Good First Book

I, in no way intended, or meant to imply anything to cheapen the 4 year education that you have attained. I am just looking for a book with the basics in it. I don't expect to read that book and suddenly be able to design a frigate.

In my experience so far, a college education is like karate classes. You learn just enough to get your butt whipped. I have taken a LOT of engineering classes, and am, as I said, graduating in 2 semesters. I would not consider myself anywhere near ready to design a skyscraper. Your real education begins after you get your degree and start working with seasoned professionals.

 

a lot of books to read are possible ....
to understand sailing I would read Slocum, Moutiesier, Erdmann ....
to understand why a boot is sailing ... I would read Marchaj Aero-hydrodynamics of sailing
and ....... a lot of more books

 

Dkubiak,

I made a spreadsheet that helps in calculating an estimated center of gravity for a boat with common loads. It if very simplistic, but it beats punching numbers in a calculator over and over again.

It is attached to this reply, if you want it.

 

Dutch Peter, I think you are being unduely harsh with your rather curt statement, "And you all look for that one book with all the wisdom. Fools, you are.". I didn't get the impression from any of the postings above that anyone was looking for a book with, as you put it, "all the wisdom". Rather, a few interested persons are looking for a book that is a well-rounded introductory text to the field of naval architecture., of which there are several.

I realize, as do you, that the field of naval architecture is broad and deep, and that no one text can possibly do it justice. But we who practice it for a living do ourselves no good if we discourage the up-and-coming and the interested amateur. If they are blissfully unaware of the scope of their subject of interest, what of it? Isn't it our position to guide them with good advice to a better understanding, rather than discourage them with cynicism and derision? Surely you at one time were in a position that your ambition and interest vastly outstripped your knowledge. When you asked questions of your betters, were you called a fool for it?

MrBrown has shown us that he is no neophyte to education, just that he has no specific knowledge of basic naval architecture. He, more than most, should be able to absorb the fundamentals of stability, structures, etc., in a short time if he is given reasonable guidance along the path. I feel it is the obligation of vaunted professionals such as you and me to provide this guidance. But education. like a drink of water, cannot be served with the force and volume of a firehose.

In all endeavours there is a dividing line between those who are neophytes and those that are journeymen. For example, prior to my studying naval architecture, I obtained a degree in commercial photography. I am willing to bet that you take photos, too. I am also quite certain that you don't know much about film reciprocity and the zone system of film exposure and development. Does your lack of knowledge prevent you from taking photos? I doubt it. Would it be reasonable, or civil, for me to call you a fool for lacking this fundemental knowledge of professional photographers? No, I don't think so.

Please reconsider your posting, and if you can't be helpful at least be polite. It sheds a bad light on our professionalism when we shout down to the masses from our ivory towers.

 

mmd,

Thank you, your kindness is greatly appreciated.

mrbrown

 

I agree with you on this one, mrbrown. I want to read many books and end up with a basic understanding of the subject such that I can design a small boat. However, I need that first book to lay the foundation. In my experience, reading leads to more questions instead of answers. I want the first couple books that I read to cause me to ask the right questions.

Thanks for that spreadsheet - it looks useful.

Dan

 

mmd,

Read the whole message, not just the first sentence. It was merely meant sarcastic , not as a personal attack. I apologize to anyone who felt offended.

Dan,

To get back to the subject, and my earlier suggestion, here are some sites that might be helpful:

http://www.boat-links.com/
http://www.woodenboat.com/
http://www.ibinews.com/

“Seaworthiness, the forgotten factor” by C.A. Marchaj, maybe a bit theoretical, but good reading.
“Elements of boat strength” by D. Gerr (as mentioned earlier), is a very hands on book. I have dealt with someone, who read the book and when finished had his first sketches and calculations. And I have to say, it looked pretty good.

Good luck,

Peter

 

The book that I ordered still hasn't come in, but I went in to town today and found 2 other books:

"How To Design a Boat," by John Teale - This book looks rather simplistic, but could be useful.

"Elements of Yacht Desigh," by Norman Skene - This one looks a bit more mathematically involved. (Complicated = Good, right? )

 

Skene's is one of the "must have's" in any yacht designer's library. Good pick.

 

If I could own just one book on yacht design, I would choose, "Skene's Elements of Yacht Design"... but, not the current reprint of an earlier edition. The one to find is the Eighth edition. This is available through used book sellers... such as ABE books, etc. Prices fairly reasonable.
Until something better comes along, this one occupies a corner of my drafting table.

If your budget will allow, the next purchase might be "Yacht Designing and Planning", by Howard Chapelle. Also out of print, but not hard to find a used copy.

These two books, alone, can get you most of the way there ... actually designing successful boats.

For something simple (by way of overview), I'd consider "Ted Brewer explains Yacht Design" . I may not have this title exactly correct here. This is one (of several) that you can read in its entirety rather quickly, getting a feel for the whole process.

For the wisdom of successful boat design, combined with the technical and mathematical, I recommend "Seaworthiness: The Forgotten Factor", by Marchaj. I think this book is truly excellent, and cannot recommend it highly enough.

You will certainly want to supplement this library in time (there are so many good books), but you would certainly know a lot if you knew most of what is in the books mentioned above.

Good luck..... and enjoy!

Robert Miller

 

I too am new to boat design and wanted to start with a book. I ended up with "Designing Power & Sail". I found it to be a good starting point. I also bought "Intro To Naval Architecture" by Eric Tupper. I think this book has every calculation needed from start to finish. Would make a great reference for anything larger down the road.

 

Do any of these books, or if not, any that you know of, that take advantage of the advancements in computer aided design?

 

Sorry to be facetious, but that is sort of like asking if an "introduction to algebra" textbook considers the use of pocket calculators. You can buy several good programs that will do the various naval architectural calculations, but without understanding of the principles, it is just so much black magic done in a mystery box. As for creating the form of the boat, be it in 3-D or 2-D, CAD and 3-D modelling programs are a whole other subject, and have their own strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I feel that dependence on computer magic by the neophyte without having at least studying the underlying design and engineering principles specific to naval architecture is fraught with peril both to the designer and to the boat operator. Don't get me wrong; computers in boat design are wonderful tools, but the tool operator has to know what he is doing. Someone much brighter than I put it rather succinctly:

"Computers allow you to make bigger mistakes faster with greater confidence."

 

There is another good first book, which hasn't been mentioned yet: Steve Killing: "Yacht Design Explained". Killing (as well as Larsson & Eliasson) mentions some of the advantages of using CAD.

But mmd is right: A computer is no help, if you don't know how to design a yacht yourself. You know, the saying is true: "To err is human - if you really want to f... things up, use a computer."

 

I think this is somewhat misleading. A university engineering degree in Naval Architecture is not designed for a small craft designer, however desireable it is as a professional credential. And, of course, you can never tell when anything you happen to know might be useful. But the Westlawn cirriculum is probably a better guage of the amount of education needed to design a decent boat. I would guess that to be more equivalent to a couple of (much less strenuous) years.

And, of course, there is the matter of talent. Not every professional engineer has the aptitude for sitting down with a blank piece of paper (or at a blank CAD screen), and creating a design out of nothing. So says Robert Perry.