Kayaking Books

Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual

Nigel Calder

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 51 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A must have for Cruisers! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

No this is not a book for inland gas boats! This is a book for ocean going vessels. Both power and sail. I have cruised on a 28' Columbia (outboard) and a 41' Islander Freeport (perkins). It was a *must have* with the Cruising Handbook in 4 years of full time cruising. [...] Fairwinds!

A Must Have for Owners of Auxiliary Sailboats 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have a 1987 Catalina 30 sailboat with a diesel engine. I wish I had purchased a copy of this book six years ago when I bought my boat. I might have saved hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars in yard bills by doing more of the work myself with the help of this book. I have the 2nd Edition published in 1995. I think it is well organized, well written, and I find the illustrations to be clear. A friend of mine purchased the 3rd Edition, which has updated information, particularly on electronics. However I am extremely satisfied with the 2nd Edition for my needs.

Editorial Review:

Do yourself a favor: if you own a boat, you should also own the Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual. Written in a simple, accessible style, the Manual is aimed at helping the nonexpert solve problems in marine systems--think of it as a friendly mechanic. Author Nigel Calder explains how the systems work, helps you troubleshoot and identify problems, and presents clear and concise instructions on how to repair them. Best of all, Calder also offers helpful advice on how to prevent future system failure. Absolutely indispensable for boat owners. --M. Stein

Outdoor Navigation With GPS: Hiking, Geocaching, Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Outdoor Photography, Backpacking, Mountain Biking

Stephen W. Hinch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Whether you're hiking, fishing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, or taking a mountain bike ride in the backcountry, a GPS receiver can help you reach your destination and return safely--but only if you know how to use it! Outdoor Navigation with GPS, the most complete, easy-to-use GPS book available, is your guide to getting the most out of a receiver, from basic consumer advice to advanced techniques. Starting with essential definitions such as UTM coordinate systems, position formats, and map datums, and moving on to creating "waypoints," and using your GPS with a computer, long-time GPS instructor Stephen W. Hinch breaks down the jargon and teaches you what you really need to know.

• An emphasis on practical applications over technical theory.
• Examples include illustrative screenshots from the newest receivers--from top companies like Garmin, Magellan, and DeLorme.
• Lists up-to-date Web resources for the rapidly changing technology of GPS and its uses.

Ultrasimple Boat Building

Gavin Atkin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Ultrasimple Boatbuilding Review 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book belongs on the shelf of anyone who is contemplating building their own boat. This book was a special treat for me because there is a picture of a boat I built in it.
The prospect of building a boat can be very overwhelming. It is a process of figuring out your needs and then deciding on an appropriate design. This is followed by determining if you have the tools, money, space, skill, and time to see a project go from a pile of wood to a pleasant afternoon sailing on a local lake with your family. If you are like me you begin this process by reading as much as you possibly can prior to actually creating sawdust.
Gavin Atkin's book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the "how" to build a boat. Although you may supplement this information with additional material from other sources, Atkin gives enough practical information to actually build a boat. Atkin makes building a boat for someone who has never done it seem very doable, even fun. The second part of the book is filled with designs to whet the appetite of anyone who
is in the process of trying to decide what would would be the right boat for them. Mr. Atkin includes complete plans for seventeen of his own designs, all very doable, plus he reviews designs done by other popular designers.
My boat recently succumbed to dry rot and was hauled to the dump. I am now in the process of deciding which is the "right" boat to build and Gavin Atkin's book, "Ultrasimple Boatbuilding", has renewed my interest in building my own boat again.

Editorial Review:

The first complete how-to guide for building the latest generation of quick and easy boats

In Ultrasimple Boatbuilding, renowned designer Gavin Atkin shows you how to create elegant, seaworthy plywood boats with a minimum of time, experience, and expense. Using clearly written and illustrated step-by-step instructions, Atkin explains the basics of stitch-and-glue construction, tools, materials, shop safety, and more, as he helps you choose and build the simple boat of your dreams.

Kayaking Made Easy, 3rd: A Manual for Beginners with Tips for the Experienced (Made Easy Series)

Dennis Stuhaug

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good information 4 out of 5 stars.
9 of 13 people found this review helpful.

Done with humor and well done instructions even for the one who has never touched a kayak.

Kayaking Made Easy 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Good information for a beginner, also helps with understanding terms used in kayaking.

A Good Read 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Disclaimer - This reader has no kayaking experience. Your humble reviewer has taken to the waters on the Nimitz, in canoes on still and running bodies of water, a twenty one foot sloop, pontoon boats, rowboats, down the rapids of the Chatahoochie in a guided raft, and on the garden variety cabin cruisers that litter the waterways like so much floating garbage. (do you detect a bias?)

