Boating: Sport and leisure Books

Book SynopsisGoing aboard a sailing yacht for the first time is an exciting experience, but it can be a bit daunting. It introduces you to many unknowns: terra firma is left behind, the boat is propelled by something you can’t see (the wind), there are ropes everywhere and a whole new vocabulary opens up! Your skipper will brief you on the key things you need to know, but this book is a great opportunity to learn a bit beforehand which will give you the basic knowledge to work the boat, be safe, have fun… and be asked back for more! Written in a friendly and approachable way, it assumes no nautical knowledge and uses diagrams and photographs to demystify the art of sailing. Devised to be read by new crew before they arrive at the boat, it is also great to keep on board as a quick and easy reference guide. Ideal for skippers to give to anyone joining them on board for the first time. As soon as a person steps aboard they are crewing: drawn into casting off, hoisting sails, winching and even steering. It’s impossible to cover everything in your briefing, so any knowledge they can gain beforehand is a blessing and will make your yacht a happier, safer place for everyone.Trade Review“This book is written in a very friendly and approachable way, with clear diagrams and de-mystified language… This book would be a great one to have on board and to share with potential first-time crew prior to departure… It is a virtual Competent Crew course in a pocketsize offering.” (Moody Owners’ Association) “We were introduced to sailing some years ago. We would have loved to have this little book at the time to prepare us for what was to come and later to consolidate our knowledge as we gained confidence at crewing. The book delivers on its promises of providing the basics to crew on a boat, keep safe and have fun… Throughout there are excellent diagrams and clear colour photographs to illustrate the text” (Cruising Association) “A useful little sailing book intended to be read in advance of a first sailing trip and kept for reference thereafter… Effective use is made of diagrams and photographs.” (Yachting Monthly)Table of ContentsIntroduction; PART 1: FIRST STEPS: What to bring, Homework, Parts of a yacht, Getting on & off, The skipper’s briefing; PART 2: UNDER POWER: The engine, Docking & casting off, Under way; PART 3: UNDER SAIL: How does a boat sail?, Under way, Winching, Hoisting sails, Trimming the sails, Reefing, Tacking, Gybing, Lowering sails, Spinnakers, Gennakers; Jargon buster

Read more less

Book SynopsisSailing is a wonderful sport, it takes place in the open air, on the water and is powered by something that’s free and eco-friendly – the wind! It is a sport for life: captivating children and giving them a sense of responsibility as they skipper their own boat and continuing to give pleasure well beyond retirement, whether it be competing against others or taking it more gently. Using this book you can get afloat, learn to sail and start having fun using the step-by-step advice, photo sequences and diagrams. This jargon-free guide allows complete novices to get out on the water with the minimum of fuss. One- and two-person dinghies are covered, along with rigging, knots, safety, handling and much more. Originally published as ‘Learn to Sail’, it now forms part of Fernhurst Books’ series of Beginner’s Guides covering surfing, SUP and inflatable kayaking. It can be used on its own or as a compliment to traditional sailing courses run by sailing schools everywhere and is aligned very closely to standard teaching qualifications. It is also linked to many YouTube videos so you get a real flavour and feel for the sport of sailing.Trade Review“An excellent guide for the beginner sailor… The detailed photographs are a welcome addition to support the textual descriptions… Each section is complemented with ‘top tips’ and concluded with key learning points… A nice reference book and good read for the amateur sailor.” (2000 Class Association)Table of ContentsIntroduction; Know your boat; Knots; Your sailing environment & safety; Rules of the road; Reefing; Points of sailing; Key factors; Beach launching & recovery; Pontoon launching & recovery; Your first sail; How to tack; Capsize & recovery; How to gybe; Spinnakers; Glossary

