Product Description
Over a thirteen month period between 1893-1894 Joshua Slocum became the first person to circumnavigate the globe by himself. This remarkable journey, which inspired many other sailing enthusiasts to do the same, is detailed in this memoir. Filled with numerous illustrations, "Sailing Alone Around the World" is a real-life nautical tale of adventure filled with perilous encounters. A classic story of self-determination, "Sailing Alone Around the World" will thrill and delight readers of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
An invigorating behind-the-scenes look at the world of extreme sailing, The Race is also a taut, engrossing account of the first running of the competition called The Race, which began on December 31, 2000, in Barcelona and ended sixty-two days later in Marseilles. The most intense event of its kind -- a nonstop circumnavigation of the globe in the fastest boats ever built -- The Race attracts some of the world's best sailors and arguably its most eccentric personalities. Tim Zimmermann, an experienced blue-water sailor, relates in knuckle-whitening detail how and why sailors risk millions of dollars and their lives to dash around the world in record time. He garnishes this story with a chronicle of the tumultuous history of extreme sailing from the nineteenth century to today. Zimmermann "puts the reader right on board with the tough, colorful crews as they take a crash course (sometimes literally) in how to handle these astonishing machines" (Derek Lundy, author of Godforsaken Sea). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

You can't miss this if you are a racing sailor
It is the story of a great race told by a sailor. Any person who knows about ocean racing cannot but enjoy this book. My only observation is about the edition, I would love to have some more pictures (better if in color)

A great read for the sailor and non-sailor alike
An entire sailing subculture exists whose entire purpose is to see how far and how fast they can push a sailboat and her crew.This book chronicles the ultimate push, called The Race.The object of this race is to be the fastest boat to sail around the world without stopping.

Zimmerman first tells us the fascinating history of fast sailboats and their owner's constant quest for greater speed and longer distances.At first the quest was for commercial reasons.Eventually it became sport.The boats described in this book are its ultimate manifistation.

This is a wonderful book about tough determined people racing extreme boats in extreme seas. A blast from start to finish.

Masterful story set in helpful context
The Race delivers on the promise of an intensely educational and suspenseful read. I learned much more than I expected to about multihull design, sailing history, and the characters involved in circumnavigation adventures, but I was also viscerally "there" during the more stressful parts of the Race itself. Zimmerman provides exceptional context as well as insight into what makes these men and their sailing machines run. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone curious about the quest for speed across the waves.

High Seas Adventure
Although I am not a hard core sailor, I picked up this book because I love adventure. I was glad I did because I discovered a world of eccentric and entertaining characters who kept me engaged and amused as I clipped along with this well-written, fast-paced narrative. I loved the concise history of round the world racing and the crazy characters who got it started--like Blondie Hasler who believed sailors should "die like gentelmen" instead of calling for rescue and endangering the lives of the rescuers. The Race itself was run by the world's best sailors, but it was the hi-tech boats, the tactics and the challenge of the Southern Ocean that really hooked me. A great read for anyone who loves the oceans and extreme adventure.

A sailing book for sailors and non sailors alike
The Race acccurately describes the complex human dynamics, emotional tension, technological achievments, and capricious play of fortune that combined inthe world's first non-stop around the world sailboat race. Beginning with a fascinating and sympathetic account of the early pioneers of round the world sailboat racing, Zimmermann then details the technological conundrums and challenges confronting the computer-aided designers of the Race's catamarans and explains the rationale for, and consequences of, the decisions they made. His account of the Race itself is a skillful blend of analysis and story telling that touches on all the factors that shaped the outcome of the contest, technology, tactical decision-making, human dynamics, and most of all, mother nature, in the form of wind and current. Throughout the book, the author provides just the right amount of technical detail and analysis without overwhelming the non sailor (or weatherman). More important, Zimmermann captures, in terms I believe accessible to the non sailing professional, a sense of the excitement, danger, and spiritual satisfaction that draws men to challenge the sea at her most fearsome. Very few of us can circumnavigate the world non stop in a catamaran, but The Race provides the closest substitutefor that experience this side of Cape Horn and the roaring forties. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

This reads like a textbook, not practical for club sailors
I bought this book along with Rick White's Catamaran Racing for the 90's.Rick's book is easier to read, to-the-point, and full of pointers that can be applied on the water.The higher performance sailing however is like a textbook delving into theories of wind flows, hull design etc that will not add any value to how you should roll-tack, jibe, trim your sails, start racing, etc.I do not want to disregard the value of knowing the advanced topics in this book however for someone who races hobie fx1 on the weekends (for fun), this book literally contains too much information which also makes reading difficult.

A strange but (in parts) brilliant book
First off, due to a confusion at Amazon, the other reader reviews shown with earlier dates than this one are not for this book but for an earlier book by the same author with the similar name "High Performance Sailing".This book "HighER Performance Sailing" was published June 1 2009.

Frank Bethwaite refers to the older book as HPS-1 and this book as HPS-2.This book is not a revision of HPS-1 but really a completely new book that picks up from, and in many cases revises, the information set out in HPS-1.In certain places Bethwaite gives a brief recap of information from the earlier book and then refers the reader to it for more detail, but you can profitably read this book without ever having seen HPS-1.

HPS-1 was a brilliant book whose audience was reduced by a very eccentric organization and a very awkward writing style.Where a conventional book would try to lead you carefully from topic to topic while making sure that you haven't been left behind, HPS-1 doesn't.It reads more like the personal notebook of a mad scientist whose areas of study are the wind, the evolution of performance yacht design, and racing strategy.There was a huge amount of valuable, practical knowledge in this book that was new and hadn't been written before, but because of its very awkward exposition it was hard to extract.I had to read HPS-1 twice to get the benefit of it --- the first time to get an idea of what points he was trying to make, and a second time to decode the details.But it was well worth the effort.The discussions about how the wind works, in particular, are far more sophisticated and useful than anything else you'll find in the sailing or meteorological literature.

