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Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More!

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This book takes the complete novice--armed only with a gleam in the eye, and a basic knowledge of hammer, saw, and screwdriver--and walks him or her through the process of building a boat. The only materials needed are easily available from any lumberyard: plywood, 2x4s, nails, and wood glue. The process is simple, the result is extraordinary--your own boat, ready to sail, in just a week or two, for a fraction of the cost of buying a factory-built (boring!) boat. And the sense of accomplishment is beyond compare. The main focus of the book is on building the 14-foot sailing/rowing skiff called "Mayfly." Full plans and detailed step-by step instructions are given, with numerous line drawings and photographs. Those instructions can then be applied to the other full plans included: for a dinghy, a motorboat, a rowboat, a canoe, and two other sailboats. The only other book to compare is Harold Payson’s venerable Build the New Instant Boats . But where that book leaves off, this book goes beyond: with chapters on making your own oars, making kick-up rudders, pivoting leeboards, sails, flotation compartments, water ballast, hatches, and tips for cartopping and trailering your boat, and much more. It is an introductory book that will continue to be pored over as the beginner transforms himself or herself into an experienced boatbuilder. Also included are a catalog of twenty other boat plans for dreaming over, a guide to boatbuilding sites on the web, a guide to materials suppliers, and a bibliography of further reading. A great book for families, for scout groups, for school shop classes, for anyone who enjoys messing about in boats. Jim Michalak is a former aerospace engineer who has become, in the last decade, one of the foremost designers of small boats in America. He lives in Lebanon, Illinois.

175 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
2 reviews
June 15, 2023
I love buying and reading these types of books.
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.

The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.

For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...

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9 reviews4 followers
July 21, 2021
This is an incredible book that delivers what it promises. It's written in a laid back style, with the complete amature in mind, and really walks you through the steps of building a boat. On top of that, the author is also a designer (who has plans for sale) and does an excellent job of explaining the reasons behind the building/designing steps. I'm midway through building his Piccup Pram and couldn't be having more fun :)
This is the kind of book that will change the way you look at a subject. A great read, can't recommend it enough
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