The Gaff Rig Handbook: History, Design, Techniques, Developments [Paperback]

John Leather (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2001

The historical development & practical application of this traditional rig are thoroughly covered.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A compendium of the history, design, techniques and developments of gaff rig, profusely illustrated with historic photographs and the author's excellent diagrams and drawings, this is the revised and extended 1994 version of the original 1970 Gaff Rig...The book's longevity says it all.' Water Craft (Jan 2008) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Originally published in 1974, this Second Edition, is identical to the out of printer version last published in 1994, although it has a new cover artwork, and higher quality paper.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wooden Boat Publications; 2 edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0937822671
• ISBN-13: 978-0937822678
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant definitive treatise, December 4, 2003

By 

Ryan McNabb (Ooltewah, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gaff Rig Handbook: History, Design, Techniques, Developments (Paperback)

I thought I understood gaff rig until I got into this incredible book. It truly is the definitive text on the subject. Be warned - this is not necessarily an easy book to read. It is dense, profound stuff, and there are many places that will stop you in your tracks as you read paragraphs over and over, trying to tease out and understand all the multilayered detail. But once it's accomplished, the lights go on, and you have a new understanding that a more "readable" treatment would never have afforded. The illustrations are marvelous, whether it's the crisp, highly detailed line drawings of rig details or the wonderful rare old photographs of the glory days of this marvelous rig. Truly a must read. And it isn't just a tribute to the racing yachts - this is a book of working sail, where men's lives and livelihoods depended on their watercraft.

Also highly recommended is "Hand Reef and Steer", by Tom Cunliffe, which is a much more readable and user friendly text for the gaff rig owner/sailor

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great resource on the gaff rig, April 3, 2002

By 

Frank S. Hagan (Oxnard, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gaff Rig Handbook: History, Design, Techniques, Developments (Paperback)

Like Tom Cunliffe's "Hand Reef and Steer," John Leather's "Gaff Rig Handbook" is an excellent resource for someone building, restoring or merely interested in gaff rigs. I go back and forth between those two as the "best source", but in reality, I think both should be in your library (they are in mine, and both are well used).

On my boat building site...I reviewed "Gaff Rig Handbook":

"This was suggested as the best resource out there on the gaff rig, and after a long wait while [I]obtained this book from England, I can report that it is everything people say it is. Great text, clear illustrations, and quite a bit of information not found elsewhere makes this my favorite of the books listed."

The most recent edition, published by Wooden Boat Publishing in 2001, is now available. The content is much the same ... in fact, I can't find a difference ... with the prior edition, so no need to "buy again" if you have an older copy. But if you are serious about gaff rigs, and Gaff Rig Handbook isn't in your library ... it should be!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the definitive gaff rig text., January 28, 2001

By 

Michael Field, of Wooden Boat Fittings (Western Port, Victoria, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gaff Rig Handbook (Paperback)

If you're only buying one book on gaff rig, this should be it. Full of useful information, supported with many practical diagrams (not all of them original,) it is a first-class resource for anyone contemplating building a gaffer, or converting from a different rig.

Note that this book is described by the publisher as an "extended" 3rd edition of the book originally published in two editions under the title "Gaff Rig". I am not clear how much additional information has been included in this new edition, but the change in title indicates that there might be considerable differences between this "Handbook" and the two earlier "Gaff Rigs."