Where most of the information in HPS-1 was relevant to racing in any kind of boat.This new book is much more focused on the new and unique properties of modern skiffs and skiff-like boats that can sail faster than the wind. The writing style of this book seems to be better to me but perhaps only because I've become acclimated from the earlier one.The organization of this book is perhaps even more eccentric than the earlier book and jumps fairly randomly between various topics that the author finds interesting.There is also a huge amount of repetition.A good editor could have made this a much more appealing read.

But there are some gems of practical sailing knowledge in this book that I don't think you'll you won't find anywhere else.There is also a lot of historical information that won't help you sail faster but you will probably find surprising and interesting if you have an interest in the history of sailboat racing.

Overbearing in victory, surly in defeat
Just what is going on in a sailboat race (perhaps a regatta where everyone is sailing their 505 dinghies, and wearing t-shirts with comments on them such as the one in the title of my review)?

This book tells us plenty about what is going on.

The first part is about wind.And at once we're told about the various surface wind patterns, how they arise, and how often they repeat.The light air patterns are called "steady, unsteady, oscillating, and ribboning," while the breeze patterns are "steady, wandering, pulsing, convergent/divergent, channeling, and harsh."There's an enormous amount of specific advice about how to spot what is happening and how to react to each of these cases.We also see a discussion of the "stability index," which incorporates a number of factors that control predictability.

There's also some general race preparation advice.If your boat can match the speed of all the other boats in all conditions and you know what you are doing, that makes you the favorite, and you ought to sail conservatively.You pick three or four other boats that might win, ignore the others, and if those boats (roughly speaking) stay together, you stay in touch with them."If you don't sail away from them, they cannot sail away from you."You beat them one by one by using the wind patterns, but only by enough to gain "the tactical advantage you need to be ahead of or inside of the selected boats at the next mark."Similarly, if you can't figure out a pattern, you can guess that a few others (perhaps with better "local knowledge") may know what they are doing better than you do.In that case, you should sail defensively, staying with the top boats.Those top boats will beat you, as will a few of the "gamblers," but you will beat most of the rest of the gamblers.

The second (and shortest) section is about water.That means a discussion of the types of waves, and the implications for proper boat handling, as well as currents and tidal streams, which affect navigation and tactics.

The third section deals with the specifics of the boat.Non-planing boats win according to wind speed in light and moderate winds, and according to wind direction in stronger winds.Boats which can plane, but not to windward, will win with wind direction upwind and with wind speed downwind.Boats that can plane to windward will win with wind speed, not wind direction.

This section comprehensively discusses sails, rigs, foils, and hulls.

The final section is on handling, to windward, crosswind, and downwind.That includes a discussion of downwind sailing in light airs, where it is of prime importance for the crew of the boat to stay as still as possible.That means moving as smoothly as possible to set up the jib on a whisker pole or set the spinnaker.

This section also includes a chapter on "kinetics," which is the co-ordinated movement of sails, steering, and body weight.When sailing to windward, the only useful variety of this is "surging," which means slowly and smoothly rolling to leeward a little bit to increase forward thrust.In other wind conditions, there are several other techniques, including impulses, energy-recovery, and pumping (overtrimming).

Sailors of all abilities can learn plenty from this book.I recommend it.

This book is a MASTERPIECE written by a GENIUS !!!
I love this book, it is incredibly deep and detailed with excellent illustrations.Teaching sailing is my job and I study this to improve my own racing performance and I will be passing the gems from this book to my more advanced students.

It is very technical, which I think is a good thing, in that it gives you an understanding of a lot of the detailed science inherent in wind, currents, tuning, handling etc.Mind you, there is a lot of information here... so expect to spend a season reading it and digesting it all.Some of it is so complex I still don't quite grasp it... but I will return to it and work through it when I get time.

If one could somehow 'brain dump' all the information in this book into a medium-level sailor's mind... he would be well on track for an olympic campaign.

I love this book and it will always be on my shelf as a guide, reference work and an interesting read in its own right.I give it the highest possible recommendation and I would love to have the depth of knowlege, penetrating insight and breadth of intelligence to have written this masterpiece.

how I got back into dinghy sailing
I was a hot shot dinghy sailor from the 1960's, read most of the books at the time.Reintroduced to this by my sons and the recent purchaser of a 29'er (Julian Bethwaite design) and as a somewhat hapless and occasional50+ year old skipper of the same boat I decided to read up on the skills necessary for this skiff. Sometimes you are born too early.I could have used this information 30 years ago (but so could most of us if it had been known and available).Better late than never.The book covers slow (traditional keel, old style dinghys) boats, medium speed (high performance, laser 2's) boats and fast boats(skiffs).It is well written in a conversational tone.As in most scientific works you may need to reread some of the more analytical parts depending on your prior educational training.There are some interesting experiments that you can perform simply in your sink, bath tub, hot tub or pool to demonstrate the hydro/aero dynamic principles.I've got 30 or 40 sailing books in my library but this encompasses the most information on how to sail fast of the whole lot. ... Read more