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Quirk loves history, drawing and boats and these three elements come together in this attractive and entertaining book. He has sought out obscure episodes or familiar events from the past and written engagingly about them, illustrated with his excellent colour cartoons. Where possible he relates the historical happenings and maritime moments to the present day, be it when tracing the history of the screw, misinformation (fake news) during the Second World War, plague ships in the fourteenth century, or Russia’s ill-fated war with Japan in 1904. The events covered range from Henry V’s invasion of France in 1415, consisting mainly of chartered French ships and paid for partially by Dick Whittington, to episodes in the Second World War, like the Somali Camel Corps capturing a German U-boat. Other historic figures involved include Horatio Nelson, Napoleon, Rudolf Diesel and Lawrence of Arabia. The 25 stories and over 100 cartoons are a treasure-trove of compelling, salt-infused, tales told with imagination and humour, with an eye on the present day, which will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in maritime history (or even just history).Trade Review“December Book of the Month. Looking for a thoughtful gift for a history lover? This fun book goes as far back as King Henry V’s invasion of France in 1415 up to some of the key maritime events of World War II, weaving in details that more academic textbooks miss out, plus offering different angles on stories you thought you knew inside-out… The book is filled with cartoons and jokes that run throughout the 25 stories featured, all designed to inspire and grab the attention of kids young and old.” (Coast Magazine)“ “Not only does John Quirk have a relaxed writing style with frequent flashes of unforced humour, but his cartoons – and occasional more serious paintings – complement the text perfectly. Some of the stories are amusing… some inspiring… some poignant… and a few downright sad – but all are true and are well worth reading. Quirky History would make a great Christmas present for almost anyone, but do give yourself time to enjoy it first!” (Flying Fish) A funny, sideways glance at moments in British history… would make a perfect gift for all ages… A book billed as ‘quirky’ is likely to be opinionated, individual and occasionally provocative. John Quirk’s book is all of these things. It’s also clever and funny and will make an attractive gift.” (Yachting Monthly) “John Quirk’s 25 stories and 100 cartoons are a guide to entertaining maritime history.” (The Armourer)Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Camel Corps Captures U-Boat; 2. Henry V’s Channel Cruise; 3. The Taming Of The Screw; 4. Boats That Fly; 5. I’m Sorry, I Haven’t The Foggiest; 6. The Great Lynmouth Lifeboat Rescue; 7. The Man Who ‘Hid’ The Suez Canal; 8. Warning Shots; 9. The Birth Of The US Navy; 10. Lawrence To The Rescue; 11. The Sea Devil; 12. Plague Ships; 13. Dr Ted From Berkeley; 14. The Greatest Killer In Nelson’s Navy; 15. Mimi & Toutou Go Forth; 16. Off To D-Day In A Four Poster; 17. Those Magnificent Merlins; 18. The Navy Goes To Lake Turkana; 19. James Bond & The Armada; 20. Scuppered At Scarpa; 21. The First Yacht Race; 22. Whatever Happened To Diesel? 23. Napoleon’s Australia; 24. The End Result; 25. Russian Roulette

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile many books on celestial navigation insist this age-old art is needed only when electronics fail, Berson uses a unique approach that allows boaters to combine both the modern and the traditional. No other books do that.Celestial navigation, in all its forms, is nearly as old as mankind. Anyone who can master its intricacies stands at the end of a long line of master navigators that is centuries old—an expert among many who would be lost with electronics. David Berson, a columnist for Ocean Navigator magazine and an instructor at both the Ocean Navigator School of Seamanship and onboard the training schooner Ocean Star, offers here an approach that is refreshing, unique, and sure to attract a new generation of readers looking to demystify this essential art for sailors.Through his hands-on coursework Berson has developed a practical and learnable method of teaching that has appealed to a new generation of students. He will share his proven method here for the first time. In Celestial Navigation, as he does in his popular column and classes, Berson simplifies the math that so often frightens and deters potential students. Chapters include: The Concept of the Celestial Sphere Back to the Almanac Local Hour Angle Assumed Position The Sextant: The Perfect Tool for the Job More on Sight Reduction The Noon Sight Formula for Noon Sight Definitions And more! Berson takes the same approach with his writing that he does with his classes and columns, informal true-life anecdotes that entertain as well as educate. To Berson, celestial navigation is personal and valuable. Anyone reading this book will catch his contagious enthusiasm.“And when learning celestial navigation, you do not have to be a mathematician or an astronomer, and yet you will feel confident that you will reach your destination when you are on that open ocean voyage. Once started there are many refinements that may be added, if you wish, but with the basics David has presented in this volume, you will enjoy the satisfaction it gives when you launch your vessel from the dock and go to sea with confidence (and it also will supply a great subject for small talk at cocktail parties).”—Captain Eben Whitcomb

