New AcquisitionsThe RYA Book of Outboard Motors; Tim Bartlett; Adlard Coles Nautical, 2nd.ed., 2004;; £12.99; CA 16230.
As a near total ignoramus on mechanics – apart from the absolute basics, I am well served by the information contained in this slim, 6¾” x 9½” soft back book. It is not a publication for emergency treatment – if one is faced with a stubbornly unresponsive engine already installed on one’s dinghy. There is a great deal of technical information to peruse. However all topics are clearly illustrated with diagrams; and a great number of photos, sadly disappointing, being all rather dark. No mystery of the combustion engine is left out from “The Basic Process: Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow”, Fuel, Ignition, Cooling, and Control Systems, Lubrication, Electrics, Starters, Transmission, each chapter with a helpful What To Do section. Chapter 11 is important, “Undrowning an Engine” – (seen-that-done-that!) – concluding with an excellent section on Maintenance and Fault Finding. The everything is set up by “…and all because the lady loves ice cream”, the probably apocryphal reason for the first outboard being invented due to melting ice cream! Definitely a book to study before the event, and a worth while addition to the ship’s library – although, on the other hand, perhaps a second copy is needed ashore? - FT
Page created 18 February 2004
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