Navigation and seamanship Books

Book SynopsisOn 14th June 1968 Robin Knox-Johnston set sail from Falmouth to take part in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race - the first, non-stop, single-handed sailing race around the world. He was an unknown 29-year old Merchant Navy Officer. Ten and a half months later he sailed back into Falmouth, the only finisher in the race and the first man to complete a non-stop solo circumnavigation. Since then he has had an illustrious sailing career, with 3 further circumnavigations, including the fastest circumnavigation and last racing solo round the world in 2007, aged 68. Few people have sailed as many miles as Robin. Now, 50 years since setting out on the Golden Globe Race, you can benefit from Robin's wealth of experience as he shares his thoughts on seamanship and seafaring in this new book, selected from his most provoking, insightful and perceptive writing from the pages of Yachting World magazine. The first half of the book concentrates on seamanship and looks at the skills and gear required. The second half allows Robin to reminisce on memorable boats, races and places he has experienced in his last 50 years of seafaring. The book starts with an original piece by Robin reflecting on the last 50 years.Trade Review“What makes this book so exciting is that it contains many of the things that Robin has learned over the years since he set of from Falmouth in 1968. Anyone who ventures to sea would be wise to take advantage of the seamanship lessons that Robin has learned. However, anyone who has met Robin also knows that he is not just a wise old seaman – he is also great fun and lives life to the full. This shows in the pieces on seafaring in this book where he tells of some of his favourite boats, races and places he has visited – always with a twinkle in his eye! They are a joy to read and remind us that sailing is primarily a fun activity, to be enjoyed!” (Alex Thomson, June 2018) “Now leisure sailors can benefit from Robin’s wealth of experience.” (Yachting Life, July 2018) “Hints, tips, advice and yarns from Britain’s most famous sailor; this is a great book to dip into when you’ve just come off watch or are waiting for someone to get back from the showers… Robin covers a huge range of subjects with seamanlike directness and a master mariner’s authority.” (Classic Sailor, June 2018) “well crafted and highly authoritative” (Sailing Today, Aug 2018) “One of the world’s greatest yachtsmen shares his thoughts on seamanship and seafaring.” (Julian Stockwin, June 2018) “This book is a delight to read. The chapter headings alone are worth the cover price. His advice is as useful for sailing round the Isle of Wight as for sailing round the world. Every word is helpful. An engaging and well written book.” (Little Ship Club, Summer 2018) “Every one is valuable” (Yachting Monthly, Aug 2018) “A very readable and wide-ranging collection of short essays… The brevity of these essays makes this an ideal book to pick up and browse, even when there is not much time for reading. Knox-Johnston writes very well, and all of the essays can be read and re-read, profitably and with enjoyment.” (Royal Cruising Club, Nov 2018)Table of ContentsForeword; Introduction; PART ONE: SEAMANSHIP: Skills; Gear; PART TWO: SEAFARING: Boats; Races; Places.

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Book SynopsisA handy, splash-proof, on-the-water summary of the key things you need to know about navigation at sea: the perfect quick reference guide to keep onboard. The book covers all the navigation essentials: charts, compass, tides, standard and secondary ports, dead reckoning, estimated position, course to steer, lights, GPS, waypoints and buoyage in a highly illustrated format making it easy to understand at a glance – ideal for those moments when you need an answer, and you need it fast! Spiral bound, this little companion stands up to frequent use and serves as a great aide-memoire.Trade Review"...a handy splash proof guide to navigation...covers all the essentials...easy onboard use" (Boat Mart) "A handy waterproof onboard guide for those learning navigation or wanting an aide-memoire." (Yachting Monthly)Table of ContentsCharts; Latitude & Longitude; Compass; Tides; Standard Ports; Secondary Ports; Tidal Streams; Dead Reckoning (DR); Estimated Position (EP); Course To Steer; Lights; GPS & Waypoints; Buoyage