Product Description
Authoritative yet accessible, The Physics of Sailing Explained is the perfect work for those sailors who want to enhance their understanding and enjoyment of life at sea. It will enable readers to better grasp how sails, keels, and hulls work together to keep seafarers afloat, and will sharpen their skills with a more subtle and thorough appreciation of why various boat design features are present and why certain tactics work in certain situations. Anderson, a professor of physics at Kent State University and an avid sailor, outlines the science behind seagoing in such a way that anyone can understand and benefit from without having to trudge through a physics text or become a naval architect. With the help of this invaluable book, sailors will be better prepared to handle any situations that might arise on the water. Topics covered include: What limits the speed of a sailboat and what is hull speed ? Can a sailboat ever go faster than its hull speed? What is the best shape for a sailboat? Can anything be done to reduce the friction of a sailboat moving through water? What is the effect of turbulence created by a sailboat on how it moves through water and what can be done to reduce turbulence? Why is a keel necessary on a sailboat? How does a keel work? How has keel design improved over the years? How do sails work? What is the fastest direction of sailing with respect to the wind direction? Is it true that some sailboats can sail faster upwind than downwind? Why are modern sails so tall and narrow for upwind sailing and much fuller for downwind sailing? What produces the tides? Why are there two high tides each day? Do the tides follow the Moon around each day? What produces the winds? What causes the global wind patterns? What is the Coriolis force and how does it affect global wind patterns? What causes the global current patterns? Why does the Gulf Stream exist? And much more... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A very good book on how sailboats work
I have raced sailboats and now teach a course on game math and dynamics.The Physics of Sailing Explained has been an extremely good source of material on the dynamics of sailboats.The sections on the keel as a symmetic wing and airflow for two-sail combinations (sloops) are especially good.

Not a very very deep dive
The book is advertized as the book explaining the physics of sailing. The book has a promising start while deriving the hull speed formula over several pages. But that's unfortunately about it. The book is really shallow on actual science of sailing. The book is only a 150 pages on a large font,you'll read it in a day.

The book makes also oversimplification of the phenomena involved. Eg it describes the sail with the grade school anecdote 'air travels a longer distance leeward to the sail, thus creating lower pressure'. While that might explain part of the physics involved, my sailmaker seems to have way better models...

If just want a quick read on physics involved, this is your book. If you want to deepen your understanding, I'd go somewhere else. I learned a lot more from the old 'High performance sailing' by Frank Bethwaite.

Good but could be better
This is a unique book somewhat bridging the qualitative and quantitative.

Organization is good, starting with the hull, then keel, sails and lastly weather.My fellow sailors snuck it away when they could, and I think we did learn some things.

Good was the hull speed derivation and shallow water wave speed derivation, and the discussions of scaling factors for the other technical parameters. Disappointing was that there were no other derivations and also that some of the figures are not well labeled (for instance, is cord length on Figures 3.8 a horizontal or vertical dimension?).

Hopefully in a year or two there may be another edition, putting in somewhat more physics.

Get this if you want a quick read to start to bridge the gap between the coffee table sailing books and proper yacht engineering tomes.

Pretty good for the money
This is better read at your desk with a pad and paper nearby. There are a few areas where you will need to run a few math problems to really 'get' this book. This is more of a college upper classman read than a warm winter night read.
Once past the math and the tougher parts, you might start to look for more subjects like blocks and running rigging and the physics involved with them. Additionally, I'd like to see more about the why of some of the design trade offs in some of the faster racing boats (Americas Cup, Volvo Ocean, etc.). Also a good discussion of the tradeoffs in hull design for different purposes would be nice.

physics of sailing
The book doesn't go into alot of detail, but for the novice sailor it's more than sufficient for a good starting point. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Moving, A Great Book by a Great Man
I read this book for the first time ten years ago, then stunned to find that Mr. Stephens was still alive.I keep the book in my office among a small collection of inspiring works from great men.The book is deeply moving.Mr. Stephens crafts his sentences with the same brilliance and economy as his yachts.

"I was lucky.I had a goal.As far back as I can remember I wanted to design fast boats."

cover to cover reading
All this, and sailing too tells the life of Olin Stephens. He is one of the most important yacht designers of the 20th century. This book gives good insight in developments in the world of yachting. Furthermore, Stephens writes clearly with a keen sense of humor and in a way that invites to read on. Striking are personal paragraphs, e.g. on the stillborn baby he and his wife have had. It is very interesting to read as well for the information about al kind of habits and traditons in the New England sailing scene and.

Excellent Book
Enjoyed it right from the first line all the way to the end. Mr. Stephens honest review of his professional and personal life is captivating and the beautiful drawings and pictures of S&S's boats coming from several collections unsurpased.

The 20th Century's greatest yacht designer surveys his life
This is a charming and insightful autobiography by the living legend of20th century yacht design.It is beautifully produced with many gloriousphotographs and illustrations. But its outstanding quality is the warmthand modesty of the writer which shines through his personal account of hiscontribution to yacht design and the highlights of Sparkman & Stephens'record over the past 70 years.Chapters on his early years, the breaks hehad as a fledgling designer, the Americas Cup successes, the wartimedevelopment of the DUKW, his philosophy of design and approach to ratingrules for yacht racing will enthrall a wide readership.

Owners of S&Sdesigned yachts - and many others besides - will doubtless be captivated bythis book.No wonder the first printing is already a sell-out.

A great man's great story
The world's most successful yacht designer and a superstar in the sport of sailing, Olin Stephens writes the story of his long life around boats.There's much here to interest sailors -- including stories of the America'sCup and other key races -- as well as a lot that's controversial aboutracing, racing rules, Dennis Conner, and the Cup.Olin sailed in two Cupwinners, designed six of them, and designed and raced winners of othermajor races.

