Author: Richard O. N. Riley

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 9789251037645

The increasing cost and scarcity of durable boatbuilding timbers have affected the construction of fishing craft around the world. The developed world has by and large witnessed the transfer from traditional wooden boatbuilding methods to either less conventional wood construction techniques (e.g., plywood or wood laminates) or non-wood materials such as fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), steel, aluminium and ferrocement. These techniques generally favour less labour intensive methods of construction. In the developing world where timber is still the predominant boatbuilding material, the scarcity and high cost of good quality timber have not meant that less wooden boats are being built, but rather that building quality has deteriorated through the use of poor quality timber. At the same time, however, attempts have been made to diversify construction methods with varying degrees of success. This publication is intended to benefit those who are considering ferrocement construction; it is assumed that those who use the book are already conversant in small fishing vessel construction.