What is the best book for power boat design?

[bigisland]

I am looking for the bible of powerboat design. Anyone have any suggestions? Thinking more fishing boat but any kind of power boat will do.

[Pericles]

Look up Gougeon Brothers book on boat construction. http://www.westsystem.com/

Pericles

[spank]

I'm not sure what the Gougeon Bros. fine work on cold molded boat construction has to do with powerboat design, though it is a great reference in any case. Much more stuff in there on sailboats if any actual design information is to be gleamed at all. One of the classic books on powerboat design, that is a great place to start is Lindsay Lord's Naval Architecture of Planing Hulls. This book can be hard to find, as it is out of print, but I picked up a copy off Ebay some time ago. Uffa Fox wrote a great book on powerboats believe it or not called "Seamanlike Sense in Powerboat design." Many great examples are provided within, along with Fox's entertaining narrative. There is a much more technical book, I believe called simply: Planing or Planing boats, which offers plety of formulae, but this is not for the beginner. Another fantastic resource are the technical papers written by Don Blount, well known guru of high speed powerboat design. He is very generous with design information, and a search on google scholar can turn up his papers. Back issues of Professional Boatbuilder also have very informative articles written by him or his associates.

[SAQuestor]

Uffa Fox wrote a great book on powerboats believe it or not called "Seamanlike Sense in Powerboat design."

Actually the title seems to be "Seamanlike Sense in Powercraft". Abebooks.com has several listed starting at $40.

[spank]

You are correct Seaquestor....I didn't have my copy in front of me at work. $40 is not bad for that by the way.

[Eric Sponberg]

The only other book that is of any significance is Peter DuCane's book "High Speed Small Craft", published by John De Graf in 1972. Extremely rare.

There has been a tremendous need for a new book on power craft design that will cover displacement mode, semi-displacement, and planing. It should also cover structures (in which there is a fair amount of controversy), stability, steering and rudder design, speed and power, and ship motions. It should also cover multihulls, wave piercers, and SWATH ships. It would be a huge book (or a multi-volume set) and be written by a group of authorities in the individual fields. SNAME has tried on this effort, but it is very hard to get the experts to commit their time to put everything they know on paper (or in a computer file) for a very little return off the sales of the book. As much as we in the field would enjoy it, the market nonetheless is extremely small.

Eric

[Guillermo]

This is the last kid on the block, although rather oriented to display theory than to provide everyday's use formulae: "Hydrodynamics of High-Speed Marine Vehicles"
http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521845687
I have some other 'oldies' at the office, on top of the already here mentioned. If I don't forget about it, next monday I'll post info on them (Which I think I have already done somewhere else in these forums).
I totally agree with Eric on the needing of a more userfriendly actualized book on powerboats. A pity the very clear and synthetic Principles of Yach Design (Eliasson and Larsson) only devotes one chapter to the matter.
Cheers.

[Guillermo]

On commercial fishing vessels design there is a wealthy lot of published information, not only in the form of books, but also papers, etc. Just search internet.
When beginning my career I've found particularly useful FAO's publications on the matter.
Cheers.

[RANCHI OTTO]

I don't know if the book has been translated on english...

Stability, hydrodynamic, propellers, etc. for motorboats.

[Guillermo]

Ranchi,
Where can I buy that one? I've searched internet with little success. There is the "Librerie Guida", but I'm not able to register.
Cheers.

[RANCHI OTTO]

try with HOEPLI (the name of the editor)

[RANCHI OTTO]

Guillermo,

I have sent an e-mail to the editor. I hope is still available.
...waiting news...

ciao Otto

[Guillermo]

Thanks, Ranchi. I'll wait for your news.
Kindest regards,

[RANCHI OTTO]

I've received the answer from the editor....nothing to do, the book is not more available!:(

...but...but...I can send the book to you to photocopy.

Very good technical book!

[Guillermo]

Thanks for your kind offer, Ranchi.
Don't send the book to me: Whenever you come to Galicia, bring it with you and then I'll copy it in between bottle of Albariño and bottle of Ribeiro...;)
Cheers!