Schooner Sunset: The Last British Sailing Coasters [Paperback]

Douglas Bennet (Author), David Clement (Author), Mike Stammers (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001

Foreword by Mike Stammers. Owing to the simplicity of their rigging, coastal schooners were among the last commercial sailing vessels to remain in operation. Written by one of the men who worked the schooners, this authentic portrayal of a now obsolete way of life is steeped in the details and lore that could only be acquired by firsthand experience. The author sailed on the Alert in 1934 and the Brooklands in 1939 and maintained an avid interest in the ships, never missing an opportunity to record their finer details. His wonderfully meticulous drawings are a unique compliment to the text and will be highly valued by modelers and all enthusiasts of the last days of sail.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The late Douglas Bennet was a native of Cheshire, England. David Clement is one of the founders of the Southwest Maritime Historical Society and the editor of the British society's journal.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557508720
• ISBN-13: 978-1557508720
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,101,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An understated gem, February 7, 2010

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Stringybark (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Schooner Sunset: The Last British Sailing Coasters (Paperback)

This is a superb book, if you are after deep understanding of sailing coasters. The detail in the descriptions is second to none, coming as it does from someone who worked on these ships and at the same time had a strongly intelligent interest in them. Strangely the book was not published in the author's lifetime, because apparently publishers were put off by the tremendous detail. But it is especially the technical guts, the many illustrations, the thread of autobiography and the understated, straightforward style that makes this book a true classic. The only fault is that there is no hardcover edition - there should be a proper collector's binding for this fine work. I have this book in my 'inner circle' of books on ships and shipbuilding, as it is one of the brilliant ones.

5.0 out of 5 stars A little treasure for the fore and aft crowd., March 22, 2010

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Eleanor Rigby "kindle shmindle read books" (Chi-town) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Schooner Sunset: The Last British Sailing Coasters (Paperback)

I well know the beauty of the American Gloucester fishing schooner. But here is the story of the functional merchant British craft from across the pond. The fellow who wrote the book sailed as a crewman on the schooners. If you are a modeler or want to know how things were really done and why then get the bloody book before it goes out of print. Nice photos, illustrations and plans.