The Shipwreck Decoder : A Handbook for Divers and Maritime Enthusiasts - Ashton East

The Shipwreck Decoder

A Handbook for Divers and Maritime Enthusiasts

By: Ashton East

Paperback | 30 September 2025

At a Glance

Paperback


$43.95

or 4 interest-free payments of $10.99 with

 or 

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

Transform your understanding of the underwater world with The Shipwreck Decoder. This essential illustrated guide helps you understand the silent stories told by submerged vessels. This insightful handbook delves into the features of shipwrecks, placing them in their rich historical context. It teaches you how to interpret your observations. Spanning different eras of maritime technology, it covers details from hull construction and propulsion systems to armaments and navigation instruments. As a result, it will help maritime enthusiasts (including divers) to truly 'read' these underwater time capsules.

For Divers: This book enhances the experience and understanding of shipwreck divers. You'll learn how to orient yourself on a wreck using engine components or understand construction methods. These practical details are directly valuable for divers. It helps you explore more confidently and make sense of every dive.

For Maritime Enthusiasts: The book deeply explores marine engineering, historical timelines of technology, and the evolution of ship design and equipment. It covers ancient vessels to Cold War era ships. Therefore, it provides rich content for anyone passionate about the subject, archaeology, and naval architecture. The knowledge you gain will significantly enhance your appreciation of the topic. This includes, for example, dives, maps, charts, logs, museum displays, and even documentaries.

  • Featuring 400+ Original Illustrations: Making complex engineering visually accessible.
  • A Go-To Practical Guide: A dependable source for the dive boat and apr¨s dive identification chats.
  • Turn Observations into Knowledge: Clear instruction on identifying features and interpreting their history.
Industry Reviews

'A wonderfully useful book, and I cannot recommend it too highly.'- David Gibbins, Maritime Archaeologist, New York Times and London Sunday Times Bestselling Author.

'I would recommend it to any casual recreational wreck-diver, to budding archaeological divers and, I reckon, it could fill many a gap even in experienced wreck-divers' knowledge. You won't spend a better £20 for a dive-related book.'- Divernet.com

'I wish this book had been available 30 years ago when I learnt to dive. I have loved diving on and investigating shipwrecks since those very first open water dives in Portland Harbour, but for years never really knew what it was I was looking at. Now all new divers can. There are few books that are specifically targeted at helping divers get a better understanding of what lies on the seabed in such a clear way so this should become a mainstay in every diver's library.'- Mark Beattie-Edwards, CEO, Nautical Archaeology Society.

'I'm amazed how much information Ashton has managed to cram into several hundred pages - I've certainly learned a lot!'- Dominic Robinson, Deep Wreck Diver.

'This is fantastic book.'- Giles Richardson, COO, Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust.

More in Ships & Boats in General

Endurance : Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - Alfred Lansing
The Wager - David Grann

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
The Elegant Hustler : Adventures From a Life on the Move - Celia Imrie
Lifeboat at the End of the World : A Volunteer's Story - Dominic Gregory
Endurance : Shackleton's Incredible Voyage : Voyages Promotion - Alfred Lansing
Secret Warriors : British Submarines in the Cold War - Dr Paul Brown
Story of the Titanic : DK Panorama - DK

RRP $29.99

$24.75

17%
OFF
The First Fleet - Rob Mundle

RRP $29.99

$24.99

17%
OFF
The Secrets of the Titanic - Paul-Henri Nargeolet

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Marine Diesel Engines : Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair - Nigel Calder
A Guide to the Collision Avoidance Rules, Seventh Edition - J. Lameijer
Wolfpack : Inside Hitler's U-Boat War - Roger Moorhouse
Anchored - Debra Tidball

Hardcover

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Skeletons On The Zahara - Dean King

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
The Ashley Book of Knots - Clifford W. Ashley

RRP $125.00

$86.75

31%
OFF
On a Sea of Glass : The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic - Bill Wormstedt
Maurice and Maralyn : A Whale, a Shipwreck, a Love Story - Sophie Elmhirst
U-Boat vs Royal Navy Capital Ship : 1939-45 - Mark Lardas