Don Blount's book

Don Blount has just published his long-awaited book "Performance by Design". (available on Amazon, etc.)

I haven't seen it yet, but a review by Lou Codega was very favorable, and Don is probably among the best designers of high speed craft now working so it is almost certainly a valuable resource.

My wife has promised it to me for Christmas, but if someone else has seen it and wants to let us know ...

Thanks

 

Excellent. That's one that will definitely end up on my shelf.

 

A student of mine bought it

A former student of mine bought it and really likes it, he e-mailed all his old Profs to recommend it.

I'm just disappointed that Don priced it that high - it is above my impulse purchase threshold.

 

Good to hear it is available.

 

Was waiting for that!

 

Some books, because of their influence on your thinking are worth $100 but many will not spend that much on the chance that it will be that valuable. My shelf has too many of those that did not provide what they claimed already, although all came far cheaper than $100.

 

It is a pretty old and still unresolved issue - what is the right price for the knowledge?

My guess is that you don't really need that book, that's why you have set your "impulse purchase threshold" at a pretty low level.
If you really needed it for your professional work, the price you'd be ready to pay would be much higher than $100.

Think about this - a smartphone or a laptop PC (or some piece of hardware, you name it) cost much more than $100, yet we are more willing to pay for a laptop PC than we are for a book which can increase our knowledge and our professional value. IMO, it is a psychological barrier which divides the two worlds - the material and the immaterial one. We seem to be naturally programmed to give monetary value to the former one and to consider the latter one as something that should be either free of charge or given at a bargain price.

Cheers

 

Price of knowledge

Yes, it is a matter of value systems and the purpose of publishing. In my own case I priced my book at around $30, because I wanted to make it easy for my students to buy. I already require them to purchase $200 worth of PNA, and I'd love it if they would buy Faltinsen's book (~$120), and on and on as the sums mount upwards.

I will also admit that while my first reaction was "gee that's expensive" my second reaction was "cool, I'll raise the price of my own book." By this I mean to illustrate that I _do_ understand the other side of the discussion, even though I took my seat on the "save the students some money" side.

 

Well Mr McKesson, this way of thinking and considering other persons' situation and difficulties does you a great credit.

 

Notwithstanding

With all that said, I have just spent the company's money to order two copies!

 

...of course it is the company that will be paying for my copy too. Now if I can get Don to sign it...

 

The price is less than what equivalent text books are usually priced. A college engineering book is about $140 average.

 

I'll check with our library tomorrow

 

Got my copy of Donald's book today.

Brief opinion: Valuable source of data presented in methodological form. But even more valuable as quintessence of wisdom about boat design and hundreds of perspective ideas and directions for develop. A 'must have' for any high speed craft designer.

And very high quality technical illustrations. Not just low-res pics fro Internet as in most of today's books.

 

Just received my copy - can't wait to go through.

But I had to post: Hey, I'm one of Don's references! I am cited on page 40: Taravella et al (2012) - I am part of the "et al."