Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual How to Maintain
| Brand: | |||
| Average Rating |
|
The boatowner’s foremost troubleshooting guide, now better than ever
If it’s on a boat and it has screws, wires, or moving parts, it’s covered in Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual. When you leave the dock with this book aboard, you have at your fingertips the best and most comprehensive advice on:
- Battery technologies
- 12- and 24-volt DC systems
- Corrosion, bonding, and lightning protection
- Generators, inverters, and battery chargers
- Electric motors and electric lights
- Marine electronics, antennas, and RFI
- Diesel engines
- Transmissions, shaft brakes, and propellers
- Refrigeration and air-conditioning
- Tanks, plumbing, and through-hulls
- Pumps and watermakers
- Steering, autopilots, and wind vanes
- Stoves and heaters
- Winches, windlasses, and bow thrusters
- Spars, rigging, and roller reefing
If you had to choose a single book to help you assess and maintain your boat gear, this would be it.—Practical Sailor
A truly remarkable bible. . . . This book is the best of its kind.—WoodenBoat
A major achievement. . . . It would be hard to imagine anything going wrong on a boat that couldn’t be figured out with this book.—Sailing World
The world’s best technical reference and troubleshooting book.—Sailing Inland and Offshore
This manual will be of lasting interest to anyone who wants to know how their boat works, what has gone wrong when it doesn’t, and how it could be fixed.—Classic Boat
Without becoming too complex, the book covers almost every imaginable mechanical or electrical matter in the marine environment.—Work Boat World
Calder lives what he writes, . . . [and] what he offers . . . is practical solutions to problems associated with increasingly complex marine systems. . . . [A] bargain for anyone in the construction and repair side of the boat business.—Professional Boatbuilder more info
Talk about details
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
unbelievably detailed book and hence one where some information may become obsolete fairly quickly, though some is timeless. I was hoping for mostly overview material but I can skip the gorey details if I want.
Good for large boats, not small fishing boats.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I have a 17″ fishing boat with an outboard motor. It’s a good informative books, but not for outboard motors. This book is for big inboard boats like yahts and sailboats with complex electrical wiring ann inboard motors.
A must have for Cruisers!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
No this is not a book for inland gas boats! This is a book for ocean going vessels. Both power and sail. I have cruised on a 28′ Columbia (outboard) and a 41′ Islander Freeport (perkins). It was a *must have* with the Cruising Handbook in 4 years of full time cruising. [...] Fairwinds!
A good place to start
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
A good book for the beginner. The information is outdated especially in electrical, powerplant and emergency systems. The book is definatly pointed towards sail and not power boats and remember to take the information and gauge it against manufacturers information before making choices. It is a good, but only a, reference tool.
Review from a Captain
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is the best of its kind and should come with every boat. I am a licensed master captain with decades of experience running and repairing boats. I also run an offshore fishing and diving charter boat (ORION – Out to Sea Adventures – Port Aransas, TX). Unfortunately, if it can break on a boat I have had to fix it. I also rebuilt several boats from the hull up. There are other good books out there and some may go into more detail on certain topics but if you do not own and read this book first you are doing yourself a disservice. I also am a consultant to many vessel owners and have sent this book to them as a reference. It has saved many of them thousands of dollars. Even if you are not doing the work yourself this book can really help you understand what you are talking about when you hire someone and inspect their work.
Amazing book that demystified so much of my boat
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the second Nigel Calder book I own, and I am even more impressed. I am an ASA-certified instructor qualified to teach through bareboat chartering and coastal navigation. I have sailed on all sorts of boats, have owned a cruising style boat for six years, have heard boat owners and students complain about various problems, have read dozens of books, and through all of this have experienced so many mysteries related to corrosion, electrical problems, equipment problems, and issues with various boat systems. For the first time, I feel I have a single reference manual specific to boat systems that not only provides clear troubleshooting steps but goes beyond troubleshooting to clearly explain the mechanical and physical principles that demystify why things go wrong and how the troubelshooting steps systematically work through problems. The explanations are understandable, the instructions and safety tips are effective, and the diagrams and photos are valuable. It has already helped me deal with a grounding problem that was causing our main cirvruit breaker to trip!
