the pinnacle of classical yacht design and beauty. Bolger
cites him as an inspiration. The writing is some of the most highly
literate on boats and boating, worth reading for itself. LFH comes
across a bit crusty and elitist at times, but, like all of us, he's
just the product of his upbringing. Aside from the beauty of his lines
and the quality of his writing, the drawings are worth studying for the
details of rigging, etc. He is a strong proponent of shallow draft, the
sharpie, and leeboards. He also was an advocate for the double paddle
canoe, or what we now usually call a kayak. For many of the designs in
the book, pretty much all the lines, offsets, and complete plans are
there, though greatly reduced, so theoretically you could build from
the book.
L.F. Herreshoff's _The Compleat Cruiser_. This book is sort of a
primer on cruising in the form of a story of a couple of fictitious
boats, crews and cruises. Lots of good information, though some may
consider it a bit polly-annish. Though given the current state of the
world, I find the innocence refreshing.
H.I. Chapelle's _American Small Sailing Craft_. Chapelle is the dean
of American maritime historians, at least so far as the boats
themselves go. A broad survey of working and sporting craft, beginning
with the colonization of America running up to the early 1900s. Lines
and offsets for many types are included, and larger scale drawings are
available from the Smithsonian Institution.
H.I. Chapelle's _American Sailing Craft_. Similar treatment of some
larger traditional types, including Chesapeake Skipjacks, Catboats,
Pinkie Schooners, cruising adaptations of sharpies, etc. Not quite as
essential as the above, but still worth reading.
H.I. Chapelle's _Boatbuilding_. Covers traditional wooden
boatbuilding, and while most of us are not really interested in using
the methods, there is still useful information to be gleaned here. But
the best reason to read this book are the many interesting designs
scattered throughout the text as examples. Again, larger scale drawings
can be had from the Smithsonian.
While we're on traditional boatbuilding, here I'll throw in
S.S. Rabl's _Boatbuilding in Your Own Back Yard_. Covers traditional
boatbuilding and "traditional" plywood-on-frame
building. Also covers the Chesapeake herringbone style of
construction. Here again, the general information will be of more
interest than the specific building methods for most of us here. But
again, it's the boats included that are of most interest. The section
on "Uncle Gabe's flattie skiff" alone is worth the price of the book.
and
George Buehler's _Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding_. A modern treatise
on building traditional plank-on-frame cruising boats, and one which
makes you think that yes, you really could build a boat like that.
Since I don't want a big heavy timber boat, though, I find the book
inspirational for its can-do philosophy and embrace of alternative
approaches.
For modern epoxy-based boatbuilding I like
Rueul Parker's _The New Cold Molded Boatbuilder_ and _The Sharpie Book_.
Also
Sam Devlin's _Devlin's Boatbuilding_. Parker and Devlin are guys who
have each built a lot of epoxy-based boats and their respective books
reflect that extensive experience. For me, these are the books that
give me the kind of hands on detail that make me believe that a larger
scale building project is doable. Each of these guys also is a fine
designer and interpreter of traditional design to modern material.
To round out the modern methodology I'll throw in
Tom Hill's _Ultralight Boatbuilding_ for glued plywood lapstrake
and
Mac MacCarthy's _Featherweight Boatbuilding_ for strip planking.
For Boat Design
H.I. Chapelle's _Yacht Designing and Planning_,
Francis Kinney's _Skene's Elements of Yacht Design_,
and Douglas Phillips-Birt's _Sailing Yacht Design_. These are all
older, highly readable, non-mathmatical treatments of yacht design.
There are some nice classic cruising yachts shown in each book.
Two books that are harder to classify, one older and one newer, are
Dave Gerr's _The Nature of Boats_. This is an encyclopediac work
covering a range of boat design, construction, and historical topics.
A good discussion of scaling designs up or down in size.
and
Edwin Schoettle's _Sailing Craft_. This 1949 book is a survey of a
variety of sailing craft (mostly cruising and racing yachts) from
around the world. Of particular interest to Bolgerados, a good chapter
on the Dutch Boeiers, Botters, etc. on which the Schuyt Houseboat shown
in chapter 40 of _Boats with an Open Mind_ is based.
To end this short :) list, two author/designer/builders that deserve
inclusion are
the late John Gardner and his four books on "Classic Small Craft".
Dories, canoes, sharpies, skiffs, rowboats, you name it, he shows you
how to build it.
also R.D. "Pete" Culler. His book _Skiffs and Schooners_ is a
treasury of old time boat lore. His designs are documented in a book
by John Burke called _Pete Culler's Boats_ and range from double paddle
canoes and rowing skiffs to large cargo schooners. Very traditionally
styled and as beautiful as Herreshoff's designs, but in a more workboat
inspired way. His scow schooner is particularly appealing to me.
Ok, that's it. My short list. Obviously it reflects my interest in
classically styled cruising yachts and traditional small craft.
If the list were to be longer I'd add these names to it: William
Atkins, John Atkins, Westy Farmer, William Garden, Harry Sucher, Philip
Rhodes, Uffa Fox, Eric Hiscock, John Leather, Roger Taylor, Richard
Henderson, W.P. Stephens, .....etc. But then it wouldn't be a short
list, would it?
Bob