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Devlin's Boatbuilding: How to Build Any Boat the Stitch-and-Glue Way (Paperback)

by Samual Devlin (Author) "The differences between conventional plywood-on-frame and stitch-and-glue construction are significant..." (more)
Key Phrases: Surf Scoter, Means of Grace, Black Crown (more...)

4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Few people have done more than Sam Devlin to popularize wooden boatbuilding. For the past 15 years he has been designing, building, and helping others build his fleet of small sail and power boats. Ranging in length from 7 to 40 feet--so graceful, pert, and purposeful they seem to have been born on the waves--these boats belie the fact that they are built from sheet plywood using wire stitches and epoxy glue. In other words, anyone can build them, and many have. A 1988 WoodenBoat magazine profile of Devlin garnered more than 1,800 inquiries for his boat plans, an unbelievable response to any article in any magazine. Sailboats like Nancy's China (costs less to build than the reported cost of one place setting of Nancy Reagan's china) and powerboats like Surf Scoter are familiar, much-appreciated sights these days. Devlin developed this guide to building boats--his or any other designer's--from the building instructions he supplies with his plans. It is a mature, shop- and ocean-tested manual, covering everything from sharpening the tools to launching the finished boat. There is also a gallery of Devlin's designs and a detailed appendix listing sources for tools and other materials.

From the Back Cover

Why is stitch-and-glue boatbuilding so popular?

Any number of construction methods will produce a beautiful boat. But for the backyard builder with limited experience and a tight budget, the choice is not so complicated. Traditional plank-on-frame and cold-molded construction require complicated lofting and building molds--to say nothing of expensive tooling and lots of time. Stitch-and-glue construction, on the other hand, can produce the same results with a substantial savings in time and money. The process is quicker, easier, uses fewer parts, and produces a boat that is much easier to maintain--without the building molds and with only the simplest lofting. For tools, you need little more than a circular saw, a sander/polisher/grinder, a block plane, a framing square, a level, and a tape measure.

Sam Devlin has elevated stitch-and-glue boatbuilding to an artform, and his graceful designs have attracted the attention of backyard builders across the country. Here is all you need to know to build the boat of your dreams, whether it's a 7-foot dinghy or a 40-foot power cruiser. Devlin's Boatbuilding: How to Build Any Boat the Stitch-and-Glue Way shares the wisdom of his 16 years of experience designing, building, and helping others build his fleet of small sail- and powerboats.

It's all here, from choosing a design and setting up shop to painting the finished hull and launching. There is also a gallery of Devlin's designs and a detailed appendix listing sources for tools and other materials.

Here is everything you need to know about stitch-and-glue construction, from its leading proponent:

Setting up shop
Selecting the right marine plywood
Converting plywood-on-frame designs for stitch-and-glue construction
Working with epoxy and fiberglass
Proper stitching and reinforcement
Finishing the hull
And much more

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

Paperback: 198 pages
Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (October 25, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0071579907
ISBN-13: 978-0071579902
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #87,454 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

#31 in	Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > Ships > Boat Building
#35 in	Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > Ships > Repair & Maintenance
#82 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Special Topics > Military Engineering

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
The differences between conventional plywood-on-frame and stitch-and-glue construction are significant. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Surf Scoter, Means of Grace, Black Crown, Ted Brewer, Arctic Tern, Cape Cod, Nancy's China, Port Orford, Pacific Northwest

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Concordance | Text Stats

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 2 books:

Boatbuilding Manual by Robert M. Steward in Back Matter
John Henry (Rabbit Ears-a Classic Tale) by Brad Kessler in Back Matter

2 books cite this book:

The Elements of Boat Strength: For Builders, Designers, and Owners by Dave Gerr in Back Matter
Boatbuilding Manual by Robert Steward in Back Matter

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	69% buy the item featured on this page: Devlin's Boatbuilding: How to Build Any Boat the Stitch-and-Glue Way 4.7 out of 5 stars (12) $15.61
	10% buy Ultrasimple Boat Building: 18 Plywood Boats Anyone Can Build 4.6 out of 5 stars (8) $16.47
	8% buy Instant Boatbuilding with Dynamite Payson: 15 Instant Boats for Power, Sail, Oar, and Paddle 4.2 out of 5 stars (6) $13.57
	7% buy Boatbuilding for Beginners (and Beyond): Everything You Need to Know to Build a Sailboat, a Rowboat, a Motorboat, a Canoe, and More! 4.5 out of 5 stars (17) $18.96

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pionneer of stitch-and-glue tells all, May 31, 2000

By	Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

The stitch-and-glue technique was pioneered by builders of small boats, so it's not surprising that most boatbuilders think of it as a technique appropriate only for small boats. But Sam Devlin has been building large boats for many years with stitch and glue, and in this books shows why it's an appropriate technique for any size boat.

