One of the best parts of life as a writer is that I can completely justify reading time as “research.” For the past several years I’ve been collecting coffee table books about boats, both to savor and study. Here are five that mirror their subject’s distinctive personalities.
In a Class by Herself
The Yawl Bolero and the Passion for Craftsmanship, by John Rousmaniere; Mystic Seaport, 2006, 165 pp.
A beautiful and quite readable book about a famous yawl and her various owners. Lots of sidebars and points of entry into the text, with a nice balance between technical info and human interest.
Kialoa
Dare to Win in Business, Sailing, and Life, by John B. Kilroy; Seapoint Books, 2012, 448 pp
For almost five decades, various Kialoas dominated big-boat results in the world’s biggest races. Though there are plenty of sailing stories, this is really the owner’s autobiography. Surprisingly short on photos.
Dorade
The History of an Ocean Racing Yacht, by Douglas Atkins; David R. Godine, 2012, 222 pp.
An in-depth history of the most famous ocean racing yacht of all time, built in 1929 and still racing today.
NOTE: Return to Blue Water, a VERY different book about the same boat, came out in 2025.
Windward Passage
A Maxi Yacht in her Sixth Decade, by Randall Peffer; Wooden Boat, 2023, 335 pp.
Like the boat, this book is larger than most; almost too hefty to hold. It digs deep into the history of a well-known racing yacht, including the famous story of a keel poured on a Bahamian beach. Lots of quotes from crewmembers and so many photos, there’s an appendix of extras.
Schooner
Building a wooden boat on Martha’s Vineyard, by Tom Donlop (photos by Alison Shaw); Vineyard Stories, 2010, 158 pp.
Gannon and Benjamin have been building wooden boats on Martha’s Vineyard since 1980, and this glossy book documents their biggest project: the 60-footer Rebecca. Many years later, she dropped anchor right next to us in Maine—and Paul captured her beauty.
Boats are a vehicle for stories, and each of these books has a distinctive personality. Along with everything I learned writing The Heart of Hound, their examples will help me find a balance between words and photos that best honors Running Tide. Reading is research, because we all stand on the shoulders of those who wrote and sailed before us!
Got a favorite boat book I didn’t mention? Share it in the comments below; I read every single one, with gratitude. Thanks for being here, and see you next Thursday.