Your reviewer does read a fair bit, and compared to other books on this and other subjects, found Kayaking Made Easy to to be a very enjoyable read. The conversational style of the author reached me loud and clear. With some experience in boating and outdoor activities the advice seems sound.

The work is geared to touring and casual flatwater kayaking with some great advice for "gunkholing" and generally loitering about the calm waterways. Serious touring and navigation is also discussed. One thing that really impressed me was the brief tutorial on boarding the kayak - notably missing in a different book.

I am contemplating the purchase of an inflatable kayak and found this book more help than the one I bought specifically on inflatable kayaking.

Since I am not a kayaker per se, this book could be entirely bogus. I seriously doubt that, it seems sound and a very enjoyable read. I would buy another book from this author. Even those who don't ever plan to kayak might like this book for non-ficiton. Very happy with my purchase.

A wonderful gift idea for the outdoorsy, water loving type buddy who does not own a boat but might be inspired by this introduction to the world of kayaking.

Editorial Review:

Updated to reflect all the latest gear and techniques, this guide is the perfect step-by-step handbook for beginners, with sage advice on every aspect of flat-water and sea kayaking, from selecting a boat to kayak camping.

The Strip-Built Sea Kayak: Three Rugged, Beautiful Boats You Can Build

Nick Schade

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Why another review? 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

With all the rave reviews already stated, I add my own.

Mr. Schade will break your heart in the very introduction of the book; at this moment you will come to understand the true dedication of this author to his craft (and love for his wife). Then there is a descent into the inner secrets of this craft that he loves. As an accomplished gymnast, he will certainly make this kayak-building appear easy, almost too easy, and yet the details are in place to convince you that, yes, you can do it yourself.

You have to pinch yourself to bring yourself back to the reality that you will spend many hours building this kayak, that it will cost you quite a bit, and that the process is not as easy as it looks. Then stop pinching yourself and start planning; the reality is that you can do it!

There are a few gaps in the details that I had to think my way through, but none of these gaps are intentional. In fact, these opportunities are more exciting than aggravating.

This is not the only good resource available for learning the strip-building technique. I am already modifying Mr. Schade's designs to include elements provided elsewhere, as he would even encourage himself. On the other hand, this book is all you need to make a great kayak, and the information in this book is superior to anything that I have seen elsewhere.

I would recommend this book even to those who never plan on building a kayak if for no other reason than to appreciate this fine art of shipbuilding.

Editorial Review:

Although books on strip building canoes abound, this is among the first to adapt the technique to crafting attractive, functional kayaks. Using high-quality, computer-generated illustrations and photographs to explain key techniques, the book provides complete plans and measurements for three different kayaks: 1) A simple solo craft for beginners, 2) A high-performance solo kayak for intermediate paddlers, and 3) A tandem design for two paddlers. With its easy-to-follow guidance and instructions, The Strip-Built Sea Kayak makes top-notch kayaks accessible to budget-minded paddlers.

Kayaks You Can Build: An Illustrated Guide to Plywood Construction

Ted Moores, Greg Rossel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The definitive handbook for kayak builders.

Kayaks are growing in popularity as a fun, low-impact way to explore the wilderness or paddle on local waters.

Combining easy-to-follow instructions with 472 color photographs, Kayaks You Can Build takes the reader, step-by-step, through the entire construction cycle of building a plywood kayak.

This simple construction process demands neither special skills nor a woodworking shop.

This book includes:

• A short history of the kayak
• How to choose the right kayak for your needs and skill level
• Setting up your work area and how to build a work table and cradle forms
• Details of all the necessary tools, materials and supplies
• Tricks of the trade from ensuring the boat stays twist-free during construction to laying fiberglass cloth the easy way for a great finish
• Minimizing exposure to toxic fumes and dust
• How to avoid and correct mistakes.

This book includes day-to-day building journals for the three most popular kayak kits. A typical stitch and glue kayak kit contains pre-cut plywood planks, epoxy and hardware.

Drawing on more than thirty years of boatbuilding and teaching experience, Kayaks You Can Build enables the first-time builder to assemble a kayak with truly professional results.

(20050307)

The Boatbuilder's Apprentice: The Ins and Outs of Building Lapstrake, Carvel, Stitch-and-Glue, Strip-Planked, and Other Wooden Boa

Greg Rossel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Learn the Ins and Outs of Building Lapstrake, Carvel, Stitch-and-Glue, Strip-Planked, and Other Wooden Boats

Whether you are contemplating your first-ever boatbuilding project or trying to decide what design you'd like to build next, Greg R�ssel can help. Here's just a glimpse of what's inside this complete overview of wooden boatbuilding:

. .

