Boating Gurus.......

"Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook" Dave Gerr

The recreational boating industry has a number of gurus, Casey, Calder, Gerr, to name but a few.

Don Casey writes great books, with many sketches, which could be understood by chimps. This is about the correct level for many workers in the marine industry.

Nigel Calder wrote the bible 'Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical manual". This should be standard issue on board all boats. At the very least you can beat your mechanic over the head with it, when he starts bull$hitting you while charging $90 an hour. Calder's other publications are also highly recommended.

Dave Gerr appears to be the sort of "mad professor" of the marine industry, the man wrote a book on propellers, for God sake. I have just bought his "Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook". From my initial reading I understand nothing. This is about normal when I read Gerr's books. On about the third or fourth reading some stuff begins to sink in. But what a resource, if you are renovating/building a boat this should be on your list.

Fun with CAD....

It pays to make detailed plans of your vessel before undertaking any major project. Only by this method will you ensure that any item you buy will be just an inch too big for the allotted space.

A CAD (Computer Aided Design) software package will assist in reducing the amount of fiberglass which has to sacrificed to the ubiquitous sawzall.

I use Homeplanpro;


which is both cheap and simple to use.