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Boat noodling. Boat lovers suffer universally from this benign affliction. In its mildest form, boat noodling is nothing more than wondering why that sloop in the next slip is faster than yours. In a more significant manifestation it could mean serious daydreamingdrifting off for extended periods, sketching design ideas on the back of an envelope. Chances are, if you've picked up this book just to see what's in it, you're beyond help.
Naval architect Dave Gerr offers the perfect antidote, a browser's reference to understanding how boats tick: all you've ever wanted to know about boatspower and sail, racer and cruiser; dinghy and motoryacht.
In the clear, friendly, nontechnical style that has made his column for Offshore magazine so enduring and popular, Gerr explains everything from how thick a hull should be to why one sailboat tips less than another, from choosing an engine to designing a rig for your trawler yacht, from building a dinghy to simple rules of thumb for dozens of design quandaries.
Gerr writes for the boat noodler in all of usthose seriously interested in learning and dreaming about all types of watercraft. There is no better way to become a better sailor, equipped to handle any contingency. And there's no better place to start than right here.
A witty and wise romp through boat design and theory of hulls, their speed, displacement, advantages and faults, motors, sails, building. Abundant lucid drawings. Great fun. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
More Reviews and RecommendationsDave Gerr (rhymes with “bear”) is a naval architect who designs both yachts and commercial vessels. Gerr Marine has been in business since 1983 and has designed everything from dinghies to 60-foot around-the-world racing sailboats, an 82-foot aluminum voyaging motoryacht, and currently, redesign work on the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarines. Gerr is a contributing editor with Boatbuilder, Yachting, and Offshore magazines. HOMETOWN: New York, NY
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July 25, 2002: This book is an outstanding summary of information on how boats work, why they work and what affects how they work. The book includes both examples and practical information about how they work. It starts off with five interesting examples of sailboats and powerboats and then talks about the characteristics. If you know as little as I do, you have to be willing to pass on some terms that are hard to follow in the first chapters, but overall it is an outstanding way to start. My one suggestion would have been that a glossary of terms at the back of the book would have made it even better.