Sorensen's Guide to Powerboats: How to Evaluate Design, Construction, and Performance - Softcover

Sorensen, Eric

Softcover

ISBN 10: 007137955X ISBN 13: 9780071379557

Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press, 2002

Synopsis

'The clearest, simplest description of how and why boats work anyone has ever written' - Dean Travis Clarke, "Sport Fishing Magazine". This is the all-in-one guide that gives you the know-how of a boat designer and the market savvy of a broker. The first part of "Sorensen's Guide to Powerboats" discusses the theory, engineering, and practice underlying good powerboat design, including hull form, seaworthiness, construction methods and materials, propulsion and steering systems, topside safety, helm station ergonomics, and accommodations.In the second part, Sorensen applies theory to reality, and provides reviews of representative fresh- and saltwater boats, giving you the tools you need to assess design, construction, performance, comfort, and safety. "Sorensen's Guide to Powerboats" will help you become an expert judge of a boat. 'A solid, thorough look at powerboats. Eric Sorensen provides practical, real-world examples to illustrate the theories behind hull design and propulsion. Valuable to anyone in the market for a powerboat, new or used' - Bill Sisson, editor, "Soundings" magazine. 'An excellent resource for the powerboat owner. Sorensen helps you understand how powerboats tick, from the 17-foot runabout to the 75-foot motor yacht' - Christopher Landry, editor, "Powerboat Reports". 'An exhaustive and informative look at powerboat design' - Winn Willard, president, Hunt Yachts Inc.

About this title

Book Description:

Choosing a powerboat is a bewildering process. There are hundreds of models, and among them you will find enormous differences in size, price, hull shape, propulsion systems, construction methods, and accommodations. To end up with the right boat, you have to develop a solid understanding of boat design, and then apply that knowledge to the makes and models actually available. Sorensen’s Guide to Powerboats lets you do just that. It is the only book that explains modern powerboat design and delivers in-depth coverage of the boat market. The first half of the book covers the Theory. Sorensen begins by describing the basic hull shapes and their characteristics. Then he builds progressively through engines, propellers, steering systems, deck arrangements, and accommodation layouts. Sorensen's clear, concise explanations give the layperson invaluable insight into the design choices that went into a given powerboat—and the likely results out on the water. This basic understanding of boat design is crucial to choosing the right powerboat and making the most of it. Sorensen also gives special attention to seaworthiness and the factors that contribute to it. The second half of the book is devoted to Reality. Here the reader gets in-depth coverage of every type of powerboat over 20 feet on the water—from center consoles to walkaround cuddies to trawler yachts. We learn what each type of boat does well or poorly, and what to look for in each. Then Sorensen illustrates this general coverage with lengthy, detailed reviews of nearly 100 popular boats, both new and used. This collection of boat reviews will be a tremendous resource for the prospective buyer: Sorensen's reviews have appeared in magazines such as Boating, Yachting, and WoodenBoat and have earned him a reputation as a rigorous, unbiased evaluator. Sorensen supplements these full-length reviews with dozens of shorter "capsule reviews" of comparable boats to deliver the broadest possible coverage of the market. Finally, appendixes on sea trials and boat inspection techniques teach the reader to dissect any boat like a pro.

About the Author:

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

About this edition

• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 007137955X
• ISBN 13: 9780071379557
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 512