This is also the story of a fascinating, sensitive, andhumble man, as you can see in the opening sentences:"I was lucky; ihad a goal.As far back as I can remember I wanted to design fastboats."

Engagingly written and beautifully published, this is a bookfor any sailor. ... Read more

Product Description
Long considered one of the best books about sailboat racing by competitive racers around the world, Dave Perry's Winning in One Designs covers every aspect of racing. Perry explains in detail how to sail fast, reduce mistakes and make use of the most advanced tactics from start to finish. Perry's expert advice, clear and often humorous explanations, and numerous tips, offer invaluable instruction to sailors at all levels of competition and in all sizes of boats, whether racing one-design or handicap. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Kinda good... I expected more...
Perry's account seems to be a bit boring at times. I expected more graphics, more real situations in a regatta, sometimes it looks like a novel. I've skipped lots of pages since he talks nonsense at times. I wouldn't buy againg if I had to. I've only learned 3/4 new things....

Fantastic Easy to Understand Guide
This book is one of the best guides to sailboat racing you can buy.Perry's easy conversational style makes this an easy to read, easy to understand, yet extraordinarily helpful book, especially for the advanced beginner or intermediate sailor who has some basic racing experience.It covers all aspects - from boat setup, starts, upwind, downwind, etc. - very comprehensive and highly recommended along with "Sailboat Racing with Greg Fisher" as the top two books for anyone desiring to dramatically improve their racing knowledge.Now get out and race!

Excellent book
An excellent review of how to race sailboats.Focused on smaller boats and dingies.

For any level racer
Whether you just started racing in your local club's sunset series, or you compete seriously in a One Design fleet, this is a book you should get your hands on.It answers all those annoying little questions you always seem to forget about on race day, or feel too sheepish to ask for fear of coming off as unexperienced as you might be.Perry answers most of them quite clearly and simply.He offers a lot of advice to bring your skill along.For the beginning racer it's an awful lot to take in and much of it will be confusing, until you start racing more and see the situations arise.For anyone who is looking to make racing a part of (or a bigger part of) their life, this is a book they should have on the shelf and be ready to go back to over and over again.

Great anecdotes from a top sailor
This is a great book and I recommend it to everybody that isinterested in racing sailboats.Dave Perry has competed at the highest levels of the sport, and this collection of anecdotes underscores his experiences.Compared to Stuart Walker's muddled and confusing writing, Dave Perry's examples and experiences are valuable and clear, and I am also encouraged by the fact that all of the situations are in one design sailboats... ... Read more

Product Description

Here's the book that can get you sailing in an afternoon and keep you sailing better through a lifetime on the water

This is the first sailing book that follows a sailor's ideal learning curve. Rather than tell you all about sail trim or anchoring in a single chapter, Robby Robinson tells you what you need to know when you want to know it. From the absolute basics to the most advanced techniques, the International Marine Book of Sailing is highly accessible--and informative--at every level.

• More than 500 pages and 1,000 color photos and illustrations.
• Covers everything from high-performance and Olympic-class sailing dinghies to coastal and offshore cruising sailboats. No matter your age or the kind of sailing you'd most like to do, this book will work for you.
• The easy-flowing instructional text is augmented by sidebar features giving alternative approaches, definitions of terms, and boat-to-boat variations--a uniquely effective how-to combination.
• Includes contributions from Nigel Calder (Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual), Beth Leonard (The Voyager's Handbook), Robert Perry (Yacht Design According to Perry), Bob Sweet (The Weekend Navigator), Charlie Wing (How Boat Things Work), and other top sailing writers.
• Renders sailing and seamanship more transparent and accessible than ever before.
• The ideal book for self-teaching.

Customer Reviews (3)

buy this one
After reviewing several books on sailing from the library, purchasing several books, and most recently purchasing this book.....this is the best we have found.

Simple to help us as new to the sport of sailing, but detailed enough to really help gain better understanding of the technical details for optimum sailing.

This is a must buy if you are new to sailing, have just bought your first sailboat, or perhaps even if you are moving up in sizes....and now learning more on sail size and other details involving bigger boats.

Good buy, you will not be disappointed.

A classic
This is a classic and a "must have" for any family with aspiring young sailors.Well written, clear, and well illustrated.

Go Sailing
For thirty years I sailed as a licensed Captain, teaching students to sail, and I wish I had had Robby Robinson's new book. I looked high and low to find a book that would be useful for the beginners aboard GERONIMO but was never satisfied, so I taught without a text.

The great advantage to Robby's book is that he makes you want to step on board a boat - any boat - and go sailing; and he keeps it simple. "Begin at the beginning. Go sailing. Experience is the best teacher, and it makes the best sailors." When I was a boy my friends and I got into small boats and went sailing anytime anyone would let us. Adults may be more hesitant to take up a new activity, but I have known great sailors who had never seen the ocean until they were full grown.

Robby invites the reader to go sailing, then he tells how to sail in clear, reassuring prose. The illustrations in the book are excellent, but if you only read the text you will understand. Robby tells you how to choose a boat and how to step on board and follow the routine that all sailors use to get underway. The way the book is set up, the beginner can go in stages. He can go sailing, fumble around, go back to the book to clear up his confusion, and then go back out on the water. Every chapter of the book is written to build confidence. Those of us with more experience can use the book as a reference. Sailing instructors can use the book as a lesson plan and have their novice sailors read the book at night.