• How rowing, sailing, paddling, and powerboat designs perform, and how they compare in cost, time, and necessary skills for building.
• How wooden boats are built, including the pros and cons of carvel, lapstrake, dory lap, stitch and glue, strip plank, and other methods.
• How to choose the best boat and building method for your next project.
• How to loft a hull, steam bend frames, scarf a joint, cut a rabbet, laminate stems, and spile planks.
• How to take the lines off an old classic whose plans have been lost.
• How to make oars, spars, coamings, knees, gaff jaws, cleats, and more

. .

Greg R�ssel writes with warmth, wit, and an engaging style. The Boatbuilder's Apprentice is a must guide for anyone planning or even dreaming about building a wooden boat.

.

�Greg R�ssel is a Renaissance man. While there are many talented boatbuilders in the world, only a handful are also good teachers. Even fewer can write or illustrate effectively. Yet this author is highly skilled in each of these areas. . . . The Boatbuilder's Apprentice is a successful blend of technique and wisdom, and is, I believe, destined to become a classic.�-Karen Wales, WoodenBoat Review

.

Understanding Boat Design

Ted Brewer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For new boating enthusiasts--even if they've been at it awhile--there are scores of burning questions. If one boat has a round bottom and another's is veed, what difference does it make in the way they perform? What are the advantages of a cutter rig over a sloop? Why does one sailor swear by a full keel, while others won't have anything but a fin keel? Why does one powerboat have more flare in its topsides than another? And what is flare? Why do some hull shapes look "right"? How big an engine and propeller will it take to move that powerboat? What elements make a boat safe, or comfortable?

Understanding Boat Design has been the place to look for quick, uncomplicated answers since 1971. Founder of the Yacht Design Institute, a highly respected designer for more than 30 years, and a frequent contributor to SAIL, Cruising World, and other magazines, Ted Brewer has again revised his classic primer. This new volume has been greatly expanded and contains information on many aspects of design that were not even thought of twenty years ago.

Understanding Boat Design has eased tens of thousands of readers into the complex world of small-craft design. It is the ideal introduction for backyard boatbuilders, students of boat design, or someone looking to buy a first boat.

"This tight little book should be required reading."--Soundings

"A natural for those embarking on a first purchase, or the amateur builder."--Sailing

"One of the cleanest and clearest expositions on the elements of yacht design ever published . . . by a naval architect who knows what he is talking about."--WoodenBoat

The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific

Paul Theroux

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Theroux should've stayed home.... 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Good grief, if I wanted a tale filled with hours of tooth-gnashing hatred and bitter invective I can just go to work. It's certainly not the sort of atmosphere I enjoy when reading a travelogue to try and escape my workaday existence.

I understand that the South Pacific is not the ideal place, but it is depressing to read Theroux' constant struggle to express any sense of joy in his travels or the people he meets along the way.

For an alternative, more light-hearted, still realistic take on the South Pacific with far less spleen, I highly recommend Tony Horowitz' "Blue Latitudes".

Editorial Review:

In one of his most exotic and breathtaking journeys, the intrepid traveler Paul Theroux ventures to the South Pacific, exploring fifty-one islands by collapsible kayak. Beginning in New Zealand's rain forests and ultimately coming to shore thousands of miles away in Hawaii, Theroux paddles alone over isolated atolls, through dirty harbors and shark-filled waters, and along treacherous coastlines. This exhilarating tropical epic is full of disarming observations and high adventure.

A Paddler's Guide to Everglades National Park

JOHNNY MOLLOY

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the ultimate adventure by canoe or sea kayak, this guide to paddling the Everglades offers detailed information about every significant paddling route in Everglades National Park. These routes cover more than 400 miles of ocean, river, bay, and creek waters, plus the Gulf of Mexico. The 53 designated paddling routes -- including the renowned Wilderness Waterway, the spine of the paddlers' pathways -- provide access to Florida's endangered natural paradise, the wide sheet of water that includes pristine beaches, sun-drenched keys, and the world's largest mangrove forest. The routes include day trips, week-long excursions, and many not-so-frequented passages. A Paddler's Guide presents a rating system for each route that includes possible hazards, navigational challenges, potential wind and tidal influences, overall mileage and paddling time, and a running description of both physical and cultural landmarks along the way. It presents descriptions of every back-country campsite in the park, from unusual chickees to old Calusa Indian mounds, to beachfront islands in the Gulf of Mexico. The book includes 22 trail maps, adapted from nautical charts and U.S. Geological Survey topography maps of the park. Johnny Molloy, an experienced outdoorsman, also tells you how to execute a paddling trip -- what supplies and equipment to take, where to get them, and how to obtain permits. Once on the water, you'll get tips on navigation, coping with insects, and other situations paddlers face in the park. It's realistic and instructive information for serious paddlers, casual vacationers, bird watchers, and fishermen. Molloy has years of paddling experience in the Everglades, logging trips oftwo hours and up to two weeks. In the course of writing this book, he paddled over 500 miles in one season.