Boat Data Book, The

Price: £19.99

Here is an extremely technical publication – most definitely not ‘bedside reading’! It is, however, an almost essential publication for anyone involved in yachts (sail or motor), be it designing, building, surveying, ‘chandling’, renovating, buying or just owning and cruising them. The data contained in this book covers – mostly in table form – pretty well every aspect of construction, equipment and incidentals. Where necessary, clear illustrations are included.It is not possible here to list even a tiny part of this book’s coverage and content but, to give an idea of its enormous range and depth of coverage, these include:-      

• the physical properties of glassfibre to the storage dimensions of oilskins,
• safety equipment requirements and specifications to the measurements of a Gordon’s Gin bottle,
•   engine/wiring recommendations to the space needed for various toilet bowls. 

 If you need to know about it – it’s almost certainly there – and well indexed! To add to the comfort of many readers, Imperial as well as metric data is given. It should be borne in mind that many of the recommendations given are the opinion of the author, albeit an extremely knowledgeable one. The long list of his other publications on nautical subjects on this book’s flyleaf goes a long way to indicating his great depth of experience and knowledge.This, the 6^th edition, was published in 2009 and so can be taken to contain much up-dated information. The reviewer ardently wishes he had been aware of this book at the time he was rebuilding and re-equipping a cruising yacht!  Mark Grimwade