Once the beginner learns to get underway, enjoy a sail, and return home safely, the sailing can stay reasonably simple or it can get very complicated. Yet as the activity grows in complexity, there is no reason for the novice to get discouraged. As the book proceeds to instruction on safety, navigation, and racing the new sailor is right there and never confused - walk, jog, then run. Robby has the chapters in the right order - learn to sail, learn seamanship and navigation, learn to race, and then go to sea. If you want to maximize the pleasure of sailing, you have to race and hone your skills in competition, and the chapter on racing is excellent. The final chapters are about cruising offshore. Racing offshore is left for more advanced books. Maybe Robby will write one.
... Read more

Product Description
The thrill of the sail. Strong winds pushing the vessel along the sea. The power of nature and the power of man-made innovation come together in the passionate sport of sailing. This wall calendar features stunning color photography of sailing and sailboa ... Read more

Product Description
The first of US SAILING's popular Keelboat Series, Basic Keelboat covers the skills and terminology required to responsibly skipper a small daysailing keelboat. Basic Keelboat breaks down maneuvers like tacking, jibing, docking and overboard recovery in a simple, understandable manner. Used by sailing schools around the country, Basic Keelboat is the definitive learn-to-sail text, published by the national authority for sailing in the U.S. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great Book for Beginner Sailing
I love how easy to read Basic Keelboat is.I am glad I made this purchase for this sailing book.It's an amazing reference to have at hand for future needs.

Basic Sailing
For those of us that learn best by the "show me how" methood Basic Keelboat Sailing is the book to buy.Each page is formated with clear illistration, accompanied by fully understandable text. This book is a must have for beginning sailers and learn by the seat of their pants sailers wanting to fine tune what they have learned.

Pefect Primer for the Beginning Sailor
I purchased this book with the intention of using it as a study guide for SailNY course in Basic Keelboat.The book told me all of the basic information I needed to be ready to intelligently discuss and put into practice basic knowledge about the parts of a boat, the parts of a sail, points of sail, rigging, water safety and rules of the "road."

I recommend this book for any beginning sailor.I was learning on old olympic racing boats with a jib and a mainsail, which were very responsive, so if I could learn what I needed, this book should be appropriate for smaller, slower craft without a doubt.

Nice primer
This is a compact book with lots of diagrams.Makes for a nice complement to a beginner's keelboat sailing course. More detailed information can be found in the Colgates' "Fast Track to Cruising."

Great Illustrations, but feels incomplete
The illustrations in this book really are outstanding; especially compared to the ASA Sailing Fundamentals book.However, the Sailing Fundamentals book is more complete when it comes to regulations and safety.I recommend using both books. ... Read more

Product Description
If you've ever dreamed of casting off in search of adventure wherever your heart may lead, this book will help turn those dreams into reality. A trailerable sailboat is the ideal way to explore every part of the country - wherever there are lakes, rivers, reservoirs or ocean coastline. To make the most of this exciting lifestyle, owners (or prospective owners) of trailerable sailboats need three things: an understanding of the boat and how to use it, knowledge about the tow vehicle and trailer used to transport the boat, and a spirited sense of adventure to live the dream. This book delivers all three, in a down-to-earth style old salts will appreciate, yet easy enough for budding sailors to grasp. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good first mate
As a young old salt, I've ridden the waves enough times to know a good guide when I see one. This book taught me a few things, even though I thought I knew everything. I also like the stories in the second half of the book. The tech parts are very enlightening and the adventures he and his family have bring back lots of memories. The breezy writing style made the tech parts easy to take, and the stories were both lessons learned and funny. The book is every bit as good as his wilderness guide, and I'll keep them both by my side.

Very Cool
Well, well, another Rich Johnson Guide. This one has the same breezy writing style as the wilderness survival book, but with more folsky anedotes and a sense of real adventure. Johnson covers both the technical and the fun (and funny) side of sailboating. Very informative, very honest about the joys and trials of owning and trailering a sailboat. Lots of pictures to wink at, too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The History of American Sailing Ships
Not a "to do" modeling or building book but an excellent history ofearly American sailing ships (mostly late 1700's and early 1800's.

The History of American Sailing Ships
This is an important work in the research I am doing to find the details of my great-grandfather's coastal trading sailing vessel.

Good book for the sailing history buffs
This is an older book that is quite informative in the aspect of American sailing vessels.It is quite fascinating, and I gladly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Words of wisdom, humor, practical advice, and ripping yarns.

Twenty-five selections from some of the world's most famous authors and sailors.

Read about:

• Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail around the world alone
• Richard Henry Dana's extraordinary account of beginning a sailor's life
• Ted Turner's racing strategy
• Clare Francis on her transatlantic solo race
• Robert Louis Stevenson's emigrant passage of North America
• Jack London sailing in Polynesia

Plus portraits of:

• Dennis Conner
• Thomas Lipton
• Jacques Cousteau
• Ernest Shackleton
• The great schooner Bluenose
• and more

Customer Reviews (7)

Before the Wind:True Stories About Sailing
Book arrived as described; excellent condition; very impressed with quality of book provided; on time delivery; will definitely order again.

Great Selection
Throughly enjoyed the selection of sailing stories. In fact one story(of a novice sailor taking his family for a sailing holiday) was so good I read to my wife and then had my daughter read to the family over dinner one night and we all laughed and reflected how real(and sometimes close to home) the experience was.
Amazing range of stories and hardly a dude amoungst them. Many very poignant, like the family on an ocean crossing experience who sailed into an island harbour against better practice and judgement and it cost them there yacht. The range from Americas cup to day sailors and solo
yachtwoman is wide , but it works. An easy read. Thank you. New Zealand day sailor

An "ok" read
I'm still trying to muddle through this book of stories. I find some to be quite mudane & not the least bit exciting. I was expecting more.

