“What would a book be like if it
included the combined wisdom of a veteran shipmaster, a seasoned naval
architect, a chief engineer and a maritime academy professor?
If such a thing is possible, this kind of vast array of maritime
experience is offered in Ship Knowledge:
A Modern Encyclopedia. This
book is perhaps the most comprehensive catalog of ship construction and
equipment available anywhere.
Originally
published in Dutch, Ship Knowledge resembles David Macaulay’s
popular children’s book The Way Things Work in its accessibility.
Yet it includes highly technical (not for children or novices)
descriptions of each subject. The
author uses full-color illustrations and photographs on each page to explain how all manner of ships and marine equipment is constructed
and repaired.”
(From a
review by Twain Braden, quoted by permission of the publishers of Professional
Mariner magazine.
This splendid book
attracted much interest when the English version reached the United States
in 2004. Espanded, revised, and up-dated for the third time, the 4th
edition is now on hand.
Table of Contents
Shipwise
The Shape of a Ship
Ship’s Types
The Building of a Ship
Forces on a Ship
Laws and Regulations
Structural Arrangements
Closing Appliances
Cargo Gear/Lifting Appliances
Anchor and Mooring Gear
Engine Room
Propulsion and Steering Gear
Electrical Installations
Materials and Maintenance
Safety
Stability
