The Wooden Boat Care and Repair Bible

A comprehensive maintenance and repair manual covering everything you need to know to care for and restore your wooden boat properly.

Classic wooden yachts and dinghies evoke the craftsmanship and elegance of a golden age of boatbuilding, and preserving them is a labour of love. But with beauty comes complexity. Wooden boats demand careful attention and present unique challenges, from rot and rust to cracked caulking and worn fittings. This manual by master boat builder Uwe Baykowski, who brings over 50 years of hands-on experience, is a trusted guide for owners who want to take repairs into their own hands.

Packed with clear step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and photographs, the book covers everything from hull caulking and deck plug replacement to repairing wooden frames, renewing teak decks and replacing corroded screws. It also helps you detect hidden damage, assess keel bolts, and gain the confidence to tackle more complicated jobs before deciding when professional help is needed. Whether you're restoring a sea-going yacht, an open keelboat or a small dinghy, this manual offers seasonal care advice, product recommendations and troubleshooting tips. It's the indispensable companion for anyone passionate about preserving the character and seaworthiness of their wooden boat.

About the Author

Uwe Baykowski is a trained master boat builder and globally established expert for modern and classic yachts. From Strande near Kiel, he has decades of sailing experience in areas such as the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the Caribbean and in regatta sports. He supervised the restoration of the pilot schooner No.5 Elbe, which was launched in 1883.

Anna-Marie Frick discovered her passion for sailing while studying literature. Since then, she has divided her time between her work as a teacher and her cooperation with Uwe Baykowski, as well as volunteering for the sailing programme of the International Center at Kiel University.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• 1. Findings and condition determination
  • Disclosure
  • Damage pictures
  • Wooden components
  • Corrosion on wooden yachts
• 2. Components of a classic wooden yacht
  • Problems and repair possibilities
  • Ballast keel
  • Judging and drawing
  • Exterior panelling
  • The different types of covering
  • Cross bands, frames and floor
  • Frames
  • Repair of wooden frames
  • Floor water
  • Repair of wood floor
  • Decks on classic yachts
  • Deck panels
  • Superstructures
  • Windows in cabin superstructures
  • Cabin roof
  • Everything that works: Backbox lid, skylights and sliding hatches
  • Masts and spars
  • Types of wood for pole construction
  • Construction types, damages and their repair possibilities
• 3. Materials
  • Boat building timber
  • The stuff of boats - boat timbers and their procurement
  • Non-European timber
  • European timbers and plywood
  • Coatings
  • Preservation
  • Underwater area
  • Yacht coatings
  • Staining and tinting wood surfaces
  • Golding
  • Resins on classic yachts
• 4. Minor repairs – practical instructions
  • Releasing and setting of wood plug
  • Customising and fitting of spins
  • Detach and replace bolts
• 5. Storage and inspection for beginners
  • Winter storage
  • Detailed inspection
  • Maintenance and care in summer
• Glossary
• Index