A Nice Collection of Sailing Stories
The author David Gowdey presents a 282 page collection of 25 sailing stories, weather guides, interviews, and poems - all of interest to sailors or people wishing to read about sailing. The stories are not really related to one another and as such this is not a compendium of stories that teach you how to sail or to be a better sailor. Rather it is a loose collection of interesting short stories and interviews about the sea and sailing divided into three sections, which covers general sailing, ocean trips, and some stories about racing. It covers small boats to large ocean racers, preparing for trips, crew psychology, cooking, weather, the appeal of the sea, poems, etc. He acts as an "editor" and writes a short four page introduction and injects a one page map of the world showing some of the routes outlined in the sailing stories. There are neither an index or a bibliography for further readings. As such the book merits just 2-3 stars for effort in my opinion, but in fact is closer to 5 stars in terms of reading enjoyment. All the stories can be found elsewhere but the author puts them into one book - and for that reason the book is popular and a good read.

For the most part it is an interesting read and vary varied. Each story is different and the writing is in general excellent. He has the story of "Lipton's Last Challenge" of the America's Cup by his boat Shamrock in 1930, the story of the Bluenose, interviews with Ted Turner and Dennis Connor, comments by a competitor of Dennis Connor - that is actually much more telling and positive about Connor than his interviews, preparing for an ocean crossing, Clare Francis crossing the north Atlantic alone, a story called "Cousteau: The Poet" - which gives many insights about the man, a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, and one story about the loss of a boat, plus many more.

An excellent short book that I would recommend to sailors or simply people wanting to read about sailing. I wish it had a bibliography, an index, and I found it too short. Having said that, the book does inspire the reader to find more similar stories.

Sail Away
This is a good book. Lots of differing points of view. Good yarns. Perfect for picking up while on a watch and putting down when you get tired. ... Read more

Product Description
Tour the Galapagos Islands in a red-sailed boat and encounter many exotic land and sea animals, like giant tortoises, albatrosses, iguanas, lava crabs and booby birds! This rhyming story, which also teaches the days of the week, also includes fascinating facts on Charles Darwin, the Islands and the animals that live there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful Graphics, Nice Writing, and Educational to Boot!
A lovely book that introduces exotic animals, talks about days of the week, has a catchy refrain (that we sing), and exudes pure happiness through its words and images. My 2.5 year old daughter loves it! ... Read more

Product Description
A Scientific Analysis, with 335 Drawings and Photographs of the Aerodynamic, Hydrodynamic, and Other Design Factors which Define a Yacht's Behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Must have sailing reference
One of the most important books on saliling, sailboat racing, and boat construction published in the 20th century. Loaded with detailed (yet easy to follow) charts, graphs and illustrated diagrams. This is a book that really should be part of any comprehensive personal reference library of any serious sailing enthusiast.

fantastic yourney through sailing theory and practice
I red first Polish edition of this book a long time ago. I still have it and from time to time read some parts again and again. It was the first such a book in Poland with a lot of theoretical information about sailing written not only for aero and hydrodynamic engineer. I'm waiting for a new Polish 2000 edition, now. ... Read more

Product Description
"Doris Colgate knows what women want. Well-known as a sailing role model and a confident yet gentle teacher, she writes with clarity on even the most complex sailing concepts, as well as answering often-asked questions on the safety, comfort, and social sides of sailing. Sailing: A Woman's Guide pulls it all together for the beginning sailor. Finally, an excellent book for women that both teaches and motivates. Bravo, Doris. You've opened up the sport."--Bernadette Peters, editorial director, Cruising World

"It took a person with her fingers on the pulse of women aspiring to sail to write this book, and that person is clearly Doris Colgate. Sailing: A Woman's Guide is as much a source book as empowerment to women the world over desiring to become sailors."--Micca Leffingwell Hutchins, editor of SailNet

"An excellent introduction to the sport of sailing. It will undoubtedly encourage many women to try this challenging, noncontact activity while enjoying the great outdoors."--Betsy Alison, Four-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year

"This new series is designed to teach outdoor skills to women in the way they learn. . . . Women of all ages describe how they overcame obstacles, what they enjoyed most, or just how they felt about undertaking a new activity . . . extremely well done and appealing."--Library Journal (starred review) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great guide
For anyone who has always wanted to learn to sail, start here.Read this book to get the basics down, then go out and do it.

Instructions for Sailing
I took some sailing lessons in college, but this seems to take up where I left off.Good information in an easy-to-comprehend presentation of text and pictures.

Fun and facts of sailing made real, through women's voices.
What if you'd been introduced to sailing by a group of wise woman friends, all exceptionally skilled sailors and consummate psychologists, who anticipated your learning pace and nudged you on to triumph with gentlegood humor. Impossible? What if someone combined the on-water wisdom ofhundreds of women into the only sailing instruction book to address how youlearn and incorporate information? That's exactly what this book does.Doris Colgate, president of the National Women's Sailing Association,called her book "a gallery of profiles," stories of women who'vemade sailing an important part of their lives. Her gallery, a gathering ofvoices, is what makes the book unique. At every level of sailing, crucialinformation is made real by women's voices or amplified in a sidebar,explaining how someone mastered the skill. The reader is never left staringat a mysterious paragraph, wondering what the author meant. It helps, too,that there's a thorough index, and you can look up sailing terms in theircontext instead of in a brief glossary.The book handles how-to-sailinformation professionally: basic material is clearly organized and wellillustrated. But the basics haven't changed and they aren't genderspecific. It's the presentation differences that strike you, such ashearing someone admit she had doubts about heeling boats, then explain howshe learned to control the boat and her fears. That's what we need--therationale for a new and, at first, daunting activity.The author, who'soperated a sailing school for over 20 years, calls on her substantial troveof anecdotes from the beginners, women who've learned good lessons in hersailing courses, and the experienced women who've presented their wisdom atNWSA boat show seminars Colgate organizes. To add intrigue, Colgate addstips and attitude from some of sailing's celebrities--women racers,long-distance cruisers, authors and editors whose words appear throughoutthe book. I've often given friends who want to learn sailing oneparticular how-to book, hoping they'll get into the sport. Now, I'll givethe women, and some of the men, Doris' new book instead. ... Read more

