For some reason I get emails asking all sorts of boat building questions.
One of the most frequent is, what books should I be looking for to begin?
I fuggered that if I list 'em here it might help some folks out.
So here goes.
CAVEAT: I am a retired traditional boat builder who in his last working years bypassed 'petro chemical' boat building and moved to Aluminum.
This list is not comprehensive but I do feel it is a good starting place for a new comer to the wonderful world of building boats.
1: The Classic Boat, A Time-Life Library of Boating volume.
Copyright 1977
In my opinionated opinion one of the best general explanations of traditional boats for the new comer and the intermediate.
It covers anatomy of a hull, different types, many diagrams and photos of boats under construction and a pretty good glossary of
boat terms.
2: Ship and Aircraft Fairing and Development
S. S. Rabl
Cornell Maritime Press Copyright 1941
Don't let the title fool you this is a very good and easy to understand primer on Lofting. Rabl was a small boat designer and worked for the Glenn L Martin Aircraft Company specializing in Seaplanes.
I used this several times when I was in a position where I taught shipyard new hires the basics of layout and lofting.
3: Mastering Woodworking Machines
Mark Duginske
Fine Woodworking Press Copyright 1992
A good all around volume that addresses the setting and tuning of the basic woodworking machines likely to be found in a home workshop. I prefer this edition over the later re-worked ones. As is said, a picture is worth a thousand words and for me it has saved my vocal cords a number of times in explaning how to tune a machine.
4: This one is not strictly boat oriented in any way but over the years since one of my mentors first introduced me to it, it has been very valuable.
Machinerys Handbook
Industrial Press
Any edition from the 19th to the 24th would be fine for our purposes in fact the 20 to 23 are probably the best to look for. The
newer ones delve heavily into CAD stuff and I personally don't feel the need for that.
NOTE: All these books should be available on line through used book sources like ABE and Powells Books.
Do not get suckered in to an ebay auction for them, folla?
It is a start.