Traditional plywood boatbuilding doesn't really take advantage of the structural properties of plywood, argues Devlin; if you build a frame and then cover it with sheets of plywood in the same way you'd plank with boards, you're not really gaining much other than the convenience of the larger sheets. You're still using the same techniques of a century ago.

Stitch and glue allows the builder to make strong frameless monococque structures in which the entire skin, and not just the frames, carries the load. Such structures are much lighter and stiffer than traditional framed structures. Aircraft builders have been using monococques since the 1930s, and automobiles have been built using monocoque ("unibody") construction since the 1960s.

Devlin assumes the reader of this book knows a little about boats, but nothing about stitch and glue construction. He provides excellent detail on the tools, techniques and materials needed, as well as numerous photos and a number of designs.

Whether you're planning to build a 7' pram or a 30' cruiser, there's much useful information here. Even if you already have one of Dynamite Payson's "Instant Boats" books or Chris Kulczycki's "The Kayak Shop" you'll want a copy of this book as well.

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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every boatbuilder, March 17, 1998

By	Giuseppe Bianco (Matera, MT Italy) - See all my reviews

This is a great book. Every aspect of stitch and glue boatbuilding is covered in great detail, from shop practice to lofting, assembling and finishing the boat. The style is plain and enjoyable and the drawings are excellent. The author's love for boats, fine materials and good workmanship is evident in every page. I found just a few minor issues. First, the quality of the photographs is questionable. Moreover, from the builders' perspective, some more hints and suggestions on how to use power tools to cut sheet plywood, as well as a more in-depth discussion on epoxy-sealing the hull, would have been useful. Apart from those points, the book is excellent and should be in every boatbuilder's bookshelf.

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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of boat building instruction and motivation, July 28, 1998

By	mstratton@snet.net (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews

As a person looking to choose a boat building method, I found Sam Devlin's book extremely interesting. After reading his book, I felt confident that I could tackle such a project and was inspired by his personal love of the craft. As a matter of fact I purchased some of his plans and found Sam and his wife to be extremely friendly and helpful!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I liked this boat building book!
I am building a lightweight dinghy using the stitch & glue process and Devlin's book is perfect for what I am doing. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Francis W. Nowak

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and clearly written
This is one of the best how to books I've ever read. It is very clearly written and covers everything about building stitch and glue boats. Read more

Published 20 months ago by S. Bradford

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but no use to the first-time boat builder
Samual Devlin is clearly a god to many in the boat-building community, but this book is simply pitched too high for most beginners, and that's a shame given that it's marketed to... Read more

Published on June 21, 2007 by Brian � Broin

5.0 out of 5 stars Stitch and Glue excellence
Devlins created a boat building book from vast experience that is easy to follow and understand. He delves into the build process and materials used with great detail and an... Read more

Published on May 23, 2007 by Peter G. Stofmeel

4.0 out of 5 stars stich-and-glue boatbuilding system
If you have the time, money, tools and proper construction area you can build some fantastic boats that don't require all of the ribbing and lofting of conventional boatbuilding... Read more

Published on January 18, 2007 by Floyd Lenhart

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Boat Building Concepts thoroughly explained
I have read this book several times. He has a clear and logical way of presenting the stages of construction. Read more

Published on November 3, 2006 by William Graf

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for boat building!
I bought this book because I wanted to prepare myself for building a boat in 2007, next year. In reading through it, I learned that what is covered is not just how to build a... Read more

Published on October 6, 2006 by J. Valletta

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful lecture
I found in the book a useful collection of practical information. It is an usefull lecture before starting the construction of a boat and even before selecting a design plan.

Published on March 15, 2006 by Antonello Sotgiu

5.0 out of 5 stars New to boat building
Great reading. This book answered all of my questions and then some. I would recommend this book to new boat builders.

Published on August 5, 2004 by G. M Menegaz

› See all 12 customer reviews...

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