Seaworthiness: The Forgotten Factor

by C.A. Marchaj, A.J. March

Newly updated and revised, this critical analysis examines how the search for racing-yacht performance has led to the development of sailing yachts with potentially dangerous seakeeping characteristics. Based upon the highest degree of practical and academic research, it demonstrates how modern yacht design often sacrifices safety for speed and other considerations, and it maintains that dramatic changes in design philosophy are needed to prevent further loss of life at sea. This is a major work that will help change the thinking on popular design trends for both racing and cruising yachts.

371 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Czesław A. Marchaj

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will definitely only appeal to a certain audience, but if you're among those people you'll find it fascinating. Some familiarity with the math behind ship stability make it easier to follow but all the topics are well explained in fairly general terms. The writing is clear and pleasantly entertaining to read. The author briefly explores the development of racing sailboat designs over the past couple centuries and then presents numerous characteristics that affect seaworthiness (the definition of which is discussed as well) along with statistics, calculations and models to show how the different characteristics change the motion of the hull at sea.