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Understanding Boat Design

by Ted Brewer

A practical introduction to small-craft design

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Paperback New English

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Awards & Recognition

  • Critical praise

    Soundings calls it “required reading”

    Attributed critical praise: calls the book required reading.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A practical introduction to small-craft design

Ted Brewer’s guide unpacks the design choices that shape how boats move and function. It compares hull forms, keel types and sailing rigs, and addresses questions about topside flare, engine and propeller sizing, safety, and comfort. The revised fourth edition is described as expanded to include design topics that had emerged since earlier editions. Its question-led scope connects visible features of a boat with practical considerations for building or choosing one, giving the subject a clear entry point without requiring readers to begin with specialist design knowledge.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • New boating enthusiasts seeking an introduction to small-craft design
  • Backyard boatbuilders and students of boat design
  • Prospective first-time boat buyers interested in design trade-offs

Themes

Small-craft designHull forms and boat performanceSailing rigs and keelsSafety and comfort in boat design

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

For new boating enthusiasts--even if they've been at it awhile--there are scores of burning questions. If one boat has a round bottom and another's is veed, what difference does it make in the way they perform? What are the advantages of a cutter rig over a sloop? Why does one sailor swear by a full keel, while others won't have anything but a fin keel? Why does one powerboat have more flare in its topsides than another? And what is flare? Why do some hull shapes look "right"? How big an engine and propeller will it take to move that powerboat? What elements make a boat safe, or comfortable?

Understanding Boat Design has been the place to look for quick, uncomplicated answers since 1971. Founder of the Yacht Design Institute, a highly respected designer for more than 30 years, and a frequent contributor to SAIL, Cruising World, and other magazines, Ted Brewer has again revised his classic primer. This new volume has been greatly expanded and contains information on many aspects of design that were not even thought of twenty years ago.

Understanding Boat Design has eased tens of thousands of readers into the complex world of small-craft design. It is the ideal introduction for backyard boatbuilders, students of boat design, or someone looking to buy a first boat.

"This tight little book should be required reading."--Soundings

"A natural for those embarking on a first purchase, or the amateur builder."--Sailing

"One of the cleanest and clearest expositions on the elements of yacht design ever published . . . by a naval architect who knows what he is talking about."--WoodenBoat

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