| The Nature of Boats: Insights and Esoterica for the Nautically Obsessed |  | Author: Dave Gerr
Publisher: Intl Marine Pub
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.98
You Save: $9.97 (33%)
New (5) Used (13) from $4.68
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 1632807
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 88
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.3
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 7.8 x 1.3
ISBN: 0877422893
Dewey Decimal Number: 797.1
EAN: 9780877422891
ASIN: 0877422893
Publication Date: July 1992
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Ships immediately in a protective bubble mailer.
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Product Description
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 daydreaming--drifting 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 boats--power 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 us--those 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
If you like boats (or if you are an engineer) you will like this book November 14, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I love books on how things work, and I love books on boats. This one is a great combination of both. It covers a lot of naval architecture subjects and all in just the right depth for the interested novice.
The book begins with a review of different types of hulls and their advantages and disadvantages. That is followed by my favorite section which is the one on the theory of naval architecture - the parameters and how they affect the problem space. After that there is another good section about how to understand a drawing of a hull and relate that to performance characteristics of the boat. Engineers love to talk about tradeoffs and this book covers that really well, including topics like stability and roll resistance, hull strength versus shape and many others.
There is a lot more, but I don't want to spoil the ending, so I will just say that if you are interested in boats as an engineer, sailor or purchaser, then you need to read this book.
Hide this from your spouse! October 11, 2007
If my wife read this book, she would divorce me instantly, as she would understand why a Nautically Obsessed person will never change, and will get worse as time goes by.....
Honestly, this book made me realize there are others like me that can't stop thinking about boats and the ocean! It feeds the fire burning in your soul and loads you up with all kinds of facts, concepts, and the author's experience to send you off to the drawing board, the boat show, or maybe West Marine. Great writing and a flow of information that will make you not want to let it down until you've committed to memory. While you're at it, get "Elements of Boat Strength" also. Highly recommended!
Really Funny September 23, 2007
Great book for all the same reasons listed by all the other reviews. However I have one to add. At a party, try reading the section titles out loud in a somewhat suggestive tone. It will astound you how almost every single section title can be read literally or perverted. Whether or not the author meant this to be the case he accomplished it quite well as there are many- many sections.
Are you nautically obsessed? November 4, 2002
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Subtitled Insights and Esoterica for the Nautically Obsessed, this book is a direct hit on its intended audience. Read it once through quickly, then enjoy it over and over again like a favorite song, and you will learn an amazing amount about every sort of boat an individual is likely to own or dream about. Gerr covers design and construction, sails and motors, and boats from homemade paddleboat to liveaboard oceangoing cruiser either motor and/or sail, and everything in between. He covers more about boats than you could imagine he would, and writes wonderfully.
It is difficult to say in a few words how useful, or how enjoyable, this book is. I love it.
Wealth of Practical Knowledge February 19, 2002
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Love the book. It is full of "Rules of Thumb" that can save tons of time when trying to design a boat or solve a problem. The techniques shown are great for practical application. The author has an uncanny ability to teach complex subjects in a down to earth easy to understand manner. Highly recommended for boatman, yacht designers, marine engineers and naval architects.
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