Thread: Publishing Books

Mik,

Very Cool.

Onya Mik.

I agree with the spiral binding - it has all sorts of drawbacks but makes the book very easy to work with because, as you say, it lies flat and stays open when you put it down.

Modern POD publishing makes the whole thing much more accessible doesn't it.

Richard

If you go to publishing, make sure you put a title and your name on the cover.

More seriously, please make sure you get someone to professionally edit the work. Maybe even ask a graphic designer to layout everything and draw professional pictures. Knowing that the current plans still have photos of the "upside down rudderbox", I think you need to plan for some serious updating and investment of time and money to get a product that will be worth the price for numerous decades.

Since you have a name for great boats from easy to reproduce plans, I would really encourage getting everything into a book. I know I'd probably buy one.

Mark

Going for wiro-bound (the metal spiral binding not the plastic stuff) gives you a lot of flexibility with the interior layout, too - you can add the occasional colour page where needed,or add silly things like gatefold pages where a larger version of a plan might explain things better.

If you are going for a limited run, don't make the run too limited - if it's traditional offset printing rather than print-on-demand, remember that it's often cheaper to throw out 500 books (that have a run-on cost of $2 each) than go back and pay $10k in setup costs to print it again if you need an extra 200 copies.

Unless you are looking at some sort of deal with a distribution network in place for your product, I'd suggest going straight to a printer with the job - a publisher is just added overhead. (you can get an ISBN number from the local agency for under $100, and that's all you'd really need from a publisher if they dont offer promotion and distribution of your book).

Mik, I hope it all comes together well! Exciting stuff.

There is something that a lot of boatbuilders miss when they put together books and maybe you have an observation on the matter: most amatuer builders aren't armchair builders anymore, they are "keyboard builders", if you will. I have an interest, if it has some money making potential, to put together CD-ROMs for builders, more interactive "texts" that can possibly include "choose your own adventure" tabs. For example, when they get to fiberglassing, there are a few routes they can take depending on how much time/$/interest they have...one route might be sheathing the whole bottom, another could be taping, and it could show a couple methods to choose from so that the whole thing can be flexible and more customized for the user. It'd be a lot of work to put together and require programmer type people I would imagine.

If I have students building Storer boats, your books would be a great resource to include reading into the curriculum.

Cheers,
Clint

Originally Posted by Theodor

If you go to publishing, make sure you put a title and your name on the cover.

More seriously, please make sure you get someone to professionally edit the work. Maybe even ask a graphic designer to layout everything and draw professional pictures. Knowing that the current plans still have photos of the "upside down rudderbox", I think you need to plan for some serious updating and investment of time and money to get a product that will be worth the price for numerous decades.

Since you have a name for great boats from easy to reproduce plans, I would really encourage getting everything into a book. I know I'd probably buy one.

Mark

Howdy Mark,

I really don't have any pics of the correctly built rudderbox (just had a fish through all my more recent pics) and the existing plans are explicit that the pics are wrong and tell the builder exactly what the correct method is.

There were a couple of other minor updates I did with this update. Also printing is much less set in concrete than previously. Updates are almost as easy as the self printing.

Thanks and best wishes

Michael

Well the epoxy gluing my handle to the rudderbox is probably set now and Peter has probably already taken all the clamps off. I'll make sure I take a pic for you. I thought I might extensively document our PDR builds with lots of photos, but I just haven't had time to do it. Its taken me nearly two months of one afternoon a fortnight to finish off the rudderbox, glue the centreboard and rudder, thickness the boom and yard, as well as mark up one internet side of the mast. Too much other work.

On the other hand, Peter has moved onto preparing the centrecase as everything else is at the epoxy coating stage.

If you need some specific photos let us know.

Cheers,
Mark

Howdy Theodor .... if you pose the rudderbox to replace a couple of the pics in the plan that would be beyond excellent.

Um ... thinking of what else might be good .... the rudderbox was the main sticky point. Maybe a couple of pics of sailmaking procedure ... just to give a feeling of some of the detail. Maybe a close up of a reinforcing patch about to go down and a close up of stitching using a sewing machine.

The latest plans Version 1.4i have the cockpit bulkhead moved forward 20mm and the other changes that this makes necessary. The foredeck was a bit scant/short so some had to be filled.

The only changes that means for earlier plan versions are ..
1/ move the mast bulkhead forward 20mm.
2/ make the side decks longer by at least 20mm longer at the back end
3/ take 20mm off the back end of the mast partner and mast step.

Best wishes
Michael

I want a copy.

Hi Mik,
Finished fitting up my rudder today so had to show somebody. No copyright on the pics if you want to use them

Mike

Originally Posted by Boatmik

Howdy Theodor .... if you pose the rudderbox to replace a couple of the pics in the plan that would be beyond excellent.

Um ... thinking of what else might be good .... the rudderbox was the main sticky point. Maybe a couple of pics of sailmaking procedure ... just to give a feeling of some of the detail. Maybe a close up of a reinforcing patch about to go down and a close up of stitching using a sewing machine.

Hmm .. I suppose Peter and I could make our sails, even though its getting pretty cold outside these days. Peter is doing the standard 3 sided job and I'll be doing the lug, so if we get around to doing this soon, we'll take lots of pics for you.

I'm off to Venice and surrounding area for 4 days, so it'll probably take us a few weeks to get our acts together. No doubt Peter is reading this and already on top of it! So consider the pics to be in the mail before mid-November. No doubt others will get their pics to you soon as well (e.g. Mike) - read: "nudge nudge wink wink, boys".

Cheers,
Mark

Great idea Mik - it worked wonders for Bolger and Benford. I'm looking forward to it.

- Norm

MIK,

While building the GIS I have often thought how great a book would be to go along with the text and drawings - mainly for the purposes of a little more how-to and pictures for first timers like myself. I like the idea of spiral bond for ease of use while build - also I would suggest fold out 11x 17 drawings if possible.

Good luck!
Jamie

Howdy Jamie,

That, sadly, is something that is quite difficult in this mass produced world. I will be adding a note to suggest that builders can blow them up on a photocopier ... Also the quality of the drawings will be better I expect ... I have worked a bit harder to get the lines smoother and the printing will be better.

I hope it is good when the proof copy for the PDR arrives.

With the PDR ... because it is a cheap plan ... I will go with B&W. But probably the more expensive plans will be in colour. We will see!

Best wishes
Michael