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 Bookcover from, "Worthy of the Sea: K. Aage Nielsen and His Legacy of Yacht Design" by Maynard Bray and Tom Jackson. Worthy of the Sea
K. Aage Nielsen and His Legacy of Yacht Design
Maynard Bray and Tom Jackson
Published with the Peabody Essex Museum
Publication date: November 2006
Hardcover, $59.95
ISBN-13 978-0-88448-281-9
ISBN-10 0-88448-281-2
11 x 9.75, 320 pages,
B&W photography and line drawings.
Nautical/yacht design

BOOKS ABOUT SHIPS, BOATS,
& CANOES:

PATRIARCH OF MAINE SHIPBUILDING: THE LIFE AND SHIPS OF GARDINER G. DEERING—New

THE CAMERA'S COAST: HISTORIC IMAGES OF SHIP AND SHORE IN NEW ENGLAND

CATBOAT ERA, THE

DAY'S WORK, A (VOL.I)

DAY'S WORK, A (VOL.II)

DORYMAN'S DAY, A

DOWNEAST: A MARITIME HISTORY OF MAINE

LETTERS FROM SEA

OLD TOWN CANOE, THE

RANGELEY AND ITS REGION

SEA STRUCK

SHIPYARD IN MAINE, A

SNOW SQUALL

VOYAGE OF ARCHANGELL, THE

VOYAGE OF DETROIT, THE

WOOD AND CANVAS CANOE, THE

WORTHY OF THE SEA
  • "In the end, it is hard to say which aspect of this book gives more pleasure—studying the refined and beautifully drafted examples of K. Aage Nielsen's design work with which it is amply illustrated or enjoying Bray's and Jackson's erudite and thoughtful commentary on the man and his work." —John Summers, International Journal of Maritime History
  • "If you are at all interested in the history of yachts and yacht design you should buy this book. If you just want to look at beautiful boats you should buy this book. I can guarantee boats will not get more beautiful than this.... I'm not a yachting book collector but I'm keeping this one." —Robert Perry, Sailing
  • "Other than Olin Stephens's All This and Sailing, Too, this is the best book I know concerning a yacht designer.... Besides telling who Nielsen was and what his distinctive, able boats are like, this beautifully published book, with hundreds of plans, is a terrific resource in the history of yachting.... Anyone interested in good boats and strong characters should take a look at this magnificent book." —John Rousmaniere, Sea History
  • "...more than worthy of every sailor's library, for here is a handsome, rich, and readable study of the extraordinary genius of Aage Nielsen.... Truly unique among yacht designers, Nielsen's style and work deserve the most attentive study and appreciation." —Jon Wilson, Editor-in-Chief, WoodenBoat magazine
  • "As I think of Aage, the one word that describes him completely is integrity. He knew what he was doing and he took no shortcuts. His drawings, complete and attractive, his care to skip nothing proper to the boat's purpose, his full acceptance of the need to use an able builder and then to follow through at the builder's yard and see the new boat to full completion, the spirit behind all this activity, can be characterized by the single word: 'integrity.' That was Aage Nielsen." —From the Foreword by Olin Stephens
Although the name of Knud Aage Nielsen is arguably not as well known as his colleagues in the pantheon of great yacht designers of the twentieth century—Olin Stephens, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, John G. Alden, and others—it should be. Nielsen devoted his life to boat design and construction, beginning with his youth in his native Denmark. Nielsen's ability to build anything he designed gave him a unique relationship with accomplished builders—most notably Paul Luke in Maine and Aage Walsted in Denmark. These fine craftsmen earned Nielsen's respect and were completely faithful to his finely detailed drawings. His boats, all but a handful of which were custom-built under his direct and exacting supervision, remain highly prized by their owners today for their construction quality, sensible arrangements, comfortable accommodations, and, above all, their seaworthiness.
       Since serving as the founding director of the duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, in the 1960s, Maynard Bray has been a central figure in the revival of wooden boat construction and restoration. He serves as an adviser and consultant on many yacht restoration projects, and he is a longtime contributing editor for WoodenBoat magazine.
       Tom Jackson has had a lifelong interest in boatbuilding and maritime history. He has served as the associate editor of WoodenBoat magazine since 1997.

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