Rossel Books

[Capt B]

First post to the forum. I am looking to add to my "boatbuilding" book collection. I have many books but do not yet own any by Greg Rossel. Are both his books: "Building Small Boats" and "The Boatbuilders Apprentice" worth owning. Is the later book an "update" of the first book......or does it contain much new material. Thanks for your help.


Capt B

[Bill R]

Yes they are worth owning. One could make the argument they are mandatory... They are different books. Get them both. You won't be sorry.

[Paul Girouard]

Yes they are worth owning. One could make the argument they are mandatory... They are different books. Get them both. You won't be sorry.



Good books, I concur with William, my esteemed colleague from the east coast.

[outofthenorm]

Haven't seen the "apprentice", but I highly recommend "Small boats". First class tutorial on lofting - and lots of very useful how-to.

- Norm

[JimM]

I vote of Building Small Boats. I was very dispointed with The Boatbuilders Apprentice.

[goodbasil]

Building Small Boats if you only buy one. Grab The Boatbuilders Apprentice if you have money to burn or can get a good deal used or a Christmas Sale like I did.

[DuncanvdH]

I have both, "building small boats" has much more indepth information than "The apprentice". "The apprentice" is a discussion of many different, not necessarily traditional, building techniques. For each of these techniques there is a dedicated book out there. "Building small boats" is nearly exclusively about traditional techniques.

One thing in favor of 'The apprentice" is that it has more pictures than 'Building small boats', so if you are a pictures man...

[almeyer]

I haven't seen "The Apprentice" but it's on my wish list. I've got "Building Small Boats" and though I build glued ply lapstrake, "Small Boats" is still very useful. I'll second Norm's comment - the chapter on lofting is one of the best I've seen.
Al

[Steve Lansdowne]

I prefer the first one, Building Small Boats. I have the Apprentice but haven't made it all the way through yet. As for photos, the drawings in Building Small Boats are super, while the Apprentice photos are all in black and white and not overly clear to my eye. Apprentice does have some drawings, but not many.

[gavinpascoe]

Bud McIntosh's is also very good. esp the bit on building toerails and cabin coamings

[Mad Scientist]

IMHO, 'Apprentice' is an introduction to various techniques. An experienced builder might not find it particularly useful. Being a novice, I enjoyed it - it's always interesting to see how an expert chooses to do things.

Tom

[Bob Cleek]

If you loved "Building Small Boats," you'll probably be disappointed with "Boatbuilder's Apprentice." Any boatbuilding book is interesting, but at the price... "Apprentice" appears to have been rushed to the printers in order to capitalize on the deservedly good press on "Building." Compared with the quality of "Building," I found "Apprentice" to be disjointed, disorganized, poorly written and riddled with typographical errors.

I've read just about every boatbuilding book that's been written, including some of the very interesting Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century out of print stuff that is now available on line at places like Google Books. While it is limited in scope to hull construction alone and addresses only traditional carvel construction, among the stuff in print today, I'd give very high marks to Larry Pardey's "Classic Yacht Construction - The Hull." Not cheap, but worth it and then some.

[dmede]

I agree with Cleeks thoughts on the Apprentice. My impression was that it's target reader is a first time builder who has not gone through any other texts on the subject. It's a primer that is surpassed by most of the other book on the market. If you have already digested Small Boats or Boatbuilding, you'll be disappointed in Apprentice.

[wdnbt]

have them both........."Building Small Boats" was the better of the two. but I'm glad to have both.

[Ben Fuller]

So all you erudite folks, put your knowledge behind you and have a look at Greg's book from the point of view of someone who has no knowledge of wooden boat building in any form. Is it of use to a novice; will it open doors?

[Bob Cleek]

That's going to depend on where the "novice" wants to go. If he's only interested in building stitch-n'-glue plywood skiffs, fine. If he's looking for a comprehensive overview of the major traditional construction methods, I don't think you'll find any more comprehensive treatment in any single book than in Chappelle's "Boatbuilding." It is somewhat dated in some respects, but it's all there. Consider that "Boatbuilding" has been in print and selling well almost as long as the Holy Bible. Books like Roessell's come and go.

[ishmael]

Hm. I haven't read Greg's books. He's a genuinely nice guy BTW. I didn't get to know him well, but a blithe, bright spirit, so I imagine his books are pretty good too. Not simply stitch and glue, from what I remember at a glance in the bookstore.

Explaining how to cut a rolling bevel in a plank for lapstrake isn't easy. Ya really got to do it, and having someone there to show you is the best way. Almost any reading you do is good too, just to get the mind directed that way, but there's no substitute for making shavings.

[Paul Girouard]

That's going to depend on where the "novice" wants to go. If he's only interested in building stitch-n'-glue plywood skiffs, fine. If he's looking for a comprehensive overview of the major traditional construction methods, I don't think you'll find any more comprehensive treatment in any single book than in Chappelle's "Boatbuilding." It is somewhat dated in some respects, but it's all there. Consider that "Boatbuilding" has been in print and selling well almost as long as the Holy Bible. Books like Roessell's come and go.



Stay out of the China shops eh Bob!:D

[eastern270]

I only have "Building Small Boats". I would highly recommend it. Out of the many books that I have this one really clarified lofting for me.