Ships, Boating 

The Boat Improvement Manual: After 10 printings and 70,000 hardback copies sold, this nautical classic is finally available in trade paperback. Ferenc Máté, author of such nautical bestsellers as From a Bare Hull, Shipshape and The World's Best Sailboats, shows how you can turn almost any sailboat into a safe, practical and beautiful yacht. The over 200 small, do-it-yourself projects, all charmingly illustrated by Candace Máté, range from cockpit-grates and miniature fireplaces to sun-awnings and skylights. The combined volumes cover both the interior and exterior with chapters dedicated to the galley, chart table, stowage, engine room, cockpit, safety gear, ground tackle, sails and canvas. Mate's writing, always authoritative, unfailingly humorous, is engaging and a joy to read. This is a major work that should be in every ship's library. 426 photos and illustrations - from Amzon