don casey sailboat maintenance manual

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual

Including inspecting the aging sailboat, sailboat hull and deck repair, sailboat refinishing, sailbo.

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The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape. More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to: Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual

By don casey.

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Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual: Book Review

Posted by Durkee Richards | Book Reviews , Dogwatch

This is really six books in one. Five of them represent Don Casey’s considerable expertise in inspecting, maintaining and enhancing the mechanical and electrical systems of a sailboat. The sixth, a 160-page book on troubleshooting marine diesels by Peter Compton, was added for completeness. All in all, it makes a great addition to any sailor’s library.

Appropriately enough, the first “book,” titled “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat,” concludes with a nice recap on how to be your own surveyor and how to choose and work with a professional if you decide to proceed with a purchase. I really like the content and presentation of this book; it would have helped us to be better prepared for the first inspection of our boat, even though she was relatively new.

The next “books” on hull and deck repairs and refinishing are quite complete and very well illustrated. They should help give any owner the confidence to take on more and more boat projects. We all expect some age-related deterioration in our vessels and thus will expect to benefit from the sections on refinishing. We may not expect to need the stuff on major repairs to hull and deck, but it’s all there if and/or when needed.

The “book” on electronics is appropriately called “Sailboat Electrics Simplified.” Don leads off with a good note on safety and then delivers a fine primer on the basics. He continues with more details on batteries, wire and circuits, troubleshooting, charging systems and, finally, AC systems.

Peter Compton’s “book” on Troubleshooting Marine Diesels is as comprehensive as one could ever expect in a 160-page treatment. He begins with a short section on surveying the engine that will again be a great help to a first time boat buyer. The basic sub-systems of the engine are nicely treated and integrate well into the section on routine maintenance. The section on troubleshooting includes some very helpful flow diagrams to guide the reader through a logical work process.

Since the focus is on sailboats, Don finishes off with a nice section on canvaswork and sail repair.

This book will be a great addition to any sailor’s reference library. It will help any first time boat buyer be better prepared for that first detailed inspection. The clarity of writing and excellent illustrations will be appreciated by owners who want to take on more of their boat’s maintenance needs. By giving an owner a good understanding of all the steps involved in a project, this book may also help some owners decide which tasks they would prefer to hand over to a professional.

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual  by Don Casey (International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press, 2005; 896 pages)

About The Author

Durkee Richards

Durkee Richards’ sailing adventures began in high school with the Sea Scouts on the Columbia River. Later, he and his wife, Mary, chartered boats on Lake Superior until they bought their J/32, Sirius, and retired to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. They have since sailed Sirius more than 20,000 nautical miles exploring the coast of British Columbia to Haida Gwaii and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Sailboat Maintenance Manual

Published on May 18, 2014 ; last updated on October 28, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

I’ve always loved Don Casey’s boat books, and his Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual is no exception.

I’ll get into what’s covered in the book in a minute, but the big thing to know is that his books are wonderful for any topics where you find yourself feeling totally lost. He doesn’t assume that you already are familiar with a system. He tells you what to look for, why you should care and what various things are telling you.

He leads you through troubleshooting in a step-by-step fashion and provides basic definitions of terms you may be unfamiliar with. In short, his books are understandable for the newbie, yet give sufficient detail for identifying and fixing problems. Further, his liberal use illustrations really helps me — and they’re usually large enough to see what’s being shown without resorting to a magnifying glass.

Simply put, Don Casey makes you feel like you can understand your boat and its systems and that you can tackle most problems.

We used his Boat Electrics Simplified  extensively on Que Tal and found that it often allowed us to solve a problem or if not, that it provided enough basic information that we could then understand more advanced information in another book. We had three different “electric” books on board, and it was always the one I’d reach for first.

A little over a week ago, I received a review/boatwarming copy of Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual from International Marine. Full disclosure: they are the publishers of The Boat Galley Cookbook, too, and I’m one of their blogger/reviewers.

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual includes 5 of his other books plus one by Peter Compton on diesel engines. There is no new material in this book — important to know if you already own several of the included books. But if you don’t already own several, this book is both a space and money saver, costing about 40% of the combined cost of the six books.

And I prefer hard copies of reference books — I find it easier to flip through and find the info I’m looking for than with an electronic copy. So space is a concern. Combining six books into one saves five covers and about an inch of bookcase space.

Totaling 880 pages, these books cover much of the typical maintenance and repair on a boat (actually, any boat, not just a sailboat). If you have a real fixer-upper, however, his This Old Boat will provide far more information on a total restoration project.

