Online Catalogue last updated 17th of September 2023
Originally published by Percival Marshall, probably in 1914, this is ‘A Complete Manual on the Designing, Building and Running of all kinds of Model Self-propelled Boats, Steam, Petrol, and Electric’ - there is also a small amount on clockwork motors.
What attracted us to reprint this book was the sheer spread of its coverage - amongst the 15 chapters are ‘Types of Models’, ‘Theoretical Consideration’, ‘Resistance and Propulsion’, ‘How to Design a Model Boat’, ‘Construction of Hulls’, ‘Steam Machinery explained’ followed by 4 chapters on methods of propulsion, including flash steam, ‘Deck Fittings’ etc., etc., all from a time when you built very largely from scratch.
There really is a huge amount of information in this book’s 338 pages, some of which may well be of use to full-size steam launch builders, especially the sections on creating hull lines and designing propellers. Around 380 illustrations, split between B&W photos and line drawings. Paperback
Code No. 017470, 338 pages, ISBN 9781909358355, $41.50