Nicolson I. Small Steel Craft: Design, Construction and Maintenance

Second Edition. — Camden, ME: International Marine Publishing, 1983. — 208 p. — ISBN: 0877421706.This revised edition of Ian Nicolson's widely respected Small Steel Craft examines the building, rebuilding, and repair of steel boats and describes design features unique to steel construction. Nicolson considers the characteristics of modern steels and alloys and their uses. He explains how to avoid time-consuming and overly complex work methods and shows how to use a minimum number of different sizes of bar and plates.
Separate chapters describe the complete process of building small craft in steel: keels and stems, framing, plating, decks, superstructures, machinery and piping, tanks and wiring, accommodations and fittings. There is a thorough treatment of steel craft maintenance, including painting and the use of protective finishes and an invaluable list of suggestions for reducing annual repair bills.
Whether your interest in steel boats is as owner, prospective owner, designer, builder, or repairer-and whether you are an amateur or a professional — this book can give you plenty of practical information.