Back to Basics

[amdega]

Hi Forumites ,
after a life in science I have retired and become fascinated by small. boat design and boatbuilding. I have been messing around with Freeship 2.6 but I don't have the basic knowledge to input and analyze correct data for stability analysis, etc. and I don't understand all the jargon.

SO, CAN YOU RECOMMEND A GOOD BOOK!!
I think I can handle a reasonable technical level (given time) so lets have your best shots. I have learned a lot just by reading the Forum contributions but I would like to take things to a higher level.
Thanks in advance

[Chris Ostlind]

Suggest these to start, in this order.

Yacht Design Explained..... Steve Killing

The Nature of Boats......... Dave Gerr

Principles of Yacht Design... Larsson and Eliasson

Gerr's book looks at all kinds of considerations in the world of boats and serves as a humorous take on some fairly technical material. Killing's book covers all the basics with very good graphics to illustrate all of his points. "The Principles" begins to get quite technical, though it is readable, especially after you have digested the previous two.

Additionally, there are hundreds of technical papers on the Internet if you just search around and are willing to go several pages deep on any Google search. Your trigger points for searching can be had from the topics and observations made in the above books. There will also be hundreds of other books that will serve to fill in the cracks of a broad base of knowledge.

You've just opened the door on a very, very consuming journey of technical, a well as aesthetic, considerations in the design of any boat.

Make sure it's fun as you wander through the information.

[timothy22]

May I suggest Howard Chappelle's "Yacht Designing and Planning." Kind of a blast from the past, but he shows how to do all the measurements and calculations longhand, as well as his considered opinions on many of the judgement calls a designer makes. His book can be previewed.

http://books.google.com/books?id=qcqVOBtLOdEC&dq=yacht+designing+and+planning&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=3luTSbvJK9Kgtwfb4JzTCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA59,M1

And, to start you off, here's your very own build-it-yourself planimeter.

http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1124/size/big