To learn something new and become a professional in any field is a long and demanding process. Yet, if you follow the path your heart desires, this process should be as fun and exciting as humanly possible. To accomplish that, one must have the right kind of manuals and learning material. As experienced naval designers, we have decided to show you the must-read yacht design titles. These three exemplary books guided us through our learning process and significantly impacted our careers.
#1 Principles of Yacht Design
by Lars Larsson, Rolf Eliasson
In short, this is one of the most important pieces of literature ever written to cover the basics of boat design.
Our CEO Svetlana Mojić learned about this book during a yacht design summer course in Gothenburg back in 2006 while she was still a student. The course was taught by Lars Larsson, one of the authors and well-respected professionals in this field.
The book is mostly covering the basics of sailing boat design and it examines almost every aspect of this process. A newly designed 40-footer was used as the main example to show readers how yacht design theories work in real life. When explaining most of the technical details, the authors go deep in describing all the facts. Therefore, the book is considered a fun read both to professional designers and amateurs who would like to dip their toes in this kind of water.
The instructions given in the Principles of Yacht Design are everything you need to get hooked on the idea of designing a boat for yourself, which is exactly what happened to Svetlana all those years ago. So, today we are sailing in design waters together.
#2 Boat Design
by Paolo Tumminelli
A great read to start a research on this topic. If you need to know which yacht class is being used for racing and which one for easy sailing routes, this is the book you are looking for. This is also a great guide to the history of motorboats and sailing culture. The book gives information on types, forms, materials, and colors. Filled with beautiful retro images, the book sends us back to the glorious days of the 50‘s and 60‘s era and then makes an exciting time-jump to modern days. Yet, one of the most exciting parts of this book is a chance to meet people who changed the course of boat design history in their way.
All the chapters are translated into five languages so it very easy to understand. Heck, you could even learn a new language while studying boat design with this book. Isn‘t that great? All things considered, if you‘re looking for a book to travel the world with, this should be the choice number one for you.
#3 Understanding Boat Design
by Ted Brewer
Seems like this is a perfect manual for boating enthusiasts. And don‘t let its textbook layout scare you away. It truly is a beautifully written, poignant book.
Besides basic technical information, it also provides answers to any kind of questions about boat design and sailing. And we mean every question about how one boat functions! Whether you want to learn new tricks and tips on how to swear by a full keel or to find out what elements make one boat safe enough to sail long routes, this is a book for you. Included in this edition is a rich boating glossary which provides valuable info.
The author Ted Brewer is a respected designer with decades of experience. As the founder of Yacht Design Institute, his word is indeed trustworthy and we truly recommend this edition.
