John Gardner, a teacher and writer by training, was a rare man, good with both words and tools. As Associate Curator of Small Craft at Mystic Seaport Museum from 1969 to 1995, he became the leading advocate and teacher of building small wooden boats. He sought out the best remaining examples of classic wooden boats. Then he measured them, drew them, researched their histories, and wrote out instructions so clear and complete that any amateur builder with modest talent and ambition could build a beautiful boat. And thousands have.

This commemorative edition combines Building Classic Small Craft, Volume 1 and More Building Classic Small Craft, and also contains a selection of eulogies from Gardner's legions of fans. Here you'll find all the plans, measurements, and directions a reader needs to build any of 47 beautiful small boats for oar, sail, or motor, including dories, peapods, Whitehalls, Rangeley boats, wherries, Sea Bright skiffs, and more.