If You Could Only Have One Boating Book, this is the One
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and could only take one CD with you, which one would you take and why? Years ago I used to listen to a program on the BBC that asked famous guests that question, only they said record, not CDs. Well I suppose I’d take Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” if I were in that fix. And if I were to go to sea on a cruising sailboat and could only take one book with me, it would have to be this excellent, well written book by Mr. Calder. It’s big, heavy, expensive and if you need it, you’ll be glad you have it and you’ll think it’s worth it’s weight in gold.
Another Classic from Calder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Green horn or old salt, this book is an absolute must have for those among us who take pride in having boat grime under our fingernails. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual covers well everything that makes the power and sailboat tick. Even if a topic encountered is beyond the reader’s skill or comfort level, the knowledge gained through study of this manual give a foundation for understanding and measuring basic standards of quality and workmanship when, Heaven Forbid, you must pay someone else to make things right with your boat. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s boat is more than a floating cocktail lounge.
Electrical System Design
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m redesigning the electrical system for my boat and portions of this book has given me the knowledge to make informed decisions, with an understanding of the trade offs, about what features and capabilities I would like my new system to have. It has also provided information to allow me to make intelligent decisions about selecting new components to achieve my electrical system goals efficiently (save money by not buying things I don’t need). I would recommend this book for the person with a basic knowledge of electricity who wants to understand either how their current electrical system works or how they might change it to make it better.
Just what my husband wanted!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought this for my husband for his birthday! He really wanted this book, so I was happy when I found it on Amazon.com! It shipped in a few days and arrived in perfect shape! Couldn’t ask for more! I am sure it will come in very handy when we use our boat next summer!
Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very thorough manual although it is becoming somewhat dated due the the rapid advances in electronics.
Excellent reference.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Although emphasis is marine the chapters on electrical is detailed and found by me as very good for my RV and home power projects.
A must have
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Every boat owner who plans on doing work on their boat should have a copy of this book. You will be able to do the work correctly the first time and fix what was done before you. Just an incredible reference.
A Must for Boatowners
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is a bible for anyone who does their own maintenance on their boats. It’s written so that you can easily understand it. Will save you lots of money in repairs.
Only the Bible is more important if you own a boat
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Kudos to the author. Best book, I saved thousands on repairs. Though I no longer own a boat, the electrical stuff covers my RV!
Get it, you won’t be sorry.
The Bible
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Everything you ever wanted to know about your boat but were afraid to ask. Nigel sets out to put tehnical data into laymans terms. A must have book for your ship’s library.
For boat owners
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Excellent reference for boat owners, especially sailboat owners, who like to maintain their boats themselves.
Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair and Improve Your Boat’s Essential Systemss
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Calder provides a detailed, in depth discussion of electrical and mechanical systems found on modern small to medium cruising vessels both sail and power. This is not a book for those who are looking for a cursory overview. It is a text book for those who want to know the details of electrical and mechanical systems and are willing to put in the time to study. The book is exceptionally well written, clear and extensively illustrated. Also helpful, the author discusses the pros and cons of different approaches to configuring electrical and mechanical systems. Very helpful in sorting out the many claims and counter claims made by industry. If you want to be a knowledgeable expert, this is the book for you.
A Must Have for Owners of Auxiliary Sailboats
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have a 1987 Catalina 30 sailboat with a diesel engine. I wish I had purchased a copy of this book six years ago when I bought my boat. I might have saved hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars in yard bills by doing more of the work myself with the help of this book. I have the 2nd Edition published in 1995. I think it is well organized, well written, and I find the illustrations to be clear. A friend of mine purchased the 3rd Edition, which has updated information, particularly on electronics. However I am extremely satisfied with the 2nd Edition for my needs.
Great book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Every piece of mechanical or electrical equipment that can be installed in a boat is masterly explained. Also, lots of very good drawings. The best book you can buy on this subject.