The included books (I’ve linked each to Amazon if you want to buy just one):

• Inspecting the Aging Sailboat  — a do-it-yourself guide to boat surveying. In addition to providing pre-purchase information, this is a great reference when you spot something on your boat and want to know how serious a problem is before talking with a professional. Don’t get talked into a major “repair” to fix something that isn’t really a problem and don’t pass something off as minor that needs to be taken care of immediately.
• Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair — even if you don’t plan to do major repairs yourself, this book is full of invaluable information. There are numerous useful charts on the differences between various materials and where they should be used — I never remember which sealants to use where and always have to look them up, for example. He gives detailed information on most of the more common repairs; while I doubt that we’d do some of these ourselves, again I find it really helpful to know the correct way to do something before talking with the yard. And in some cases, reading how to do something made me realize that should we ever need it, we could do a lot of repairs ourselves (the longer we’ve owned boats, the more we’re willing to try as we realize that sometimes we’ll do a better job than a “professional” simply because we care a lot more).
• Sailboat Refinishing — this is an area ripe for DIY-ers as you can make huge improvements in the appearance of your boat without any risk of structural damage. Painting, varnishing, repairing gelcoat, and applying hull graphics are all covered with step-by-step illustrated instructions. I love his product guides as they often make me aware of properties I need to double-check. Dave and I are planning do the bottom paint for Barefoot Gal ourselves, and we’ve been comparing Don’s recommendations with those of the paint companies. While the paint company info is good for the specifics of working with a particular product, I find that he gives a far more detailed view of the entire process, not just applying the actual bottom paint.
• Sailboat Electrics Simplified  — this was the first Don Casey book I used and it really helped Dave and I to understand the electrical system aboard Que Tal . We knew almost nothing when we started and we came to understand the 12 volt side of things — charging systems, inverters, batteries and so on — better than most. We managed to solve problems that professionals had a hard time diagnosing.
• Troubleshooting Marine Diesels (by Peter Compton) — finally, a diesel book that is simple enough for a non-motorhead like me. There’s first a section on routine maintenance and then 12 troubleshooting charts to allow you to pinpoint where a problem is. The remainder of the book explains all the systems in far more detail with an emphasis on maintaining it.
• Canvaswork and Sail Repair  — this is a beginner’s book, starting with small projects and building skills as you go along. As with the other included books, it’s great for helping you understand the concepts if sewing is totally foreign to you. I’ve sewn since I was a kid, and I found that I could jump right to the more involved projects and that his directions and illustrations again made it easy to understand the process.

Bottom line is that I highly recommend this book for just about everyone but particularly if you are looking for basic “101” type books on your boat’s systems. We carry more than one reference book for each major system on the boat as no one book will cover everything you need or perhaps in as much depth as you need. Sometimes one drawing or photo will show something that another won’t. So I’m not going to call this (or any other) book the only one you need. But as far as being a fantastic basic reference — usually the first one we pull out to learn about something — it’s perfect.

• Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual  on Amazon

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Reader Interactions

Verona says

May 19, 2014 at 10:32 am

Hi. Because of your review I just ordered a copy for the boat and obtained the last copy from Amazon.ca until they get more! I will give it to my captain for father’s day but I have a feeling it might be something I will use more than him! We used to keep the old Time Life series on boating (dates back to the 70s) on the boat, but they took up so much room. I like the idea of having one concise all around maintenance book! Thanks for reviewing it! Your site has given us some great ideas and we received our port visors just the other week! Another useful find from your site.

Ron Dionne says

August 3, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Materials composition and suitability of bonding is the trick. Or you could hand carve a cork.

Danielle Beaty says

August 3, 2015 at 9:45 pm

I’m interested in these compositing toilets. What are the advantages aside from not having to deal with a holding tank I reckon. Lol

August 3, 2015 at 10:09 pm

The Boat Galley says

August 3, 2015 at 10:08 pm

The big one for us is that the size of our holding tank (18 gal.) means that we have to get pumped out every three days. That really limits our cruising if we have to go to a pump out station that often! Second is the smell. The vent from our head makes being in the cockpit when someone flushes downright obnoxious — being in the boat isn’t that much better, either. Third: no thru-hulls. Fourth: no replacing that #$)(* joker value or rebuilding the pump.

Lori Steinbrunner says

August 4, 2015 at 3:55 am

We installed a composting head on our Gemini and converted one of the thru hulls for a saltwater wash down pump at the bow. Very handy.

Sterling Kennedy says

August 4, 2015 at 11:45 pm

What about the smell??

August 5, 2015 at 12:05 am

Virtually none. Much, much less than with the holding tank. I’ve used several on different friends’ boats and it was never even noticeable.

Fred Facker says

February 19, 2016 at 1:26 pm

It even has canvas patterns for sewing stuff.

Ana Paula Ribeiro says

October 4, 2017 at 8:50 pm

This book is the best!

Julia Weeks says

October 5, 2017 at 7:42 am

Love this book!

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Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual Hardcover – Illustrated, 16 Jan. 2006

Purchase options and add-ons.

The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.

