I have worked as a carpenter professionally for thirty years and I have finally reached a point in my life where I would like to build something for myself. Why not a boat?
Upon the recommendation of a naval designer, I purchased a copy of this book and a couple of others. Having had no experience with boat building, sailing, or the like, I was in hopes of finding some answers to questions like, "How do I get started?"; "What order do you work in?" and "where do I go for materials and fittings?"
The first thing I discovered is that the terminology and language of boat building is far from anything I have known and the book helped a great deal with defining and aiding the understanding of the language. Next, the book opened up not only a whole new world of carpentry, but a history of the evolution of boat building through the various designs, styles, and methods of construction, and they are numerous.
This is both an entertaining book, if you like boats, as well as an educational book if you are searching to answer the questions that plague a non nautical person faced with the task of building a boat. In the case of the latter, sometimes the first reading is not enough, but the answers are there.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who wished to pursue the craft, with the warning that the Patinence required when reading to educate yourself, is proportional to that required to carry on the physical craft of construction. Take your time, work the math, and enjoy!
This will definitely remain a resource for me througghout the project.