Product Description
Sailing Grace is the author's account of drowning in heart disease, fighting back to the surface, and sailing on.It begins with him flat on his back in a local health club and ends 31 months and 4000 miles later when he and his family maneuver their sailboat Grace to Schull Harbor, Ireland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Gotta love it
I so enjoyed this book that i bought used books for 5 close friends and had them shipped. Not only was I on the voyage from my armchair, on another level it touches our life's jouney.....concerns we have for our dreams, our families and our own livelihood as we faced our own mortality.

Not my cup of tea!
This book was an OK read but not my cup of tea and I like reading.

Not much about sailing.
This is a book about a heart patient that happens to be a sailor.His wife has a lot of guts though.She impressed me more than the author.She made their life style work.My impression is that he is cruising through life letting everyone around him take care of him.Friends remodel the boat, wife earns the money and backs up his sailing shortcomings- what a life!

Miserably slow story predominantly about DEATH
Let's put it this way...
The first chapter is titled DEATH and is 91 pages long.

If you enjoy reading about a stupid man who tempts death by continuing to disobey doctors orders which places him back in the hospital again and again for heart surgery, then this is the book for you.

If you're looking for a book about sailing, consider books by Eric Hiscock, Joshua Slocum, Harry Pidgeon, Lin and Larry Pardey or others.

Bias opinion
You might say I am in the same boat with this author, having advanced heart desease myself. I could identify totally with the author. He had a nice way of keeping my attention. He did a great job for his first book. I wish him and his family well. ... Read more

Product Description
The quintessential dream of sailing into a secluded bay off a beautiful deserted white sand beach with swaying palms is one that until recent years was a reality only for a very privileged few. Today, practically anyone can turn that dream into a reality. Navigation has never been easier with the arrival of GPS, satnavs, chart plotters, and a host of other electronic wonders. All around the world, charter bases have sprung up offering bareboat, flotilla, or skippered and crewed charters. You can now charter a boat from Thailand to the Tuamotus, the Arctic to Alaska.

The choice is vast, so a little local knowledge is welcome. Essential Sailing Destinations brings together a flotilla of talented sailors who have lived the dream and between them sailed in practically every corner of the globe. They reveal their favorite sailing destinations and provide expert advice for less experienced sailors. Essential Sailing Destinations explores a wide and varied range of sailing areas, including the multicultural Mediterranean; the havens, rivers, and bays of America's East Coast; and the balmy seas of Australasia and the Indian Ocean, peppered with some of the world's most stunning archipelagos. Whether you dream of relaxing under the star-strewn night skies of Mexico s majestic Gold Coast or partying in the star-studded nightclubs of the fabulous French Riviera, Essential Sailing Destinations will inspire you to go sailing and live the dream for yourself.

Each entry includes a locator map and useful at-a-glance information, including best cruising months, local languages and currency. Destinations are rated as to navigational difficulty, family friendliness, facilities for diving, shoreside eating, and sightseeing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fantastic survey for both leisure general lending library readers and serious nautical libraries
ESSENTIAL SAILING DESTINATIONS: THE WORLD'S MOST SPECTACULAR CRUISING AREAS offers a richly illustrated survey of great sailing destinations, packing color photos with text entries from world-renowned boating writers who speak of their experiences sailing to the destination. From the Mediterranean to the bays of the East Coast, each entry includes a lively 'I did this' story plus a locator map and cruising information. Maps and color-coded details make this a fantastic survey for both leisure general lending library readers and serious nautical libraries alike. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (20)

An Easy Read
I'm quite a fan of Ms. Adler for times when I need an easy read - on a plane or travelling overseas (with my Kindle).However I have a question about Sailing to Capri.The heroine Bea French, has lost her memory.No-one knows who she is (the name Bea was assigned to her)and she has no identification of any kind.She still manages to fly off to France - how did she get a passport with no birth certificate or other identification?Then she is driving in France - how did he get a driver's licence?Her US one was missing and it takes ages to get a French one.She couldn't get an international permit either without ID.Just small points, but I was wondering!!

All in all though I enjoyed this novel.Nothing too strenuous, just an enjoyable read.

Charming Tail
Very interesting writer. One major thing I liked about her
writing is that she titles each chapter about a different
character in her book. Sometimes in books it is hard to
figure out who is talking and this way you know exactly
everything about each person.

Not much about Capri
I ordered this book because: 1) it had generally good reviews and 2) it was supposed to be about Capri. Actually, reverse the order. We're going to Capri in three months--thought it would be interesting reading a book wherein Capri is the destination.
Enjoyed the book, more readable than I expected, but with three caveats:

1. The final "letter" is strange. It's written past tense to events in which the author could not possibly have knowledge ofwhat happened. I won't elaborate further, but again, the last letter, in my opinion, is flat out strange.
2. The characters are extreme caricatures.
3. It has extremely little about Capri, or Sorrento. Here's what it has about Capri: they get off the yacht, talk about hand made Capri sandals and the botanicals and the cliffs. That's it. the entire book is about a mystery and cruising there. Only the last chapter is on Capri. The sole day at Sorrento talks about lemons and oranges and going to a villa for a great meal and view, and that you can see Vesuvius to the North and Capri to the West. That's about it. For a novel that supposed to be part travelogue, this book doesn't cut it.