More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to:

• Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchase
• Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat
• Improve or repair your sailboat’s electrical system
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel engine
• Put a professional-looking finish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim
• Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops
• Print length 896 pages
• Language English
• Publisher International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
• Publication date 16 Jan. 2006
• Dimensions 19.3 x 4.06 x 23.88 cm
• ISBN-10 0071462848
• ISBN-13 978-0071462846
• See all details

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Product description

From the back cover.

• Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you're about to purchase
• Improve or repair your sailboat's electrical system
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat's diesel engine
• Put a professional-looking finish on your boat's hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim

Don Casey is the author of the universally praised This Old Boat , which has helped tens of thousands of boatowners turn their rundown production boats into first-class yachts. A regular contributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines, he combines more than three decades of sailing, an innate curiosity, a knack for clarity, and an eye for the telling detail to deliver reliable expertise. He and his wife, Olga, cruise the Caribbean aboard their 35-year-old, much-modified Allied Seawind.

About the Author

Excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., don casey's complete illustrated sailboat maintenance manual, mcgraw-hill, chapter one.

Excerpted from Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual by Don Casey Copyright © 2006 by International Marine. Excerpted by permission of McGraw-Hill. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; Illustrated edition (16 Jan. 2006)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 896 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0071462848
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0071462846
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.3 x 4.06 x 23.88 cm
• 698 in Sailing (Books)
• 1,019 in Ship References
• 11,907 in General Sports, Hobbies & Games

About the author

For the last three decades Don Casey has been America’s most consulted authority on care of and outfitting cruising sailboats, an unlikely evolution for a motorcycle and sports car devotee growing up 1,000 miles and more from an ocean. What initiated this trajectory was a 1970 National Geographic article. Don was in his last year at the University of Texas when the October issue landed in his mailbox. In text and stunning photos, it narrated the last leg of Robin Lee Graham’s five-year solo circumnavigation aboard a 24-foot sailboat.

Don rode his BSA immediately to the University library to read the previous two articles National Geographic had published recounting the rest of the voyage. Graham was younger than Don, yet he had already experienced so much of the wider world. Suddenly a skinny black necktie and a metal desk at IBM or EDS seemed less appealing to Don than it had before the postman passed by. He began reading and acquiring books about sailing.

Seven months later, the day after his last final exam, he loaded his car with those books and his clothes and drove to Miami, where he immersed himself in everything nautical. He soon purchased a sailboat and began frequently crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas islands. There an event Don was not even aware of would nudge him toward a writing career. A long-lens capture of Don on board in the far Out Islands published in a regional sailing periodical triggered an exchange of correspondence with the editor that resulted in Don penning an article for that magazine. Soon he was writing for nearly all boating magazines across the country. A book followed, then another, and so on.

Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach has done for innumerable readers what the National Geographic article did for Don—revealed a previously unknown or unimagined possibility. It is a book that has changed many lives.

This Old Boat has long been the undisputed bible for selecting and outfitting a capable sailboat, and for lowering cost and improving safety by teaching the concepts and skills necessary to do most required maintenance, repair, and improvement. The Second Edition is providing the same benefits for a new generation.

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual is actually a library of six books covering virtually all common sailboat maintenance issues. It has been described as “The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert.” Generously illustrated, it shows as well as tells. If reader reviews are to be believed, almost every owner of this hefty volume finds it indispensable.

There are eight other Don Casey books, all but one about sailing or sailboat care. That one requires special mention.

Before internet, cell phone, and DVDs, almost every cruising sailboat carried around a bag of paperback books which were traded whenever you arrived in a new anchorage or a new boat arrived in yours. Over thousands of nights at anchor, Don read scores of mystery novels, with the mediocrity of many making him wonder if he could do better. Between publication of his first marine book and his second, he gave it a shot and quickly found an enthusiastic New York publisher. Unfortunately, turmoil in the publishing industry at that time caused the manuscript to move from imprint to imprint until it disappeared altogether, never making it into print.

Having continued reading mystery novels, and having pretty much said all he has to say about sailing, Don recently returned to the idea of writing a mystery. The happy result is Marjoram & Mace, to be published in early 2024. It has garnered enthusiastic pre-publication praise, and it will be available in a Kindle version at a 1980’s paperback price. Don hopes you will take a chance on it.

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Customers find the book very useful, thorough, and easy to read. They also say the content is basic.

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Customers find the book very useful, with lots of practical tips. They also say it's a handy restoration companion and brilliant.

" This book is brilliant ! Very easy to read, with good illustrations, highly recommend! From absolutely beginner to highly advanced sailor...." Read more

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Customers find the content thorough and well written.

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"This book is brilliant! Very easy to read , with good illustrations, highly recommend! From absolutely beginner to highly advanced sailor...." Read more

"The book is very well written and is easy to read. It is however fairly basic." Read more

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9780071462846

McGraw Hill LLC

06 October 2005

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The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.

More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey's technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to:

• Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you're about to purchase
• Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat
• Improve or repair your sailboat's electrical system
• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat's diesel engine
• Put a professional-looking finish on your boat's hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim
• Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops