Raft Book

[lelek-i-bolek]

Dear friends,
would you help me, please?
I translate a book from English to Russian. Two professional seilors talk about dilettant and his skill of sailing:
- He knows a lot about birds. Sea birds, I mean.
- What’s that got to do with it? Is this Raft Book stuff?
Would you tell me - what is this "Raft Book"?
I don`t find its meaning ((.
Sorry for my English )).
Polina

[FSMike]

Polina -
It's really hard to understand out of context, but I'll take a very wild guess and wonder if the speaker is referring to a book about surviving in a life raft?
If that's not it I haven't a clue.
Anybody else?

[exMaggieDrum]

Was it the book about Kon-Tiki?

This website is in Norwegian and English:

Kon-Tiki - KON-TIKI MUSEET : THOR HEYERDAHLS FORSKNINGSSTIFTELSE

It is a pretty famous raft story from 1948.

[Alan Mighty]

Polina: Hi!

I searched books.google.com. Your quote is from Nevil Shute's book, Trustee from the Toolroom, no?


"What was it that impressed you, Mr. Fairlie?"


"Well, for one thing, sir, he knows a lot about birds. Sea birds, I mean."

The captain snorted.


"What's that got to do with it? Is this Raft Book stuff?"


"Yes, sir, I think it is. Birds fly from A to B just like aeroplanes."


I think FSMike's response is correct. The captain was referring to a book about surviving in a life raft (a book that explains how to navigate without instruments, such as by following the path of a bird which flies in a straight line from one island to another island).


I recommend translating "Raft Book" literally, so it looks like the short title of a book about a raft (either a life raft or Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-tiki balsa raft).

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

I think FSMike's response is correct. The captain was referring to a book about surviving in a life raft (a book that explains how to navigate without instruments, such as by following the path of a bird which flies in a straight line from one island to another island).


I recommend translating "Raft Book" literally, so it looks like the short title of a book about a raft (either a life raft or Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-tiki balsa raft).

Wow! Looks like a winner to me. Good detective work.

[lelek-i-bolek]

Great thanks to all.
You helped me very much.
Polina.