Metal Boats

Ken Scott is a writer and sailing enthusiast.

Metals have been used in boats for thousands of years, as components of the vessel's construction, as load-bearing parts of the rigging and steering systems, and for a wide variety of domestic and service duties. Due to misunderstandings of the properties of the metals used, and in some cases to questionable design and manufacture, there have been spectacular and sometimes tragic failures of boats' metalworking. These continue even today. This new book explains in layman's terms how a wide variety of metal alloys may best be selected, formed and manufactured to give optimum performance in the typical conditions of a sailing or powered vessel. Subjects as wide-ranging as anodes, batteries, hulls, skin fittings and rigging components are described in detail, enabling the boat owner to select the preferred material for his vessel. This practical and instructional book will be of great interest to sailors, boat owners and those involved in boat maintenance, and is fully illustrated with 90 colour photographs and 20 diagrams.

Greg Rossel grew up cruising the waters of New York Harbor and spending time in the boatyards on the south shore of Staten Island where economics (more than anything else) made wooden boats the craft of choice. He makes his home in Maine where he specializes in the construction and repair of small wooden boats, as well as writing for several publications. Greg has been an instructor at WoodenBoat School in Maine since the mid-1980's, teaching lofting, skiff building, and the "Fundamentals of Boatbuilding".

Metal boats can deal with hazards that would rip apart a fiberglass or wooden hull, but the only way to get one is to buy used or have it built. Bruce Roberts-Goodson has been designing and building metal boats for more than three decades; in The Complete Guide to Metal Boats he tells you all you need to know to build the boat of your dreams.

As a child, John Brooks loved to build models and sail with his grandfather. When most teenagers were at the prom, John was changing jibs in the Indian Ocean, halfway through a 35,000-mile, two-year cruise. He began building boats in commercial yards at 19, while studying boat design and building his own boats. John worked for many years honing his craftsmanship on fine yachts, small boats, custom furniture, and a harpsichord. He has been a instructor at the WoodenBoat School in Maine since the mid-1990s, teaching glued-lapstrake boatbuilding, fine interior joinery, and carving. Ruth Ann Hill grew up on the coast of Maine. A writer, boatbuilding assistant, naturalist, and graphic artist, Ruth is the author of Discovering Old Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park: An Unconventional Guide and a contributing editor for Maine Boats & Harbors magazine. John and Ruth started their business, Brooks Boats, in 1991. They design and build glued-lapstrake boats in West Brooklin, Maine-and get out to enjoy their handiwork in its proper element whenever they can.

Toy boats, especially those designed to sail on the local pond, have always had a fascination for boys and girls of all ages. This book celebrates these boats, which many will remember purchasing with their pocket money. Before the 1914-1918 war many toy boats were of German origin, but when hostilities ceased there was a surge in buying British. Many manufacturers took advantage of this, and British toy boats became extremely popular right up to World War II, with numerous seaside resorts actually building special ponds for yachts and clockwork vessels. Interest continued right up to the introduction of electronic toys, at which point the majority of manufacturers realized that the more traditional toy boat was no longer in demand. This book covers that golden period of toy boats, from 1920 to 1960.

Tom Jones is a professional boatbuilder, designer, and writer.