Customer Reviews

The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Rigging, Tenth Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(9)
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I keep my copy of this book with me at all times, at regattas, in the boathouse, whenever I travel to guest coach at other places. It is an easy reference guide and doesn't make you feel dumb for not knowing everything about rigging. It treats rigging as an art and makes it fun, not scary.

When faced with a rigging question, Mike Davenport's guide is the first book I reach for. As I enter my second spring season as a rowing coach, I am only starting to really get a handle on how much there is to the optimal rigging of shells. Mike takes the most complex of ideas and breaks it down so that even the slowest or most novice reader can understand and accomplish each task.

This is reflected in the way that he breaks down each rigging "job." When I decided to starboard rig on of my fours for the first time, I was panicking. Thankfully, with this guide in hand, and Mike's advice , "Don't panic" I was read for the task. He kept each part simple.

Not only does "The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Rigging" explain exactly how to go about the various adjustments neccesary on a rowing shell - it also explains the theory behind it. More than a simple 1,2,3 step by step work, it allows the reader to understand the "why" of each step.

This reflect's Mike's entire philosophy of rowing. The rower/coach/rigger who understands "why" he is doing something will be much more successful than the one who does things mechanically without true knowledge.

If you want to learn the how and why behind rigging shells to their full potential, no matter your expertise, this is the Bible for you.

- John Dolan
Assistant Coach
Amherst College Rowing Association

Mike Davenport has put together THE seminal tome on rigging rowing shells. This book has something to offer every rigging-aspirant, from the raw beginner to the well-calloused professional. Even non-rigging oars-persons can become better rowers by learning and understanding the principles Mr. Davenport sets forth.

The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Rigging is organized around well reasoned topics and can serve as a text or as a reference or both--easily. It mixes concrete, applied information about rigging (e.g. rigging charts) with equally important information on the kharma of rigging and bits of humor scattered throughout. All reflect Mr. Davenport's vast expertise, experience and his amusement at the compulsive boatman who tries to fit boats of varying size and shape to humans of even more varying size and shape.

By accident of geography, I am essentially a self-taught sculler. I am also a self-taught rigger, rigging my own equipment using Mike Davenport's book as a guide. After that, I hook up the SpeedCoach, put the boat in the water, and see how things go. This is exactly the kind of careful, empirical approach that is presented and outlined in the Nuts and Bolts Guide to Rigging.

I am glad to recommend the Nuts and Bolts Guide to anyone inerested in rowing--period.

Being just a Junior in College you might wonder what reason I have for buying a rigging book. Well, first of all i believe to be a good rower you need to know everything you can to make sure you as well as your equipment works at its top shape. This book taught me everything I could ever hope to learn on rigging. Useing the practical solutions to problems has helped me build a crew toolbox, fix my slippage at the catch, and re-set my footboards to allow for my lack of flexibility. The best part of this book is the fact that Coach Davenport does not take the subject to seriously. He is willing to make fun of himself as well as easy the tension of adjusting a boat. Like the title says it is just nuts and bolts as well as a little humor. The anecdotes also teach some good coaching and life lessons. It is an easy read on a tough subject and a fun read in the end.

it is not often that you see a "how to" book that actually takes the time to break it down for the layperson. Having rowed for almost 17 years, and coached for 4, the first jump into rigging was not as nerve racking as I expected ONLY because of this book. I had the great honor of rowing for Dr. Davenport while in college and his ability to instruct and teach was amazing. This same ability is echoed in this book, which I might mentioned is dog eared, grease-ladened and pretty much never leaves my side during my season.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who either owns their own boat and wants to rig themselves or is just starting out coaching a team and has the dubious duty of being the boatsman/jack of all trades. No fears, this book will walk you through everything from the nuts and bolts to getting the boat on the water!

This is not the only book on rigging, but it is THE best. Buy it and you will be happy.

This is a friendly and informative book which defines the rigging measurements needed to set up a pair, four or eight. There is also a useful chapter for scullers. Many of the definitions also apply to sculls. Sometimes rigging measurements are defined slightly differently in different books and this is very usefully pointed out, which could help avoid confusion when looking at web sites or other books.
The chapter on how to measure gate pitch which is a mystery to most people is clearly laid out. Recommended to coaches everywhere.

I'm wondering the author start from descripe the tool in details names kind type how its use etc. ... I like this book and i found it helpfull.

From novice to expert rower, the book is helpful in acquiring knowledge, termininology, and builds confidence in this equipment intensive sport.

George

Intermediate sweep oarsman and sculler.