Rating: 
Summary: Boats with an open mind
Review: Open mind - you bet. A broad range of boats here. I wanted to build a light displacement, shallow draft, plus open ocean cruiser, 6 out of eight builders said it can't be done. Bolger gives you three designes from 30 to 90 feet, timber or steel plus a lot more smaller boats. I took the plans, which I enlarger on a photocopier from A5 book page, to A3, to the Tasmanian Wooden Boat festival in Tasmania Australia and had a wonderful response fron two 70+ year old ship wrights who thought the designs were very usefull, practical and seaworthy. I guess the best review you could get is a "build it" from a veteran ship wright who understands everone wants something unique or has a special need in their design. This book will give you ideas and solutions, if not exact plans, to overcome many unique problems you may have. I have a shallow bay to tie up in but I wanted to let the boat sit on the beach at low tide and I also have a thirty foot bridge between me and the sea and I want to sail to New Zealand, a tough design brief. I got all the answeres from Boats with an open mind. Only problem with this book is, "is your mind open enough?" If not, go buy a white plastic boat and miss the charm of a personal, warm, wonderful boat that meets your every requirement.
Rating:
Summary: Bolger's unique approach informs and entertains all
Review: Phil Bolger has a direct approach to designing boats which is reflected in an easy writing style.
Radical designers have often called for advanced techniques of construction, expensive materials and sophisticated tools, with exotic results - but Bolger's boats are for anyone with a yen to be afloat, and so is this book.
Even if I never build a Bolger boat (unlikely, since three sheets of plywood are now on order) I will have gained an extra appreciation of boats and boating that will stand me in good stead.
His writing skill is to make clear what is needful without bombast or technical obscurity. Despite this, there is a technical daring in some of his simplest designs that can be breathtaking. At times he waxes poetic, within the context of how one might use and enjoy his designs. Check out "Birdwatcher" and see if you don't agree. There is also a refreshing frankness about the ones that didn't pan out - not all designers will admit to errors, but Bolger is happy to expose his learning processes for our benefit. This is an unusual book, and I recommend it. Ben Mullet
Rating:
Summary: Essential reading if you like boats
Review: Phil Bolger is the only boat architect I know who readily admits mistakes. This makes this book the best book about boats one can read. Only mistakes lead to experience. It is incredible how much you learn and how it changes ones opinion about how a boat should look. Especially those designing themselves will greatly appreciate all the ideas, ranging from novel to strange. This is one of the few books on boat-design which I have actually read from start till end.
Rating: 
Summary: Boats with Mindless Drawings..............
Review: While the book contains meaninful text, the drawings are nearly useless unless you want to go blind. They are virtually illegible due to there font type and size. Unless you want to use to a magnifying glass or produce enlarged photocopies, save your money.
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