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

Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately does not apply on small boats!!
Review: Im building a 4,20 (15feet)International class sailboat using epoxies and 4mm plywood using Van de stadt plans. And because I wanted to check it I order this book.
Im very disappointed ! The calculations does not work in small boats Are Completely Wrong!
Author mentioning that the calculations can be used from 3 meters boats to 37 meter boats .But when I tried the results was a 6 times thicker boat !
Do not hesitate to contact me if you thing Im wrong

Rating:
Summary: Excellent For Determining Scantlings On Traditional Boats
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Great reference and not a bad read either.
Review: Well orginized and written. The title says the rest.