Small Ships: A Book of Study Plans for Tugs, Freighters, Ferries, Excursion Boats, Trawler Yachts, Houseboats & Fishing Vessels : Working Vessels & Workboat herita [Paperback]

Jay R. Benford (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Tiller Pub; 4 edition (May 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888671068
• ISBN-13: 978-1888671063
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,987,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jay Benford was taken sailing before he could walk, by parents unconcerned about the impressions being made on the youth. He was several years old before he determined that this might not have been perfectly normal procedure on the part of his parents. By then, of course, it was too late for he had become hooked on cruising. His school teachers' pointed remarks about the lack of variety on his book reports (always nautical books) seem to have been of no concern to him. His two years at the University of Michigan led to a much better knowledge of the location of the nautical sections of the libraries than the locations of his classrooms....

He says the best parts of his education were his apprenticeship with John Atkin and the subsequent jobs with a number of boatbuilding firms. After seven years of working for others, he opened his own yacht design office full time in the spring of 1969. Shortly thereafter he got a series of instructive lessons from his accountant in the use of red ink....

He has lived aboard for well over a decade, living on both sail and power boats, and brings this experience to all his design work. His design work varies from small craft to freighter yachts to a 40 meter (131') ketch. When not off cruising, he can be found in his Easton, Maryland, office working on one of his current design projects.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yachts that LOOK like working vessels....,, June 3, 2005

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Small Ships: A Book of Study Plans for Tugs, Freighters, Ferries, Excursion Boats, Trawler Yachts, Houseboats & Fishing Vessels : Working Vessels & Workboat herita (Paperback)

_First of all, let me say that the title of this book is a little misleading. These are not plans for working vessels, they are plans for yachts and houseboats that look like working vessels. Inspite of that little misunderstanding I still found this book to be immensely interesting. There is a small live-aboard tug and barge combination that I would love to own myself. Plus, I can see where some of these designs could be "reverse engineered" to actually serve as useful small freighters, ferries, and trawlers. However, if you are in the market for a luxury cruising yacht of the coaster variety then this book is perfect for you. From the excellent photos and detailed descriptions, most of these little ships are nicer than the homes of most people I know- they certainly have more interest and character.

_One thing to know, however, is that these are "study plans." They give you the general arrangement and layout. There is little or no information on structural details, or propulsion, or piping, or wiring.

_There is a section in the back on the relative merits of boatbuilding materials (aluminum, ferro-cement, fiberglass, steel, and wood) that is very well written.