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Yacht and Small Craft Design: From Principles to Practice (Helmsman Books) (1st Edition)

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The concept of designing yachts and small craft by eye has not entirely disappeared, but, as in most fields, a more scientific approach now dominates. It is no longer enough to creat boats intuitively, with the help of a hand-hewn, half-model and unerring faith. Today the designer strives to understand and predict the ways in which craft behave under the varying conditions imposed by wind and sea, following the principles of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.

This book seeks to guide the reader thorugh these principles, taking in the creative, visual aspects of design, but primarily concentrating on hull forms, sails, keels and rudders, and how they interact. Sailing balance and performance prediction are explored, based on the use of models for testing, and the author examines techniques for producing lines plans, detailing the various associated calculations, complete with examples. The culmination of this rationale is a step-by-step procedure for design.