Metals in Boats

Metals have been used in boats for thousands of years, as components of the vessel's construction, as load-bearing parts of the rigging and steering systems, and for a wide variety of domestic and service duties. Due to misunderstandings of the properties of the metals used, and in some cases to questionable design and manufacture, there have been spectacular and sometimes tragic failures of boats' metalworking. These continue even today. This new book explains in layman's terms how a wide variety of metal alloys may best be selected, formed and manufactured to give optimum performance in the typical conditions of a sailing or powered vessel. Subjects as wide-ranging as anodes, batteries, hulls, skin fittings and rigging components are described in detail, enabling the boat owner to select the preferred material for his vessel.

Vyv Cox is a Chartered Engineer with specialism in metallurgy and mechanical engineering. For more than thirty years he was employed in the diagnosis of engineering failures with an oil and gas multinational. Since retirement his skills have turned to leisure craft equipment, writing about them in Yachting Monthly and other periodicals.