The waterways, marinas, boat shows and magazines are filled with examples of today’s slick sailing boats. The new designs meet out modern day requirements but there is something exciting and refreshing about seeing that classic boat from yesteryear sailing about. It takes us back to the golden years of sailing.
That was the feeling I received when I opened the pages of Legendary Yachts by Gilles Martin-Raget. Turning the pages and reading about each boat’s story brought excitement and a better understanding of what went into a classic yacht’s design, the construction and restoration process. These are not yachts that sit at a museum but rather sailing ships that race and are used by their owners.
There are many things about how the yachts were presented in the book but one of aspects that stood out were photographs of the ship’s detail. For example, there are photos of the brass fittings. The photography through out was exceptional and the history on each boat was done with a good balance between photos and script.
Legendary Yachts also pays tribute to architects like Nicholson, Fife,Herreshoff, Sparkman&Stephens, John Alden and others.
If you appreciate good photography, the sea, and wooden classic sailing ships, Legendary Yachts is an enjoyable and lasting investment.
April 25th, 2009 at 6:56 am
A fantastic read….very literate and informative. Many thanks….where is your RSS button ?