Wooden Boat Renovation: New Life for Old Boats Using Modern Methods

The author is both very well aquainted with wooden boats and very appreciative of them. He does not advocate, as earlier reviews claimed, to simply "fiberglass over" everything. Good chapters on woodworking tools, woods (surprise, mahogany may not be the best overall marine wood!), paints, laminating and time saving ideas to get back in the water. I used several on my 36' 1965 ChrisCraft Challenger. Deals mainly with cruisers, but has a chapter on runabouts.

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.

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!

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?

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!