This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded [Hardcover]

Don Casey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2009

Turn a run-down fiberglass boat into a first-class yacht

Since it first appeared in 1991, Don Casey’s This Old Boat has helped tens of thousands of sailors refurbish older fiberglass boats and has become a revered classic among boat rehabbers.This second edition is revised from first page to last with new information on electrical systems, diesel engines, refrigeration, resins, plumbing and more. Plus, more than 600 newly created illustrations enhance the book’s beauty as well as its utility.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Don Casey combines three decades of sailing, a keen eye for detail, irrepressible good humor, and an elegant writing style to deliver transparently simple and always reliable how-to advice for boaters. He is a regular contributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 576 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 2 edition (March 25, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071477942
• ISBN-13: 978-0071477949
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential boat maintenance manual, August 26, 2009

By 

Anthony Green "cascode" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded (Hardcover)

The second edition of This Old Boat is a more professional production than the first edition. Not that the first edition was bad, on the contrary, it was a good resource, but it had a somewhat hand-made feel about it. The diagrams were freehand sketches and a lot of the information lacked depth. Although it was always a good place to start, it was usually necessary to turn to other reference works (such as Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" or Spurr's "Guide to Upgrading Your Cruising Sailboat") for precise information about how to carry out a certain repair or improvement. However, what it lacked in depth of information it more than made up for with its clear explanations of the "big picture" and Casey's ability to impart a sense of motivation.

This new edition improves on the first by being a good deal larger than the first edition, having information that is more in-depth, and illustrations that are much improved. It is now closer in "feel" to Calder's Boatowner's Manual. It also covers a lot of the information contained in Casey's several short sailboat maintenance handbooks, and to an extent it updates and replaces them. I wouldn't go as far as to say that this is the only book by Casey that you now need to own in order to have all of the information he has previously published, but it is close.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The bible just got better., May 3, 2009

By 

Jaymz Dilworth (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded (Hardcover)

I'm in the process of fixing up a Santana 22, and the first edition of this book got me started on projects from tackling the rigging to electonics to repainting the hull. This revised edition is hugely improved with more and better illustrations, much more content, and way more up to date.

If you've got an old boat, this is the first book I'd buy for maintenance advice.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive boat owners repair manual, July 9, 2009

By 

R. Lee "s/v Totem" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded (Hardcover)

Wish I had this updated edition before starting my refit--this would have replaced many other individual texts and lots of trial and error work. Simple building-block projects in each section demystify boat construction and accurately impress the simplicity of seemingly complex improvements.

You, yes even you, can actually do many of the things listed in this book if you have the requisite patience. Would definately buy again, great reference even if you elect not to do repairs and improvements yourself so you can understand what your yard is charging for...