Calder or Gerr?

[Portage_Bay]

Your thoughts please on the better book to study?

Nigel Calder's Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual?
or
Dave Gerr's Boat Mechanical System's Handbook?

Maybe both?

I'm far from a newbie having been on heavy duty work boats all my life. But I'm finding yacht / recreational boat systems to be enough different I could uses more info.

Thank you in advance!

 

[CPseudonym]

Why be a settler? Own both

 

[BruceK]

Why be a settler? Own both

Sure saves reading both cover to cover to decide which to buy.

 

[caltexflanc]

You will use the Calder book over and over. The Gerr book gives some good background to the issues, and is recommended, but the Calder book is a very valuable DIY guide.

If my budget was for only two books, I'd go with Calder and then Gerr's "The Nature of Boats"

 

[DavidM]

Calder has a unique capability of explaining boat systems simply and succinctly. His bio says that he worked as a boat mechanic, but in recent years he has been mostly a writer.


Dave Gerr writes with a solid grounding in theory and practice. Maybe now, he like Calder has written more than he has done.


I think they are both very good.


David

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Both , but Calders will see more action

 

[stubones99]

I like both, but hate that more books are not available as E-books!

I've offered to convert a few to E-books but that's copyright infringement... I don't like windows with bars.

And, when people do make an e-book version, price it lower than the printed version! I know what printing a book costs (especially a short run book), so e-books save the author lots of money, and there is no inventory taxes for hanging onto printed copies year after year. It's a better way to go!

 

[ktdtx]

hate that more books are not available as E-books!

I've tried to like E-Books but I enjoy the charts, maps, diagrams and photos that many books have in them and they don't seem to translate well to E-Books, at least the ones I've read.

I do like the ability to carry 347 books in one hand rather than many boxes.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Thanks all,

Both books it will be. Choosing one over the other is not a $budget concern. It is a space aboard the boat and time concern.

Stubones99, Calder's book is available in Kindle format.

 

[stubones99]

I've tried to like E-Books but I enjoy the charts, maps, diagrams and photos that many books have in them and they don't seem to translate well to E-Books, at least the ones I've read.

I do like the ability to carry 347 books in one hand rather than many boxes.

I guess it depends on what device you're using for a reader. My kids use their iPhones for a reader, which my eyes can't handle. I've used everything from kindles of all types, to iPads, laptops, desktops, etc.

Some books say they are formatted for larger displays, which means that it isn't scaleable very well, or it requires color displays.

Kindles have gotten better lately with zoom / pan functions for images.

I'll admit that Kindles don't do well with PDF's and all the engine manufacturers only let you have engine manuals either printed or PDF...

 

[TimButterfield]

If you're looking at Calder's Kindle version, be aware there are at least a couple of versions available. One is from June 21, 2005. That is the 3rd edition. There is also a 4th edition from July 3, 2015. It costs more, but you might as well be current.

 

[Northern Spy]

I keep both on my boat.

 

[FF]

The other question is do you have the knowledge and experience base to understand what the requirements are to do the repair , after it is explained to you?

Being given a schematic of the modern way to lay out a battery bank , and installing and wiring all the items in an accepted marine fashion would be one example.

 

[rwidman]

Why be a settler? Own both

I agree. You can never have too much knowledge.

 

[rwidman]

The other question is do you have the knowledge and experience base to understand what the requirements are to do the repair , after it is explained to you?

Being given a schematic of the modern way to lay out a battery bank , and installing and wiring all the items in an accepted marine fashion would be one example.

That's an important point that's often overlooked, especially on web forums.

I remember years ago when two electricians from my shop were sent to a school on electronic stage lighting systems. The school sent them home because they didn't have the basic knowledge in electronics to understand the class.

 

[caltexflanc]

That's an important point that's often overlooked, especially on web forums.

I remember years ago when two electricians from my shop were sent to a school on electronic stage lighting systems. The school sent them home because they didn't have the basic knowledge in electronics to understand the class.

That's why I like the Calder book. It provides "how to do" as well as "what to do" info. Add to that the trove of instructional material on You Tube, and now other sites like Compass Marine. Before we went cruising full time, I had spent years doing zero work on our cars and house, relying on contractors. Back then between Calder and YT, and watching good technicians at work, I became pretty self sufficient.