Customer Reviews

Inspecting the Aging Sailboat (The International Marine Sailboat Library)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used this book in combination with another to really understand the boat systems and make an informed judgement. Are those cracks in the gelcoat serious? How do I know if the tiller attachment is a weak design? Casey helps you understand how to make a judgement about critical components from a novice/lay point of view. I found the book a very good resource.

I checked this out from the local library,
and ended up with several pages of notes in the
form of an outline of what to look for when
checking a poential candidate boat for purchase.

I highly recommend it.

Enough so that I will eventually buy it simply
to loan out to friends (I took such copious notes that
I no longer need the book myself).

If you are looking at older boats in a price range that
doesn't justify a professional survey, this DIY survey
could save hundereds of dollars spent on a survey of a
boat of limitted value.

If you already decided against a survey, it could save
you thousands by steering you away from an absolute
basket case.

This book is very easy to read and understand. When I wanted a book about surveying fiberglass boats, I was intimidated by the thought of 100s of pages of technical text. Luckily I bought this book. It includes many illustrations which added greatly. As informative as it is, it is also very quick to read. I found it a great coach to help me do my own non-professional survey.

I also have Mustin's book about surveying. Also good but it is more laborious to get through. I read both books a good 3 times each before I survey about 4 different boats, and I really felt confident that I knew what I was doing.

I am a fan of Don Casey's books. They are informative and easy to understand for the DIY person with limited experience.

Don Casey writes in a very understandable style and the text is full of helpful illustrations. This book gives you a lot of ideas of what to look for when you're first starting to shop. A survey is expensive, and if you can identify a lemon before you get to that point, you'll save yourself 10 times the cost of this book in time, heartache and money. And if you're not getting a survey, it may save you even more.

My wife and I are buying our first sailboat, and we can only afford an older boat. So this book was exactly what we needed to evaluate the condition of the boats. It even helped us prepare for and understand the results of the boat survey.

This book provides a good overview of what is and what is not important when looking for a used sailboat. It is not an entertaining read but its short chapters get right to the heart of the matter. Are those cracks just cosmetic or is there internal damage to the hull? Is there just a crack on the bow or does that cause damage elsewhere in the vessel? If you can't answer these questions, you better read this book!

This allowed me to do my own cursory review to determine if a boat warranted further consideration. Getting an inspection is costly. This books allows you to rule some boats out on your own.

I am shopping for a good, used, boat and this book really helped me to know what in the world I should be looking at. What is normal wear and tear, what is broken, and fixable. Money well spent!

I wish I'd had this book a year ago, it would have saved me thousands of dollar$. Casey makes the process of surveying a boat a clear step by step process. The illustrations add to an already easily understandable and witty text. If you are thinking of buying a boat, any boat, keep this book in one hand and your simple little tool kit (outlined in the book) in the other and go for it. Casey tells what to look for, where to look for it, and what can be done (or not) about it.

I found that this book provided a lot of good information for anyone contemplating purchasing an older sailboat. It provides a systematic approach to judging the various components, sail, hull, electrical etc prior to committing to the expense of a professional survey. Following its procedures and metods will help eliminate boats with serious flaws from consideration quickly with a minimum of time and effort. I would recooment this book to anyone before they purchase a used sailboat.