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Book SynopsisYachting Start to Finish is the perfect book for you if you are new to sailing, or if you are an experienced sailor wanting to broaden your skills and develop your techniques. This easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide takes you through the basic principles, preparing to sail, your first sail and safety at sea. It includes advice on choosing and buying a yacht, essential equipment, boat handling, tides, weather and navigation, all taken from the courses delivered by the UK’s biggest sailing school, the UKSA. This book is accessible to all levels, giving those new to sailing straightforward advice, and showing experienced sailors how to take their sailing to the next level with professional tips on how to sail faster and safer. It covers day keelboats and cruising yachts. This book is packed with hundreds of illustrations and photographs, and is a great way to learn, develop and refresh your sailing skills.Trade Review“a heavily illustrated guide covering all the basic aspects of going cruising from the vagaries of navigation to the technicalities of mooring up… nicely illustrated and well written.” (Sailing Today, September 2019)Table of ContentsGETTING STARTED; BASIC PRINCIPLES: Parts of the boat, The science of sailing, Points of sail, Choosing a yacht, Buying a yacht, Transporting and launching keelboats, The rig, Knots, ropes and running rigging; PREPARING TO SAIL: What to wear, Essential equipment, Getting onboard from dinghy and dock, Rules of the road, Bending on sails, roller furling and reefing; FIRST SAIL: Boat handling under power - mooring and anchoring, Balance, sail, trim, Tides and weather, Basics of navigation, Radio etiquette; SAFETY AT SEA; Glossary of terms; Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisA lot of people are drawn to the sea, and for good reason – it’s the world’s last wild and largely unspoilt wilderness. But to properly enjoy the sea, and to do so safely, you must have the skills, knowledge and confidence to plan thoroughly and stay one step ahead of the game. This book is thoughtfully written to help yachtsmen do just that. It’s not another navigation textbook; it’s written by a mariner for other mariners. It’s well-informed, easy to read and honest about the author’s triumphs and disasters over a lifetime’s navigating. He has a unique perspective having navigated in many parts of the world from high up on the bridge of a warship, close to the water in a cruising yacht and at depth in a submarine. After his navy career he was Chief Executive of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), often dealing with the consequences of poor navigation. The author brings the subject to life in a book that is designed to help yachtsmen refresh their knowledge of, and their enthusiasm for, the timeless skills of navigation. It is packed with hundreds of illustrations – colour photographs, charts, diagrams and tables – making the text easy to understand. The book is part of Fernhurst Books’ Skipper’s Library series of practical books for the cruising sailor.Trade Review“It’s beautifully laid out, very clear and easy to understand, and very knowledgeable.” (Weems & Plath) “Boissier’s latest book is superbly illustrated, informative – and offers prime snippets of the author’s triumphs and disasters over a lifetime’s navigating… A writer who shares rather than dictates a lesson. Highly recommended.” (Julian Stockwin) “This book covers everything needed in order to know where you are at a given moment, plan a voyage, predict water movement around the boat, calculate a course to steer and estimate arrival time.” (Classic Boat) “The chapters on pilotage and blind navigation are the best I have read, as are the chapters on tidal heights and streams, which contain useful rules of thumb, various tricks of the trade and other tips follow in subsequent chapters… Most people will probably learn something from this book. It is very well written and the explanations are clear, as are the diagrams and well-chosen illustrations.” (Royal Cruising Club) “There is a wealth of practical detail and advice within the soft-back volume’s 208 comprehensively illustrated full-colour pages… Navigation manuals are a crowded field but this one deserves its place in the skipper’s library.” (Cruising Association) “Navigation techniques are brought to life with practical experience and insightful commentary in his honest account of the highs and lows across a lifetime of navigating… a useful guide for the fresh-faced amateur as well as the experienced sailor.” (RNLI Lifeboat)Table of ContentsPaul Boissier, Foreword, Introduction; PART ONE: THE THEORY: 1. The World, & How It’s Portrayed; 2. Charts; 3. Position, Angles, Distance & Speed; 4. Movement Of Water: The Height Of Tide; 5. Movement Of Water: Tidal Streams & Currents; 6. The Fix; 7. Visual Aids To Navigation: Buoys, Rocks & Wrecks; 8. Radar & Radio Aids To Navigation; 9. Navigation Equipment; 10. Reference Books; 11. A Few Thoughts About Safe Navigation; 12. A Few Tricks Of The Trade; PART TWO: TYPES OF NAVIGATION: 13. Pilotage; 14. Blind Pilotage; 15. Anchoring; 16. Coastal Navigation; 17. Offshore Navigation; PART THREE: IN PRACTICE: 18. Passage Planning; 19. Lymington To Hurst Castle; 20. Hurst Castle To The Needles; 21. The Needles To The Casquets; 22. Casquets To The Little Russel; 23. Little Russel Into St Peter Port; 24. Some Cautionary Tales

