Wood, Water, and Light: Classic Wooden Boats [Hardcover]

Joel White (Author), Benjamin Mendlowitz (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2000

A celebration of the beauty of the wooden boat and the diversity of the wooden boat tradition.

Twenty-four wooden boats are featured in this volume, among them classic sailing yachts and rugged schooners as well as smaller wooden craft. Each is accompanied by an in-depth description of the design and history of the vessel, exterior and interior photographs, a profile drawing, and a layout detailing its structure.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The late Joel White was a writer, naval architect, and boat builder.

Benjamin Mendlowitz is America's premier photographer of wooden boats. He has produced the Calendar of Wooden Boats® since 1983. He lives in Brooklin, Maine.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition edition (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393033279
• ISBN-13: 978-0393033274
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 10.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #598,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wooden Boats Forever, October 12, 2007

By 

Ed Bragg (Bellaire, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Wood, Water & Light: Classic Wooden Boats (Hardcover)

Don't ever forget that trees were used for boats, before paper. There is something special about the way wooden boats look. To be sure, many coats of varnish, carefully applied to a nicely grained wood, is a sight to behold. But beyond that, wood can dictate the shape of the hull. Wood can be bent, but it prefers gentle bends, and those lines tend to be pleasing to the eye. "Wood, Water and Light" is just that. Lovely boats, photographed in their element. Photographs can't exist without light, and the photographer uses it to show off his subjects in their best.....uh, light. The boats are very nice - some unique, even. The text is just sufficient to give us a bit of history about the boats - when, where and why they were concieved and built. We also learn what they are up to nowadays. Well, not exactly. The book is fairly priced, but was produced in 1988...so when we are told that, regretfully, a boat has been put up for sale, we can rest assured that the deal was consumated years ago, and the new owners have enjoyed many wonderful years on the water in their lovely wooden boat.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars boat lovers love it, May 23, 2009

By 

M. Wallace "book gifter" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wood, Water, and Light: Classic Wooden Boats (Hardcover)

Beautiful photos of all manner of water craft, on all kinds of water. I gave it as a gift to a boat lover, but had to read it first. Interesting information on boat builders and designers that charmed even a landlubber like me. The recipient was thrilled.

4 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the most awesome book ever., October 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wood, Water, and Light: Classic Wooden Boats (Hardcover)

#1 in the boating world