But as I said, it was a light, fun read. I'd order another of Elizabeth Adler's books.

Romance, Murder,Intrigue and a Mediterranean Cruise
Romance, murder, intrigue and a Mediterranean cruise, what more could anyone want to pass a few hours on a plane or on a beach? These are the elements that Elizabeth Adler combines in her easy on the brain novels. Daisy Keane meets the difficult Sir Robert Hardwick at a party. He is bruque, brilliant and a billionaire although not a looker. He takes Daisy under his wing as his assistant lifting her out of a rootless post-divorce life. Several years later Sir Robert dies in a car accident. Harry Montana, a rough and tumble and handsome private investigator working for Sir Robert,tells Daisy that Sir Robert believed he was killed. Sir Robert has left behind a letter asking Daisy and Montana to ask six suspects on a cruise to his villa on Capri where the will will be read. As an inducement each suspect is offered $100,000 to come. The suspects line up (to see if they might be included in the will)- the ex-wife, the ex-mistress, the ex-friend, the ex-business partner and a former scientist. This is where the fun and games begin. Although formulaic this book is light hearted and entertaining.

The Ultimate in Whodunnits!
I am so excited that I came across this author!Elizabeth Adler really knows how to transport you to whatever location she is writing about.This book was read front to cover in record time.I look forward to reading more! ... Read more

Product Description
In August 1979, 303 yachts began the 600-mile Fastnet Race from the Isle of Wight off the southwest coast of England to Fastnet Rock off the Irish coast and back. It began in fine weather, then suddenly became a terrifying ordeal. A Force 10, sixty-knot storm swept across the North Atlantic with a speed that confounded forecasters, slamming into the fleet with epic fury. For twenty hours, 2,500 men and women were smashed by forty-foot breaking waves, while rescue helicopters and lifeboats struggled to save them. By the time the race was over, fifteen people had died, twenty-four crews had abandoned ship, five yachts had sunk, 136 sailors had been rescued, and only 85 boats had finished the race. John Rousmaniere was there, and he tells the tragic story of the greatest disaster in the history of yachting as only one who has sailed through the teeth of a killer storm can. With a new introduction by the author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Fascinating and enjoyable


This is a fascinating and enjoyable book to read for anyone that has a love for sailing or power boating.The gale force winds that some of these small boats ran into during the Fasnet race was scary.The writer does a good job of putting you in the race and what some of the skippers had to endure to get through it.You will find yourself not wanting to put the book down.

A Powerful Story
A thoroughly gripping account of the 1979 Fastnet ocean race in the Western Approaches off the coasts of Ireland and England. Some sailors called it a freak storm, others said anyone taking a sailboat to sea should always expect the unexpected. The author does a brilliant job of describing what a violent force the wind and waves can be, not just to the boats that happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but also to the men and women that brave the ocean in the spirit of competition.

The best description of the 1979 Fastnet disaster
John Rousmaniere is a well known sailing writer who knows whereof he writes. He was aboard one of the yachts in the 1979 Fastnet Race when they were struck by the worst storm in the history of competitive sailing. The weather forecast was not for severe weather although the English Channel and the Western Approaches have been known for bad weather since the Armada in 1588. The D-Day invasion was delayed one day and almost called off by a June storm. This storm was actually rather small but intense and its significance was not recognized in time to avoid the catastrophic effect on the smaller boats in the fleet. Rousmaniere was a watch captain on a large and strong Swan built yacht that survived the storm with little damage but a hairy experience for the crew. The smaller boats were "caught out" as the storm hit before they reached the Fastnet Rock where they could run for home. Some wiser skippers dropped out early but many waited too long or were too far from shelter when it hit during the night. After the event was over, Rousmaniere returned to interview survivors from the most badly damaged boats. His account is the best we will have and is still a classic to put beside Adlard Coles' "Adlard Coles' Heavy Weather Sailing, Sixth Edition or the later editions by Peter Bruce, Heavy Weather Sailing, 30th Anniversary Edition. Rousmaniere's book should be in every offshore sailor's library.

Enjoyable Sailing Adventure/Disaster
Although I am not a sailor (and was occasionally left beind by Rousmaniere's use of sailing terminology), I thoroughly enjoyed this account of the deadly 1979 Fastnet race. The book is a narrative of a summer sailing race turned disaster off the coast of England and Ireland.As a bonus Rousmaniere is a good writer unlike so many other adventurers.

One of the most striking elements of the storm is that its effects varied so much over a very small distance.The author, who took part in the race on a larger yacht, was never really in life-threatening seas, while other boats just a few hours away pitched and rolled themselves to pieces.Rousmaniere tells his story along with accounts from the yachts that had crewmembers perish. He also describe the rescue effort in detail and gives some explanation how more than 300 yachts could have been surprised by one of the largest summer storms in history. The most interesting chapter at the end is his attempt to explain the lessons learned during the storm.

A good account of a hideous sailing adventure that will be enjoyable to sailors and land-lubbers alike.

Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing, New Edition
Incredible story. Well written.My family are sailors and my brother sailed one Fastnet race, so the details were both fascinating and scarey. Couldn't put the book down. If you have ever sailed, whether it be in a small sunfish or a larger boat, this story will ring so true. You will understand the challenges and the forces of nature, and hopefully make sure you are well prepared if you try anything on this scope. Great reading. ... Read more