BOOK COVER: Marine Reinforced Plastics Construction
Softcover, 8½"x11", 256 pp.
ISBN-10: 1-888671-15-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-888671-15-5
Many Illus. & Photos.
Price: $29.95 $19.95 plus s&h.

Marine Reinforced Plastics Construction takes a complex technical subject and distills the essence into helpful, comprehensive and even entertaining terms.

Author John Wills introduces the reader to the subject of marine reinforced plastics (what most of us refer to collectively as "fiberglass"), offers solutions to blistering and other problems and then challenges the reader with recent discoveries and less conventional processes.

One can opt for a thorough grounding in the subject of plastics, the solution to a pressing repair problem, or explore a new discovery in marine plastics construction.

John Wills freely admits to being a"plastics-ophile" and provides a consummate authority on the subject as well as a good read.

The purpose of this book is to introduce readers to marine plastics construction, to offer solutions to problems, to present writings from some others in the field and present new materials and applications.

The book is divided into three parts:

Section I: Materials of Construction and Manufacturing Methods;

Section II: Reinforced Plastics Repair Options, and

Section III: References, Commentaries, Appendices and Index.

Each section is designed to be read independently; for example, if your principal interest is in repair, you may wish to begin this book with Section II.

Section I presents the background of conventional materials and manufacturing methods as well as descriptions of the present state-of-the-art.

Section II describes types and causes of problems, how damage is rated, and available repair options.

So that readers can better understand the materials and construction methods involved in boat building and the various repair techniques proffered, a basic explanation of these materials and processes is provided.

Detailed references are included in Section III, which also affords the opportunity to share several recent discoveries and investigations in the use of less conventional materials.

Papers and comments referred to in the first two sections are placed in Section III so they may be reviewed at leisure without disrupting the flow in reading the main text.

Those who enjoy the thrill of a new discovery may find Section III inspiration for further investigation.

This is a highly authoritative overview of the materials and techniques used to build the boats we call fiberglass... From the outset, it is clear that Wills is a plastics man... He loves the stuff, affectionately recalling how his ‘first whiff of acrylic monomer... smelled like a good martini’ ... Who should read this book? Any boat builder or yard man who is interested in making better boats and repairing them properly, as well as boat owners with a technical interest in the subject of laminates, especially those with a bad case of the pox. Dan Spurr, Practical Sailor