I consider this book to be an essential reference work for anyone interested in knowing about ships and boats. It would be useful for the armchair sailor reading Melville novels as well as for people who actually go to sea for sport or work. It's accurate, very comprehensive (350 pages or so), yet concise and well written. The drawings that go along with many of the definitions are very informative. The academic researcher will find it great for learning general seafaring terminology but won't be able to find the arcane terms peculiar to fields such as nautical archaeology or naval architecture. Its convenient size and layout makes it easy to consult without any effort. It doesn't talk about particular ships, individuals, or historical events, topics that are more appropriate for an encyclopedia like the "Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea". I've had mine for about 15 years and I'm always discovering something new. I recommend it for anyone wanting a nautical dictionary.
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