The story of Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Johnny Trescott. A man as smart, tough, and fearless as they come. But he's about to lose everything-his boat, his freedom, and his identity. Long before Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips fell into the hands of modern-day pirates, Johnny faced the same high-stakes action on the high seas. He's cunning has always outwitted his antagonists, but now the odds have turned and he must pull off the ultimate drug bust. An adversary that has emerged from the deep blue. Johnny has met his match. The Phantom Patrol marked a turning point in L. Ron Hubbard's fiction. In writing this story he recognized the vital importance of research and realism. To that end, Hubbard toured Coast Guard vessels and interviewed officers who were actually involved in chasing down drug smugglers. The resulting authenticity and success of the tale was a sign of things to come. Read The Phantom Patrol and experience the development of a unique voice in storytelling. "Nonstop action and a hero to root for." -Publishers Weekly * An International Book Awards Finalists

The Great Western is the least known of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's three ships, being overshadowed by the later careers of the Great Britain and the Great Eastern. However, the Great Westernwas the first great success, confounding the critics in becoming the fastest ship to steam continuously across the Atlantic, and began the era of luxury transatlantic liners. It was a bold venture by Brunel and his colleagues, who were testing the limits of known technology. This book examines the businessmen, the shipbuilding committee and Brunel and looks at life on board for the crew and the passengers using diaries from the United States and England. The ship's first voyage made headline news in New York and London and involved a race with the small steamship Sirius. The Great Western's maiden voyage was a triumph, and this wooden paddle steamer became the wonder of her age. She linked antebellum New York with the London of Charles Dickens and the youthful Queen Victoria. The ship continued to carry the rich and the famous across the Atlantic for eighteen years.

Crew's Ship Affairs is the third book in the stand-alone Blue-Collar Romance novels series, written by Bob Ojala.  The previous two books, A Tugboater's Life and The Tugboater Family revolved around the drama and romances of the Great Lakes sailors working in the tough and dangerous Marine Construction business..  This third novel continues with many of the same endearing characters, with a new character, Bob Evers, continuing to tell the tugboater crews about his unusual experiences while working aboard numerous passenger cruise ships. Most cruise ship passengers are not privy to what happens beneath the passenger decks, but Bob Evers experienced and understands the relationships that can occur, both good and bad, when 600-1000 men and women live together for four to eight months at a time..  The Crew's Ship Affairs reader will be shocked and fascinated, even at times envious, of how these various cultures learn to treat one another with respect. Romance takes on many different meanings under such circumstances..  Mr. Ojala is a Naval Architect and Marine Surveyor, very familiar with the Great Lakes. He has traveled the world to inspect ships, including over 165 Passenger Ship Cruises as an environmental auditor..  Most of the characters and experiences in the Blue-Collar Romances series come from Mr. Ojala's personal observations, changing the names where needed. His respect for the sailors and their families is obvious in these stories..  Maritime industry readers will love the true-life drama, and readers appreciating good romance will love the character's personal interactions.

Uber den praktischen Stahlschiffbau ist das letzte grossere Werk in Deutschland ("Eisenschiffbau" von Otto Schlick) vor 39 Jahren erschienen. Das letzte englische Werk ("Practical Shipbuilding" von Campbell Holmes) ist vor 25 Jahren entstanden und erlebte seither drei Auflagen. Seit der Schaffung dieser Buchwerke hat die Schiffbautechnik eine Periode um walzender Fortschritte in festigkeitstechnischen Grundlagen, sowie in zahl reichen Einzelheiten der Konstruktion und der praktischen Ausfuhrung durch gemacht. Es ist daher heute vollig gerechtfertigt und wird uberall als Bedurfnis be zeichnet, ein neues Hilfsbuch fur dieses Schaffensgebiet herauszubringen, welches dem heutigen Stand der Schiffbautechnik entspricht. Bei allen Schiffstypen war der theoretisch-konstruktive Fortschritt im wesentlichen dahin gerichtet, durch gunstigere Materialverteilung und gleichmassigere Ma terialausnutzung die notwendige Festigkeit mit verringertem Baugewicht zu erzielen, schwache Stellen in ihren Beanspruchungen zu erkennen und durch Verein fachungen verringerte Bau- und Reparaturkosten zu erzielen. Eine solche Entwicklung im Sinne der Rationalisierung der Konstruktion fuhrte u. a. dahin, dass festigkeitstechnisch fruher nicht in den Langstrager einbezogene, von Bord zu Bord reichende Aufbauten zur oberen Gurtung ausgebildet wurden. Am ausge sprochenstell kam dies bei den Spardeckern und Sturmdeckern zur Geltung, wo das Spardeck bzw. Sturmdeck zum obersten und starksten durchlaufenden Verband wurde. Das Widerstandsmoment des Tragers erhohte sich dadurch betrachtlich, und bei allen Schiffbaunationen wurde nun der Konstruktionstyp "mit Freibord" heraus gebildet, bei welchem man, vom Volldecker ausgehend, innerhalb gewisser Grenzen fur eine Vergrosserung der Seitenhohe eine Verschwachung der Verbande vornehmen konnte."