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**jockpopeye** · 18-04-12, 12:06

I am just about getting to the end of The Boat (Das Boot) and one of the things I am enjoying a lot is the detail of the various systems of the boat which are often decribed in a fair amount of detail for a book that would regard itself as a novel (I would describe as more of a documentary novel).

I was wondering, is there an idiots guide to marine engineering / how ships work that someone in the know could recommend?

I have had a scoot through the internet (including RumRation) and there are a few kiddies books and quite a few expensive technical manuals but nothing that sits inbetween for curious throbbers like me.

**soleil** · 21-04-12, 09:33

Do you mean Marine Engineering as a general topic or re boats in particular, JP?

**Ratcatcher** · 21-04-12, 12:09

It's a vast subject, are you looking for historic engineering, ships / submarines etc. Finding a book that covers everything I think will be difficult.

**WreckerL** · 21-04-12, 17:08

You may find books relevant to class/type of ship/submarine but anything generalised would be a waste of time, the field is too diverse.

**SONAR-BENDER** · 21-04-12, 21:53

Originally Posted by jockpopeye

......... I was wondering, is there an idiots guide to marine engineering / how ships work that someone in the know could recommend? ....... nothing that sits inbetween for curious throbbers like me.

There are a couple that I can recommend. One is a SWIFTURE Class dit book, hand written by CPO S-B etc etc and is full (more than full!) of all the information you are seeking.

The other is the freely available Part 3 handbook, supplied by your local friendly Wrecker/Ch Stoker/29 Wall watchkeeper.

There are also countless SOP and System books that might help!

**WreckerL** · 22-04-12, 13:55

Originally Posted by SONAR-BENDER

There are a couple that I can recommend. One is a SWIFTURE Class dit book, hand written by CPO S-B etc etc and is full (more than full!) of all the information you are seeking.

The other is the freely available Part 3 handbook, supplied by your local friendly Wrecker/Ch Stoker/29 Wall watchkeeper.

There are also countless SOP and System books that might help!

29 Bulkhead watchkeeper went with the S boats SB, T boats never had them nor Astutes.

**jockpopeye** · 23-04-12, 12:06

To get the correct context, I was similarly curious about the oil industry and picked up
Oil: A Beginners Guide by Vaclav Smil
and
The Prize by Daniel Yergin (highly recommended!)

I was wondering if anyone knew of similar works covering shipping / ships / marine engineering. I appreciate that it is an enormous subject, but I am really just looking to pick up a taste of it, not get into enough detail to retrain for any sort of ME role.

Having done a bit more trawling I am thinking of
History of the Ship by Richard Woodman
as a kicking off point but welcome any other suggestions, and many thanks for the input.