by Conor O'Brien
To those of us who respect and admire the early cruisers such as Irving, Worth, Mulhauser, et. al., the name of Conor O'Brien is especially revered. Here he distills a lifetime of experience into sketches and short description of yacht gear and gadgets that he has found useful. The list from the contents is: Anchor Derrick, Anchor Stock, Blocks and Sheaves, Boat Boom, Boat's Gear, Bonnet, Boom Gooseneck, Boom Guy, Boomless Mainsail, Capels, Chain Splice, Cleats, Davits, Dutchman's Log, Gaff-Topsail, Grip for Rope or Wire, Hanks, Staysail, Hook-Rope, Horse for Fore-Staysail Sheet, Knots, Leeboard, Lug Dipping, Lug Standing, Main-Sheet Fittings, Parrel for Square Yard, Post-Office Splice, Pump, Bilge, Rigging Screws, Rowlocks, Shackles, Sleeve on Mast, Square Sail, Square Sail on Roller, Stoppers, Tracks and Slides, Vanes, Wheel Steering Gear, Windlass and the Yuloh. From the Introduction; "This book is written for the cruising yacht under sail. . . my gadgets are designed to be made by any amateur with the help of the village blacksmith . . .Most of the things here described have been made for and used in my own yachts. Some however are speculative, e.g., the differential davit and windlass . . .My ideas do not go beyond those of the village blacksmith and the old-time rigger; a modern workshop, with its varied resources of methods and materials could carry out my ideas far more cheaply and attractively."
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