The Elements of Boat Strength: For Builders, Designers, and Owners (Hardcover)

by Dave Gerr (Author) "The principal reference point for all the scantling rules in The Elements of Boat Strength is the scantling number (Sn)..." (more)
Key Phrases: scantling number, lower topsides, diagonal veneers, Iron Maiden, Logger Bobber, Cor Ten (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Certain books, because of their thoroughness, tend to become industry standards; such is the case with Dave Gerr's latest reference volume, The Elements of Boat Strength. The book details construction methods and recommended scantling dimensions for fiberglass, wood, aluminum, steel, and composite hulls. " -- Ocean Navigator, November/December 1999

Product Description
"This work is significant. It is the first to include a method of assessing structural strength in the context of the modern marine environment." --Commander M. C. Cruder, U.S. Coast Guard

Acclaimed author and naval architect Dave Gerr created this unique system of easy-to-use scantling rules and rules-of-thumb for calculating the necessary dimensions, or scantlings, of hulls, decks, and other boat parts, whether built of fiberglass, wood, wood-epoxy composite, steel, or aluminum. In addition to the rules themselves, The Elements of Boat Strength offers their context: an in-depth, plain-English discussion of boatbuilding materials, methods, and practices that will guide you through all aspects of boat construction.

Now you can avoid wading through dense technical engineering manuals or tackling advanced mathematics. The Elements of Boat Strength has all the formulas, tables, illustrations, and charts you need to judge how heavy each piece of your boat should be in order to last and be safe. With this book, an inexpensive scientific calculator, and a pad of paper, you'll be able to design and specify all the components necessary to build a sound, long-lasting, rugged vessel.

What reviewers have said about Dave Gerr's books:

Propeller Handbook

"By far the best book available on the subject."--Sailing

"The best layman's guide we've ever read."--Practical Sailor

Dave Gerr and International Marine made a complicated topic understandable and put it into a handbook that is easy to use."--WoodenBoat

"Without doubt the definitive reference for selecting, installing, and understanding boat propellers."--Royal Navy Sailing Association Journal

The Nature of Boats

"If you are not nautically obsessed before reading this book, you will most certainly be afterward."--Sailing

Fascinating potpourri of information about today's boats, modern and traditional."--WoodenBoat

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (August 10, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070231591
• ISBN-13: 978-0070231597
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,320 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, October 11, 2000

By	John O'Neill (Fairfield, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a book about the structure of boat hulls that is easy to read and easy to understand. It's primary purpose is to detail the scantling requirements of nearly any small boat hull (10-120 ft) of virtually any material. Gerr has the gift of being able to convey his considerable knowledge to others, and he suceeds admirably with this book. It is well laid out, detailed without being budensome, has a wealth of useful information, and is easy to use. The index is complete. He even includes a short history of, and the advantages/disadvantages, of nearly all boatbuilding materials. If you want to build a reed raft, look elsewhere. Anything more modern than that (with the exception of ferro-cement) this book covers it.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very complete, clear, and very usable for the builder., November 9, 1999

By A Customer

Marvelously complete treatment of boat design information and the scantling rules needed for the serious boat builder.

Gerr provides building information for every aspect of a wide range of boat types (excluding multihulls, as he notes). He provides the rules and the tables/graphs needed to eliminate complex calculations needed to determine the size and stength that each piece of the boat should be.

A must read for the small boatbuilding shop owner or wannabe designer.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent For Determining Scantlings On Traditional Boats, July 18, 2002

By	Dave Gerr (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

It is always a pleasure to get comments from readers, but I'm afraid that Rick Burner is a mite confused. The Elements Of Boat Strength was specifically written to make it not only possible to determine the scantlings for any boat (from a coasting schooner to a skiff) but to make the calculations required relatively easy. For some reason, Rick's review indicates that Boat Strength doesn't provide you with the information needed calculate the scantlings for traditional boats such as those in books by, say, Howard Chapelle or John Gardner. In fact, Boat Strength provides exactly this information. What's more, you can not only calculate the scantlings for the original construction method but for any modern variant and/or for any other material, from FRP to aluminum.