Yacht Designing and Planning

by Howard Irving Chapelle

This most favored book on the subject includes discussions of contemporary design and materials as they influence the yacht designer's work. Written primarily for the beginner, the book first gives directions for the use of tools, and suggestions for material and other equipment. Successive chapters cover specific problems relating to the preliminary design, the lines, construction and joiner plan, and sail plans, with full discussion and directions for the handling of the many problems involved. Of very real importance is the chapter describing in detail the complete process of drawing the lines of a yacht as it is done in actual practice. A chapter is devoted to the list of items that should be described in the specifications. The author has written a practical handbook which explains, with the help of many drawings and diagrams, methods as actually carried out in the drafting room. The book approaches the subject entirely from the point of view of American requirements and conditions.

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Mr. Reader Eric Mesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The timeless beauty of sailboats are beautifully illustrated by the great naval architect Howard Chapelle. The author gives a no-nonsense understanding of how boats were designed in his time, and presents technical details in a way that is both comprehensive and simple enough for the layman to get a foothold without needing a lot of mathematical or practical experience.

I think that there are a lot of subjects covered in this book that are outdated or obsolete (such as using battens to loft boat lines, which has been displaced by 3D modeling), and the book will be of limited practical value in designing and building a large yacht. But even though Chapelle provides only a piece of the puzzle, the information provided is a critical part that remains relevant in boat building today. That to say that if you want to build your own boat, you will certainly will need more than just this book to design and build it, but I don't believe any boat designer should leave out this book as a design reference.

Finally, there is a great amount of pleasure that is derived from reading the book as a piece of history- seeing how these magnificent yachts were created in the time before space-age technology gives a beautiful window on the tradition of naval architecture that has been cherished for centuries. Certainly a good read for enthusiasts.