<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Decent info - but proceed with caution.
Review: The previous reviews touch on the good points of this book, so I won't bother to repeat these. Suffice to say, there's plenty of good info to be had from this book. I would however express one word of caution. It has to do with the author's tendancy to push the reader toward approaches and methods that may not be appropriate for boats with truly historic or aesthetic value. Mr. Trefethen makes no bones about the fact that he wants to get the boat back in the water ASAP and minimize maintenance. To use his own words, "authenticity be damned".
A prime example of this attitude shows up when he advises his readers to paint over large portions of the brightwork to minimize upkeep. Of course everyone's entitled to thier opinion, but I consider this advise to be inapproporate for many situations. Once the wood has been painted, it becomes very difficult to return it to it's original glory. This can be a hard mistake to undo.
Many portions of the book seem to be infused with this sort of "quick fix" mentality. Even though he explains himself early on, I still found myself wondering at times why he even wanted to own a wooden boat. If vast expanses of easy-to-clean white are what he's after, why not just buy a Bayliner?
Rating: 
Summary: Great Read
Review: I found the book both entertaining and very useful.
The author adds humor as well as knowledge which means you read for the enjoyment as well as the practical skills you will obtain.
The author covers every aspect from searching for a boat , restoring , repairing and the all important how to get a good fininsh on your final product.
Would recommend this book to anyone considering doing restoration work on a wooden boat regardless of size.
Just completed my last restoration project using this book and very satisfied with the results.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent preface to doing the work
Review: My mother bought me this book when I bought my first wood boat(30 ft chris craft). It was an excellent resource for getting me started. It gives advice on what to look for in a wood boat and varying degrees of information on everything from sandpaper to cabinet construction. By far it has been the best resource I have had aside from real people.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent preface to doing the work
Review: My mother bought me this book when I bought my first wood boat(30 ft chris craft). It was an excellent resource for getting me started. It gives advice on what to look for in a wood boat and varying degrees of information on everything from sandpaper to cabinet construction. By far it has been the best resource I have had aside from real people.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read and Superb Information
Review: This is a "must-have" book for both the serious as well wanna-be wooden boat owner. The book is loaded with lots of helpful information and tips. And it is fun, easy and enjoyable to read. Jim's no nonsense writing style is clear and consise. The book does not cover topics in intricate detail but that is not its intent. What it does cover is 80% of what someone needs to know and the book is a great resourece for further research. You just get a sense that Jim knows what he's talking about. Buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Wooden Boat Book Yet
Review: This is the first wooden boat book I purchased and it is still my favorite. I've even reread it a couple of times, something I've never done before. Trefethen's sense of humor and realism make this book a delight to read. His knowledge of the subject and his ability to put his ideas into laymens terms make this book very educational to read. You are able to soak up every piece of information without rereading a paragraph several times scratching your head. Buy This Book!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Wooden Boat Book Yet
Review: This is the first wooden boat book I purchased and it is still my favorite. I've even reread it a couple of times, something I've never done before. Trefethen's sense of humor and realism make this book a delight to read. His knowledge of the subject and his ability to put his ideas into laymens terms make this book very educational to read. You are able to soak up every piece of information without rereading a paragraph several times scratching your head. Buy This Book!
Rating:
Summary: If You Want A Wooden Boat, Buy This Book!
Review: When I bought this book, I had some basic wood-working skills (I've built decks and simple things like that), but I knew absolutely nothing about making repairs to wooden boats. This book gave me valuable guidance in selecting a classic old wooden boat to buy, and helped me to transform her into something marvelous over the course of this summer. The book is well-written. It is not highly technical or difficult to understand and it gave me confidence to take on some repairs that I would never have attempted if I hadn't read it. The author is clearly a character, and his personality shows in the amusing asides and comments sprinkled throughout the book. A well-made, classic wooden boat is really a piece of art that just happens to float. There are few straight lines, pieces are bent in multiple directions and stressed in unusual ways. The book won't turn you into a Picasso of this amazing art overnight, but it is tremendously helpful to somebody just getting started. If you are thinking about jumping into wooden boats, consider the following: With a little bit of money and lots of hard work, I now own something which speaks to my soul. How many of your current possessions can you say that about?
Rating:
Summary: If You Want A Wooden Boat, Buy This Book!
Review: When I bought this book, I had some basic wood-working skills (I've built decks and simple things like that), but I knew absolutely nothing about making repairs to wooden boats. This book gave me valuable guidance in selecting a classic old wooden boat to buy, and helped me to transform her into something marvelous over the course of this summer. The book is well-written. It is not highly technical or difficult to understand and it gave me confidence to take on some repairs that I would never have attempted if I hadn't read it. The author is clearly a character, and his personality shows in the amusing asides and comments sprinkled throughout the book. A well-made, classic wooden boat is really a piece of art that just happens to float. There are few straight lines, pieces are bent in multiple directions and stressed in unusual ways. The book won't turn you into a Picasso of this amazing art overnight, but it is tremendously helpful to somebody just getting started. If you are thinking about jumping into wooden boats, consider the following: With a little bit of money and lots of hard work, I now own something which speaks to my soul. How many of your current possessions can you say that about?
<< 1 >>
| 
