Fix It and Sail: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Retore a Small Sailboat on a Shoestring [Paperback]

Brian Gilbert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 20, 2005

Find a small cruising sailboat and restore it to pristine condition on a budget that won't sink your budget

Small, trailererable cruising sailboats are more popular than ever as mooring spaces dwindle and marina dockage and winter storage costs soar. Fix It and Sail helps you discover boatloads of fun far less than a single ski weekend or golf club membership. Veteran sailor and journalist Brian Gilbert shows you how to select and inspect a boat, then restore it from keel to rigging.

Gilbert's clear, step-by-step instructions guide you through every phase of the restoration process from repairing keels, hulls, ports, and cabins to painting, wiring, and sealing. You'll learn how to evaluate, repair and replace hardware, upholstery, canvaswork, and more. Profusely illustrated appendices give you a vivid picture of the costs, tasks, and labor involved in an actual restoration project.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Gilbert is a lifelong sailor who lived aboard a Catalina 27 for four years. As a young father with a modest budget, he bought a Venture 22 for $500. The photos of his restoration of that boat are truly inspirational. His sailing articles have appeared in Good Old Boat, Small Craft Advisor, and DIY Marine magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (December 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071458093
• ISBN-13: 978-0071458092
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily Under Estimated But Not Under Done, March 12, 2006

By 

Michael A. Porter "Mikey" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fix It and Sail: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Retore a Small Sailboat on a Shoestring (Paperback)

Good Book! March 12, 2006

Mike in Seattle

The one thing wrong with this book is the blurb on the front cover. It should read "Everything You Really Need to Know..." But, the disservice is done to the author--not to readers. It is not possible to tell everything that everyone might need to know in order to do something. What this book does tell is what anyone who is even contemplating restoring a sailboat had better know. It is far more than an overview of the author's own project though, Rather than just hitting the highlites, it covers e-v-e-r-y important point to keep in mind for the project from beginning to end. I have worked with hand tools for more than forty years, and it still gave me some pointers!

There is one thing peculiar about the book. Women, can't seem to keep their hands off it. My wife and her girl friend both liked the book. As if that wasn't strange enough, I took the book with me to my doctors office, and ended up checked into the emergency ward. At one point, I woke up to find my nurse looking through the book. Well, I guess that might be helpful for a guy trying to talk his wife into such a project, but it seemed kind of odd. I asked, and apparently they simply like the way the guy thinks.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DETAILED, INTERESTING AND FUN HOW-TO BOOK!!, March 27, 2006

By 

Lisa Morris "Lisa753" (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fix It and Sail: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Retore a Small Sailboat on a Shoestring (Paperback)

This book is not only an interesting read, but fun as well! The pictures detail everything from each step of refurbishing a sailboat, including what tools to use and how to use them. I just ordered 3 more copies and can't wait to give them to my boating enthusiastic friends! Whether your re-doing a sailboat or not, I would highly recommend this to anybody who's into boating.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great!, January 24, 2006

By 

Kyle (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fix It and Sail: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Retore a Small Sailboat on a Shoestring (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book! It has helped give me the confidence to find and restore a sailboat that I can really afford to own and sail. Brian Gilbert writes with a refreshingly down to earth, articulate and humorous perspective not frequently seen in how to books. I recommend it for anyone interested in doing their own boat restoration. Very helpful.