Customer Reviews

Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't give out many 5 star reviews. But this one definitely qualifies. If you have an electrical or mechanical problem start here. Lots of good, well explained information for those of use who are not experts. This book was a great help in redoing my electrical system, as well as helping me understand numerous systems on my boat. Calder covers how things work, limitations, purchase and design considerations, integration with other systems and practical pros and cons. Would I buy this again? ABSOLUTELY-I can recommend this book with no limitations.

I recently bought a 29 sportfish boat. I knew it had some problems but after owning it for a few weeks the list of problems was longer than I am tall. The initial estimate from the marina to fix these items was $14,000! I intially choked at the thought of spending $49 for this book but i knew I couldn't afford the marina. Now 4 months later and only $4,000 invested, I have completed the repairs of every item on the list. My book is now dog-eared and oil stained but it has a permanent place onboard. The best investment I made in my boat.

I bought this book as a sailer who was getting ready to take a two-year hiatus with my new wife crewing aboard an 80 ft motorsailer. The boat was absolute mechanical and electrical madness compared to my 26 ft Pearson and I needed help in a BIG way. This book was the answer.

The book explained everything very simply and thoroughly. I am not sure if experienced mechanics (diesel) and electricians would find it useful, except as a resource, but if you are even a little unsure of your abilities you cannot go wrong with this book. As a result of reaading the book several times as needed, and receiving a bit of instruction from the knowledgeable captain, I am now fairly competent.

Pick up this book and keep it handy. You will use it.

When electrical or mechanical systems go wrong on a boat afloat, you have a crisis. An uneducated repair can be costly. This book needs to be handy.

The book devotes 113 pages to aspects of the electrical system, then addresses auxiliary sources of power, electric generators and motors, marine electronics, diesel engines, transmissions, refrigeration and air conditioning, toilet systems, pumps, steering systems, stoves, heaters, lights, rigging, deck rigging and hardware. Its a gold mine.

Its guidance in the toilet repair and generator troubleshooting has been a great help to us.

This book nominally covers everything there is to do on a boat of an electrical or mechanical nature including diesel engines. But the vast majority of the book is on electrical equipment. After all, most of the things on the boat sooner or later wind up being part of the electrical system.

Many boats have two electrical systems in parallel. There's the basic DC system, usually 12 volt, sometimes 24. Then there's an entirely separate circuit for 115 volt AC power used when the boat is docked at appropriate places. This book covers it all. The first chapters are on the battery itself and the circuitry around the boat. Then it gets into battery chargers, inverters, wind and water generators, solar cells, everything you ever wanted to know. There are chapters on corrosion, lightning protection, radios and antennas and on and on. About half the book is on purely electrical devices.

The remaining half has chapters on engines, toilets, air conditioning and so on, but this also includes a lot of electrical devices such as autopilots, bow thrusters, and so on that may require electrical power.

Basically this is the bible on how to fix things on the boat. You'll save a fortune on repair bills, and even more if you're halfway across the ocean.

I use to carry four different books, that together did not come close to covering what this one book does. This is one of the few books that I consider absolutely essential. I consider this book as important as my charts.

I'm not talking about yachting type books. I have owned and operated commercial fishing boats in Alaska, for over 30 years. And this book demystifies bonding, grounding, AC boat wiring, lightning protection, a whole chapter just on batteries, and that's just the electrical part of the book. If your unsure about some aspect of your boat's electrical system or machinery, and are walking the docks trying to find out something about them, GET THIS BOOK. Some of that BS one hears on the dock can sink you.

My wife and I recently purchased a 1978 36 ft. trawler. Absolutely no documentation for any system was provided. This book thoroughly explains various systems, and gives comprehensive technique for repair and evaluation. At first reading the information almost overwhelmed. Subsequent reading made the information seem to unfold before me. This is the kind of book that empowers! Having this book aboard is like having the expert mechanical "dock" friend" we all wish were tied next to us. As a favor to yourself, your insecurities, your wallet -- put this book on board.

If you own any type of boat and plan on doing any repair or maintennance yourself, this is the indespensible book. Covers almost everything that can break on a boat. Starting with an explanation of the system, what can go wrong, what you can do to prevent against failure and finally how to repair it when it does. There is no better book.

I have sailed and maintained everything from a Turnabout to crewing on a 118' schooner with a couple of diesel trawlers thrown in for good measure. Being on the water most of my life, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I was really impressed by the amazingly detailed coverage given each subject area. While most books give you one or two options for a given situation, Calder gives just about every option! He also takes great pains to educate the reader, allowing them to make a more informed decision. While this book may be a bit daunting for the novice and those who are thoroughly technically un-inclined, it is an absolutely essential reference for anyone maintaing systems afloat!