Boatbuilding

[Googly]

I am umming and arring on wether to build a classic carvel sailboat. I am wondering if there is a book out there for "Classic Boatbuilding for the Complete Idiot"...eg something which actually explains FULLY the lofting process with arrows and pics and assumes you KNOW NOTHING! After all terms like a futtock and rabbet sound like something out of a space machine to those without a background in boatbuilding!

[Rogue Sailor]

Stewart's "How to Build a Wooden Boat" should fit the bill.

[Doug Wood]

"How to Build a Wooden Boat" by Bud McIntosh would be a good book. Also well worth having in the library would be Greg Rossel's "Building Small Boats".

[Meerkat]

Details of Classic Boat Construction: The Hull (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0964603683/qid=1054711321/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-0202147-6073516?v=glance&s=books) by Larry Pardey. 5-star rated @ amazon.

Joel White, boatbuilder/designer, Woodenboat
For someone, especially an amateur, about to start the lengthy and daunting process of building a wooden boat, it would be an invaluable and comforting guide. Pardey is perfectly upfront about the aims of the book: "I have tried to concentrate on giving details of construction and information about skills that are not found in books available on boatbuilding." He has succeeded rather well, for the book does indeed go into considerable detail on the methods and tricks employed by an experienced builder to build a sailboat hull from scratch.
Paul Gelder, Editor, Yachting Monthly, 1997
Larry Pardey is accepted as one of the worlds master craftsmen of wooden boatbuilding. He and his wife, Lin, have built their own boats an then sailed them around the world. This most comprehensive guide to classic boat construction contains a wealth of photographs and step-by-step guides to various aspects of boatbuilding, from lofting, floors and framing, through to selection of materials, design considerations, deckbeams, partners and all the myriad details that make up a wooden yacht. There are three appendices on boatbuilding woods, yacht-construction rules and choosing adhesives.

[ 06-04-2003, 03:37 AM: Message edited by: Meerkat ]

[JimD]

I have Steward and McIntosh. Of the two McIntosh is probably better illustrated and explained for the complete novice (which includes me). Steward may still leave you scratching your head in a few places. I haven't seen White's book yet.

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

In my boatbuilding classes (of which I only spend 3 hours on lofting...) I recommend for the complete novice Geoge Beuhler's boatbuilding book.
After that is read, Steward's, McIntosh's, and Chapelle's books. If more is needed, there is always Simmon's book on lofting, specifically.

-Thad

[Ken Bascom]

I would add Greg Rossel's "Building Small Boats. Doesn't cover casting external ballast and some other things that you'll need if you're building something larger, but lofting is pretty much lofting and spiling is pretty much spiling. I found his writing clear and understandable, and I found his discussions of tools, woods, glues, etc., very good, as well.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Googly:
I am umming and arring on wether to build a classic carvel sailboat. I am wondering if there is a book out there for "Classic Boatbuilding for the Complete Idiot"...eg something which actually explains FULLY the lofting process with arrows and pics and assumes you KNOW NOTHING!For lofting, there are two standard sources:</font> Ship and Aircraft Fairing and Development: For Draftsmen and Loftsmen and Sheet Metal Workers (http://www.cornellmaritimepress.com/0969.htm), by Sam Rable. 1941. This is, essentially, the ur-lofting reference. Also, I believe available from , I believe, Our Sponsor (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/) as well as the Usual Places (Amazon, Barnes+Noble, Borders, etc.)</font> Lofting (http://www.cambiumbooks.com/books/boat_building/0-937822-55-8/), by Allan Vaitses. Available from Our Sponsor (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/), Cambium Books (http://www.cambiumbooks.com/) and, probably, the Usual Places. This is also good, but not, I believe, quite as thorough a treatment as Rabl's</font>For general boatbuilding, Robert Steward's Boatbuilding Manual, 4th ed. (http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/cgi-bin/pbg/im/flypageIM.html?mv_arg=0070613761) is used as the standard text here in Seattle Central Community College's Boatbuilding curriculum. It also is available from Our Sponsor (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/), direct from International Marine (http://www.internationalmarine.com/) as well as the Usual Places.

[Wild Dingo]

I concur with Thad here Beuhler has a way with words for the rank amature that cant be beat... Im presently waiting on the mail service from here to Woodenboat store for my copy of McIntosh's I understand the drawings by Manning are brilliant and at $25US from the store {hurt books} a savings of $11US you cant go wrong :cool:

Its a worryin choice if the budgets tight though when you think about it... Chappelle Rabl McIntosh Stewart Pardey and on so what do you choose?

I just saw that one by McIntosh as I was doin a tad of shopping at the store and having read Beuhlers and enjoyed it and gained a major headache from Chappelles :rolleyes: ...I thought to meself maybe this will make sence? everything Ive read from McIntosh through back issues was brilliant easy to read and understand and covered the issue at hand with clarity... we will see. :cool:

But definantly check Woodenboat.com store!! ooohh buggar it here yer go (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/store/) ;)

Tell em Dingo sent yer!! :cool: :D

[Ken Hutchins]

HMMMMM :rolleyes: Wild dingo saying Beuhler has a way with words!!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :D :D :cool: :cool: :rolleyes:

[Dean Preston]

I have spoken with George, and I concur. But if you want one book for a rank amatuer, his boatbuilding book is it. He's not that bad really, just, like many of us, without an unlimited budget. Just read more than one book before you start ripping stock.