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Dave Gerr

The Nature of Boats: Insights and Esoterica for the Nautically Obsessed Paperback – September 22, 1995

by Dave Gerr (Author)

63 ratings

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Boat noodling. Boat lovers suffer universally from this benign affliction. In its mildest form, boat noodling is nothing more than wondering why that sloop in the next slip is faster than yours. In a more significant manifestation it could mean serious daydreaming--drifting off for extended periods, sketching design ideas on the back of an envelope. Chances are, if you've picked up this book just to see what's in it, you're beyond help.

Naval architect Dave Gerr offers the perfect antidote, a browser's reference to understanding how boats tick: all you've ever wanted to know about boats--power and sail, racer and cruiser; dinghy and motoryacht.

In the clear, friendly, nontechnical style that has made his column for Offshore magazine so enduring and popular, Gerr explains everything from how thick a hull should be to why one sailboat tips less than another, from choosing an engine to designing a rig for your trawler yacht, from building a dinghy to simple rules of thumb for dozens of design quandaries.

Gerr writes for the boat noodler in all of us--those seriously interested in learning and dreaming about all types of watercraft. There is no better way to become a better sailor, equipped to handle any contingency. And there's no better place to start than right here.

Print length

418 pages
Language

English
Publisher

International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
Publication date

September 22, 1995
Dimensions

7.3 x 1.4 x 9.1 inches
ISBN-10

007024233X
ISBN-13

978-0070242333
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Editorial Reviews

Review

If you are not not nautically obsessed prior to reading this book, you will most certainly be afterword.''

It's sort of a cross between David Macaulay's The Way Things Work and a volume of Andy Rooney essays. Which means it's fun and educational at the same time.''

It's quite obvious Gerr understands the weaknesses of those of us afflicted with a passion for boats. Furthermore, he trades on our insatiable appetite for nautical tidbits. And he does it well. There's hardly an aspect of yacht design, construction, and operation that he doesn't touch on in his cheerful, chatty manner.''

About the Author

Dave Gerr (rhymes with “bear”) is a naval architect who designs both yachts and commercial vessels. Gerr Marine has been in business since 1983 and has designed everything from dinghies to 60-foot around-the-world racing sailboats, an 82-foot aluminum voyaging motoryacht, and currently, redesign work on the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarines. Gerr is a contributing editor with Boatbuilder, Yachting, and Offshore magazines. HOMETOWN: New York, NY

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1st edition (September 22, 1995)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 418 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 007024233X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0070242333
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.64 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.3 x 1.4 x 9.1 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #268,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15 in Sea Kayaking
- #39 in Instructional Sailing
- #292 in Boating (Books)

Customer Reviews:
63 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		75%
4 star		17%
3 star		3%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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John M. Schubert

Knowledge and Understanding that You Won't Get Anywhere Else

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

This written in a way that is like advice for the guy the next slip over. Dave Gerr a naval architect and while some of the knowledge is technical, it is presented in an easy to understand format and personal. One of the great strengths of the book is most chapters are a story, relating some personal experience, problems encountered and how he solved or attempted to solve them. Each chapter is short and it's lesson will not bore you.

The chapters are un-related so each stands on it's own; for that reason alone it is hard to review the Nature of Boats. I do know that every night I picked it up and read a chapter or three and found my knowledge expanded in a light-hearted way.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

manwithcash

Hide this from your spouse!

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2007

Verified Purchase

If my wife read this book, she would divorce me instantly, as she would understand why a Nautically Obsessed person will never change, and will get worse as time goes by.....

Honestly, this book made me realize there are others like me that can't stop thinking about boats and the ocean! It feeds the fire burning in your soul and loads you up with all kinds of facts, concepts, and the author's experience to send you off to the drawing board, the boat show, or maybe West Marine. Great writing and a flow of information that will make you not want to let it down until you've committed to memory. While you're at it, get "Elements of Boat Strength" also. Highly recommended!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Pete

Unsinkable

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

If you're thinking about building a boat or your generally interested in boats this is a great resource.

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J. Holloway

Nature of Boats by Dave Gerr

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2013

Verified Purchase

If you are a boater or are looking to get started in boating this book gives you insights on how hulls, engines, sail plans, powerboat designs were developed to accomplish a given task. Such as fishing, cruising, speed, fuel efficient, diesel vs. gas, sail plans, etc. A very good book to help you decide what kind of boat is best for your boating location and intended use. If you are interested in going long far afield of your home base, under power, you should also read Voyaging Under Power by Captain Robert Beebe.

Helpful

Zachary Shipley

One of My Favorites on Its Admittedly Esoteric Subject

Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2018

Verified Purchase

One of my favorites on its admittedly esoteric subject. Tells a payment--presumably a boat owner or buyer--what he/she might like to know that a naval architect knows about the engineering aspects of boat design.

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Suppresst

For me - a treasure trove

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2009

Verified Purchase

I have always had a fondness for boats. My every attempt to learn more about them was unsatisfying. Magazines, sales literature, or attending boat shows failed to supply the information I yearned to know. I wanted to understand boats, not just know about them.

Dave Kerr gets to the heart of the matter in this volume. While not containing all one might want to know about why certain boats function they way they do, how they are built, and what the individual reader should be looking for in selecting or designing a boat, this book goes a long way, and makes it easy to understand what the next step would be in pursuing a particular boat subject-matter more thorougly.

Kerr's prose is eminently readable - he even includes several semi-fictional antecdotes to bread up the tedium of boat-facts.

One person found this helpful

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B. Hoglund

The title says it all!

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

Would have given it 5-stars if he had more about sailboats.

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mickayla

A very good book covering a wide range of boat formulas used ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

this is the second copy I've purchased. A very good book covering a wide range of boat formulas used in designing boats which are easily explained by Mr. Gerr.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

colin

All manner of technical information supporting the design and construction of small boats

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2014

Verified Purchase

A superb book dealing with just about every aspect of the design of power and sailing boats, packed with practical advice - much based upon the author's own experiences - and containing all manner of simple formulae with which to calculate the essential parameters of a boat's optimum design. Every boat designer, builder, repairer and owner should have a copy to hand. Excellent value.

eric the red

Brilliant book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

Brilliant book!

Mr. M. A. Kelly

Quirky but good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

Well written, quirky at times, a good guide to small boat design and construction. A must for every boat and yacht owner

Mr. Arthur M. Blue

The Nature of Boats