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The Ship in the Medieval Economy 600-1600 (American Council of Learned Societies History E-Book Project)

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If your goal is an understanding of the changes to ship design through the medieval period and how these changes were a driver and were driven by the economies of the advancing world, do not miss the "A Note on Illustrations" introduction to this fine work. An assumption is made about both the vocabulary of the reader and their affinity for libraries, and without access to the pictorial references sited; much of this work's value will be missed.
Unger made masterful use of the existing physical and documentary evidence to draw an expanding picture of not only when, but why advancements in ship design were made (or lost). The work's one deficiency is its lack of an examination of the how. Few physical, metallurgic, or chemical arguments/explanations are made regarding changes in design. I was richer for hearing a thorough description of the first full-rigged ships, but was starved for a description of the physical challenges that were overcome. I suffered the same craving after each innovation he detailed.