On the surface, choosing the correct propeller for a particular boat seems simple. But one factor affects another, which then affects another factor, leading many boaters to believe that propeller selection depends more on black magic than logic.

All the questions are answered in this complete reference, the first of its kind. This clear, easy-to-use handbook for all small boats is written not for Ph.D.s seeking the latest wrinkle in high-tech propeller design, but as a practical aid for the average mechanic, engineer, boatbuilder, fleet operator, serious yachtsman, or naval architect.

This work is significant. It is the first to include a method of assessing structural strength in the context of the modern marine environment.
--Commander M. C. Cruder, U.S. Coast Guard

Acclaimed author and naval architect Dave Gerr created this unique system of easy-to-use scantling rules and rules-of-thumb for calculating the necessary dimensions, or scantlings, of hulls, decks, and other boat parts, whether built of fiberglass, wood, wood-epoxy composite, steel, or aluminum. In addition to the rules themselves, The Elements of Boat Strength offers their context: an in-depth, plain-English discussion of boatbuilding materials, methods, and practices that will guide you through all aspects of boat construction.

Now you can avoid wading through dense technical engineering manuals or tackling advanced mathematics. The Elements of Boat Strength has all the formulas, tables, illustrations, and charts you need to judge how heavy each piece of your boat should be in order to last and be safe. With this book, an inexpensive scientific calculator, and a pad of paper, youll be able to design and specify all the components necessary to build a sound, long-lasting, rugged vessel.

What reviewers have said about Dave Gerrs books:

Propeller Handbook

By far the best book available on the subject.--Sailing

The best laymans guide weve ever read.--Practical Sailor

Dave Gerr and International Marine made a complicated topic understandable and put it into a handbook that is easy to use.--WoodenBoat

Without doubt the definitive reference for selecting, installing, and understanding boat propellers.--Royal Navy Sailing Association Journal

The Nature of Boats

If you are not nautically obsessed before reading this book, you will most certainly be afterward.--Sailing

Fascinating potpourri of information about todays boats, modern and traditional.--WoodenBoat

The First Ever Guide for Optimizing Boat Systems This guide is invaluable for anyone designing or installing mechanical systems on a new boat, retrofitting an existing boat, or evaluating a boat's operating condition. Writing for designers, builders, owners, buyers, mechanics, surveyors, and insurers of sailboats, powerboats, and commercial vessels, Dave Gerr provides design and installation guidance for each major mechanical system plus pragmatic guidelines and real-world interpretations of American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) and European standards. No marine professional or serious boater should be without Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook. "Dave Gerr has a knack for breaking down the more esoteric concepts of naval architecture into language that's easily understood by the layman, which is one of the reasons why his writing often appears in the pages of SAIL. Another reason is his deep practical knowledge of the intricacies and subtleties of boat construction and systems, and the way they relate to each other. The subhead of Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook says it all--'how to design, install and recognize proper systems in boats.' Light reading this isn't, but if you're about to refit your boat or upgrade outdated systems, perhaps with some serious voyaging in mind, this book is a worthwhile investment. This is a unisex book, for both powerboaters and sailors; there's no mention of sailing rigs, but every other conceivable system is covered more or less exhaustively." --PETER NIELSEN, SAIL, November 2009 Praise for Dave Gerr's previous books: The Elements of Boat Strength: "Certain books, because of their thoroughness, tend to become industry standards; such is the case with The Elements of Boat Strength." --Ocean Navigator Propeller Handbook: "The best layman's guide we've ever read." --Practical Sailor "Gerr made a complicated topic understandable and put it into a handbook that is easy to use." --WoodenBoat The Nature of Boats: "Offers, in a disarmingly charming fashion, a look at all aspects of what makes a boat work. If you are not nautically obsessed prior to reading this book, you most certainly will be afterward." --Sailing

Boat noodling. Boat lovers suffer universally from this benign affliction. In its mildest form, boat noodling is nothing more than wondering why that sloop in the next slip is faster than yours. In a more significant manifestation it could mean serious daydreaming--drifting off for extended periods, sketching design ideas on the back of an envelope. Chances are, if youve picked up this book just to see whats in it, youre beyond help.

Naval architect Dave Gerr offers the perfect antidote, a browsers reference to understanding how boats tick: all youve ever wanted to know about boats--power and sail, racer and cruiser; dinghy and motoryacht.

In the clear, friendly, nontechnical style that has made his column for Offshore magazine so enduring and popular, Gerr explains everything from how thick a hull should be to why one sailboat tips less than another, from choosing an engine to designing a rig for your trawler yacht, from building a dinghy to simple rules of thumb for dozens of design quandaries.

Gerr writes for the boat noodler in all of us--those seriously interested in learning and dreaming about all types of watercraft. There is no better way to become a better sailor, equipped to handle any contingency. And theres no better place to start than right here.