Read more less

Book SynopsisBased on interviews with the crew and captain of a torpedoed tanker who survived nineteen days in a lifeboat in heavy seas and scorching tropical sun—this information is incredibly useful even today. How to Abandon Ship was written during World War II to save the lives of seamen by instilling a commonsense, organized, no-panic clarity to getting off torpedoed ships safely and, perhaps more importantly, surviving later. It is a gem that can once again be used to save lives.Former schooner captain and author Twain Braden updates this solid and useful advice with a foreword addressing today’s technology. Braden used How to Abandon Ship to teach crewmembers fifty years after it was written while sailing the rugged and dangerous Maine coast.The writing in How to Abandon Ship is so clear it has been used in college English composition classes. You will find vivid and pertinent information on everything from medical emergencies, thirst, and hunger to weather and morale.It pulls no punches, and its advice is strident but useful. In the words of the authors: “This manual is concerned solely with human lives. Its purpose is to aid you to get off a sinking ship and to eventual safety in the best condition possible.”Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Read more less

Book Synopsis“1789 April: Just before sun-rising, Mr. Christian, with the master at arms, gunner’s mate, and Thomas Burket, seaman, came into my cabin while I was asleep, and seizing me, tied my hands with a cord behind my back and threatened me with instant death if I spoke or made the least noise.” So began William Bligh’s explanation of the infamous mutiny aboard the Bounty. His account of his capture and his phenomenal navigation of a small boat filled with men desperate to survive is one of the greatest sailing stories ever told. It is just one account readers will find in Astounding Sea Stories—many that have been sitting unread for decades. Some are from master writers whose deserved fame rests on works and characters who lived far from the sea. Here are sea stories from Jack London, his first published work, written miles from the frozen north that he loved and wrote about often—and from Charles Dickens without Scrooge, Victor Hugo far from Paris, and Arthur Conan Doyle on the deck of a ship without Sherlock or Watson. All are hidden gems that make you wish they had written and the sea and ships. Here also are marquee names like Melville and Richard Henry Dana, the official report of the sinking of the Titanic, a first-person account of the wreck of the Medusa, and a story by an unknown captain written after his ship was sunk by a whale. Imagine that. This eclectic collection will not disappoint any armchair seafarer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow to select a boat, plan your project, finish the job, and actually head for the water.Over the past thirty to forty years boat builders, large and small, have produced tens of thousands of fiberglass boats. Many now sit abandoned, waiting for some tender care to get back on the water where they belong. Fiberglass unlike many other types of boatbuilding materials does not rot, rust, or break down over the years. Many people have realized this, of course, and have started what they think will be an easy project. They were wrong, and many well-intentioned renovations sit abandoned.Whatever the reason for wanting to take on the restoration of a project boat, proper planning and organization can make the difference between success and failure. Fiberglass Boat Restoration is about how to plan, organize and successfully complete a project boat restoration. It will explain why it is important to put your efforts and resources into some areas and not others. It contains valuable information about what to look for when considering the purchase of a project boat. Although the focus of the book is fiberglass, the information will be useful to anyone undertaking the building or restoration of any boat.Trade Review"I have been through several major restoration projects over the years and should I undertake another, I am going to invite Capt. Wayne to join me. He goes through the process from a real hands-on, eyes open perspective and explains just what you are getting into and, for the most part, what you can expect. Clear and concise, these eight chapters and the indispensable end-of-book resources section will keep things in focus for you." —Capt. Ken Kreisler, author, Powerboating: Your First Book For Your First Boat"A must-read for anyone considering a boat restoration>"—Ensignmagazine"I have been through several major restoration projects over the years and should I undertake another, I am going to invite Capt. Wayne to join me. He goes through the process from a real hands-on, eyes open perspective and explains just what you are getting into and, for the most part, what you can expect. Clear and concise, these eight chapters and the indispensable end-of-book resources section will keep things in focus for you." —Capt. Ken Kreisler, author, Powerboating: Your First Book For Your First Boat"A must-read for anyone considering a boat restoration>"—Ensignmagazine

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less