Boat Modeling the Easy Way: A Scratch Builder's Guide

I like Phil Bolger's design Snow Leopard from his book 'Boats with an Open Mind'. This design is also presented in this book 'Boat Modelling the Easy Way' by Harold Payson. The modelling method in this book allows you to build an accurate model of the full sized boat, and will also help one to create full sized drawings if desired. There is a lot of reading to be done to fully understand the method, but it is well worth it if you have an interest in boat building and design.

I'm an experienced builder of all sorts of things and thought to try my hand at building a model of a USCG cutter I served on, a tugboat. I had no problem understanding how Payson is doing it. Those expecting a quick, labor-free method of building will be sorely disappointed. It's easy as in it's not rocket science, but not in the sense that it isn't a lot of elbow grease. Payson assumes that you have a bunch of tools, sanders, and a bandsaw, so this is a shop project, not a kitchen table project. If there's a fault to the book, it's being a book and not a series of videos online. However, now that I've read the book, I know what to look for online, so it's been a big help with that too.

All of dynamite's books are great! This one goes into detail of his carved, stacked method of quick building hulls. It has has lots of information that gets your creative juices flowing. Buy this book!

Super book. Uses lift method but drawings can be used anyway you want. They are clear and neat. Lots of nice boats in the book to build, especially if you don't want to build just sailboats.

Great book for boat modelers. Dynamite Payson's writing was always readable and understandable.

I am a complete novice in boat building. I found the text to be too assuming and rather difficult to follow. Looking at the fotos for clarification proved futile, they poorly illustrated the concept being discussed. In my opinion,this is not a basic beginners level book.

These are not super easy projects, but with patience are doable. Harold did a good job of explaining and illustrating plans for both full size and model boats.

Great Book, Good ideas

great book arrived quickly.