Details of Classic Boat Construction: The Hull (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "In order to build an irregularly shaped structure like a boat or a plane, you need full-size three-dimensional drawings, since you cannot simply scale up..." (more)
Key Phrases: crosshatch sanding, rudder blank, centreline structure, New Zealand, Lyle Hess, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Building a wooden boat is a deeply satisfying creative pursuit and one of the pinnacles of that near-relative of art craftsmanship. Larry Pardey dismisses the common moan that the traditional skills of this particular craftsmanship are lost. Nor, he shows, is there anything mysterious about them; they can be easily learned. Perhaps the most valuable quality of the book is the way it passes on vital know-how about details of construction methods and the relative importance of particular items and aspects. -- Lloyds List, London

Details, he says, and by golly, details it is. Such a great work cannot be summarized in a couple of paragraphs. No detail is omitted, and every picture has clearly worded supportive text. One can do little more than say this is a truly comprehensive handbook for anyone who aims to build a carvel hull. -- Denny Desoutter, editor emeritus, Practical Boat Owner

For me this has to be the book on traditional wooden-yacht construction to be published in over five decades. In some 518 salty and sawdust-laden pages there are lessons and new tricks for even the most horny-handed, time-served, and experienced exponent of this wonderful trade of ours. For the amateur interested in the more traditional side of things, this book will, I am sure, become their bible, and rightfully so. It is difficult to single out any one area of the book over the other, but I think that it would be worth buying for the appendices alone. -- Bob Forsyth

For someone, especially an amateur, about to start the lengthy and daunting process of building a wooden boat, it would be an invaluable and comforting guide. Pardey is perfectly upfront about the aims of the book: I have tried to concentrate on giving details of construction and information about skills that are not found in books available on boatbuilding. He has succeeded rather well, for the book does indeed go into considerable detail on the methods and tricks employed by an experienced builder to build a sailboat hull from scratch. -- Joel White, boatbuilder/designer, Woodenboat

This book will help sailors work with wood as well as educate them regarding the way classic wooden boats come together. It is a great collection of speed tricks. -- Sail Magazine

This comprehensive guide to classic boat construction contains a wealth of photographs and step-by-step guides to various aspects of boatbuilding, from lofting floors and framing to a selection of materials, design considerations, and the myriad details that make up a wooden yacht. -- Paul Gelder, Ed., Yachting Monthly

This is a comprehensive, well-illustrated, and thoroughly readable manual. In a clear, simple, and almost chatty text supplemented with well-selected photographs and simple sketches, the author has imparted a wealth of his expertise. Any amateur or professional, for that matter would do well to read this book from cover to cover more than once before he/she hefted an adze or rammed a pencil behind an ear. -- Peter Milne, editor, Classic Boat

Which of us hasnt been enamored of the beauty of wooden boats and the romance of building one. Now comes a book that outlines the reality. Even those wishing to do only a bit of touch-up work on their boats should have this in their library. -- Charles Barthold, Yachting

Product Description

Larry Pardey is accepted as one of the master craftsmen of the wooden-boat building world. He and his wife, Lin, have built two strong, handsome boats and sailed twice around the world in them. This impressive book shows the process of constructing a boat hull with extensive photographs and drawings and includes ample time-saving procedures. From financial and time planning, lofting, floors and framing, selection of materials, planking and spiling, design consideration, to deck beams, man-hour norms, and details critical to wooden boat construction, this volume serves as the most comprehensive guide a potential builder could ever use.Readers will also appreciate the discussions of how to select from numerous construction methods and materials, how to set up the shop, and tips for sharpening and making your own tools. The new appendix on proper adhesive selection is must reading for those wishing to have a boat that stays together, no matter how long or where its used. Anyone who has dreamed of building a boat or would like to make his or her own repairs-but has felt restricted by the potential costs of gathering the materials and figuring out how to do the work-will be thrilled by this informative and comprehensive book, written by an internationally recognized shipwright who understands a beginners needs.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 520 pages
• Publisher: Pardey Books; 2nd edition (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964603683
• ISBN-13: 978-0964603684
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #430,546 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way it's done., December 8, 2004

By	Ryan McNabb (Ooltewah, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What to say about this book...it shows you wooden boat construction at its very, very best. Starting with raw lumber and simple hand tools, Larry Pardey takes us, step by laborious step, on the odyssey of building a truly world class cruising yacht, his 30' Taleisin. Not only is every step of the hull construction detailed, but we also get "real world" time and cost estimates so there are no illusions as to how much time and money each step will take. There are superb "pro and con" treatments of aspects that have a variety of solutions. If there are multiple ways to tackle a job, he makes two columns and discusses the pros and cons of each in detail. Usually you just get the author's opinions without any extra information.

This book is famous also because of it's very important final appendix on epoxies in salt water craft, and how epoxy often is weakened to the point of failure by salt water, repeated stress, and heat - 3 things that a sailboat gets plenty of. I am told by many epoxy fans that this chapter "is now out of date", but I don't remember any amazing new epoxies coming out that make Pardey's findings defunct. George Buehler says it best - epoxy works best when it's backed up by a bolt. "Praise epoxy but pass the nails".

Also note the title "The Hull". That's all you get. When it comes to decks, houses, rigging, etc., you're on your own. Hopefully Pardey will bring out volume 2 on the rest of the boat.

He's a masterful carpenter and his work is glorious and gleaming, fully among the best of yacht-quality work ever done. This is something you need to seriously soak in. This is THE BEST, and not necessarily realistic for the average home boat builder. This book represents a set of skills that you probably don't have, and may find difficulty developing in your lifetime, unless you are really dedicated. Also, there is the time factor. It's one thing to look at a photo of fastening planking on the frame and say "I understand that...I can do that!" and it's quite another to realize how many HUNDREDS of hours are involved in just a few of the aspects of the hull construction. Pardey could work on his yacht full time - he didn't need to do other work to pay the bills. He was also in the prime of his health. Most Americans only have this kind of time if they're retired, and that often means not as strong as we once were. If we're young and strong it means we have to work for a living. So, this particular boat might be best aimed at the youngish man who doesn't have to work very much for his living. Either that or you'll spend about a decade of weekends on this boat.

If you want to get on the water a little quicker than that, consider George Buehler's "Backyard Boat Building", for salty and sea worthy crusising yachts that the average man or woman can build themselves in a year or two, and actually take to the Caribbean, or further. I'm not saying don't aspire to Pardey's level, but remember that you live in the real world. It's better to build a simple boat than to not build a fancy one. It's better to go sailing than it is to spend your free weekends for 2 years screwing down teak decking. But, that consideration aside, there is no better guide to traditional yacht construction than this.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent Display of Traditional Boat Building!, December 1, 1999

By A Customer

Larry Pardey's volume on Classic Boat Construction is itself a classic. Hundreds of photos, detailed construction descriptions and pro/con lists that let the reader decide. My father and I are about to start construction of another Taleisin and have two copies because we fought over the first one! Recommended to any wooden boatbuilder, even just to find out the things they don't tell you in other 'text-books'.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Boatbuilding Book, January 28, 2000

By	C. Hill (Virginia,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a novice boatbuilder I have found this book very informative. I especially like the Appendix on adhesives. Any would be expoxy boatbuilder would do well to read it and take head.