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Book SynopsisHeavy weather is a lurking spectre that most of us hope and plan to avoid, but not even internet forecasting can make it go away. Anyone intent on crossing oceans must be ready to deal with it if it comes, as well it may. Even well-informed inshore and continental-shelf sailors will inevitably be caught out sooner or later. The object of this slim, quickly absorbed volume is to give everyone, whatever their passage-making aspirations, a sound brief so that whether they find themselves at the wrong end of a force-six blow along the coast, or confronting serious waves far out at sea, they are fully aware of their options for taking it in their stride.Trade Review“A book that takes the drama out of a potential crisis. Tom’s warm, humorous narrative style makes the book an enjoyable read while his depth of knowledge and experience gives the text real authority.” (Sam Jefferson, Editor Sailing Today)Table of ContentsTom Cunliffe; Introduction; 1. Wind & Wave; 2. Fit For Sea: The Boat; 3. The Crew; 4. Handling The Boat; 5. Navigation; 6. Strategy, Tactics & The Weather; 7. Boat Performance; 8. Riding Out A Gale At Sea; 9. Shelter From The Storm; 10. Emergencies; 11. The Liferaft – The Final Resort; 12. Outside Assistance

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Book SynopsisWhile traditional navigation has been largely superseded by GPS, traditional navigation remains a valuable skill, an enjoyable pastime and necessary for some navigation and training courses. This handy, splash-proof, on-the-water reference guide is an aide memoire of those calculations frequently needed (but often forgotten) for traditional coastal and offshore navigation and other equations and formulae which can be useful afloat. Each topic has worked examples, and there are frequent diagrams to illustrate the process. You may be surprised by the simplicity and elegance of some of the calculations included. The book finishes by listing the main conventions used in nautical calculations and providing conversion factors which may be useful on board. Even the most dedicated GPS navigator could find this little book handy to keep on board, just in case. They may even find themselves dipping into it when they don’t actually need to.Table of ContentsIntroduction & Bearing Conversion; Speed, Time & Distance; Distance To Horizon; Distance Off; Amplitudes For Compass Checks; Sailing In Currents; Sailing To Weather; Storm Avoidance; Waves & Swell; Depth; Conventions; Conversion Factors

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Book SynopsisThe modern racing yacht is awash with onboard instruments and electronics giving enormous amounts of data. But few people fully understand how to get the most out of all the information at their fingertips, let alone make it useful for the team to enable them to win races. But ace navigators, Mark Chisnell and Gilberto Pastorella, do – both have worked with professional sailing programmes all over the world – from America’s Cup to Maxi, ORC / IRC and one-design fleets. In Mastering Data to Win they take the reader through the process: from understanding the concepts, ensuring accuracy, using the data to win races and then post-race analysis to find performance gains. By mastering your instruments you can make the right calls every time and know for certain when to tack, which shift to look out for and how the tide can work with or against you. With colour diagrams and photographs throughout, this instructional guide turns information into excellence. Accessible to those new to racing, it also has a depth of information that will transform the performance of even professional sailors.Trade Review“Mastering data will improve your team’s performance, particularly your starts, and lies at the heart of your strategy and tactics. As a racing professional and tactician I have become increasingly dependent on that data and those who help to manage it… This book is fundamental reading not only for any aspiring navigator but I would suggest for all members of the crew… Good navigators need to be very well prepared, well organised and good under pressure – I would suggest that reading this book is a pretty good place to start that preparation!” (Ian Walker, double silver medallist & Volvo Ocean Race winner)Table of ContentsThe Authors; Foreword; Introduction; The Role of the Navigator; The Key Elements of Data On Board; Setting Up an Instrument System; Some Instrument Techniques; Instrument Techniques Using The Polar Table; Data Collection & Performance Analysis; What’s Next?; Credits

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Book SynopsisGet to grips with navigation at sea. This best-selling book gives you all the information you need to know to do just that! It starts from scratch, uses no jargon and features diagrams and pictures, instead of words, wherever possible. It covers all modern navigation and is recommended by Fernhurst Books for beginners and Day Skipper students.

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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

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Book SynopsisHow was the Norse Navigator able to shape his course across the North Atlantic long before the invention of the magnetic compass? This book tells the story of the Viking Sun Compass and how it allowed the Vikings to sail across the Atlantic. In 1948, the Danish archaeologist C.L. Vebæk found the remains of a small wooden disc at the Viking Age site of Uunartoq in Greenland. Since then the Master mariners Carl V. Sver and Sen Thirslund have interpreted this find as a navigational instrument. This book is the essence of more than forty years of archaeological studies, discussions and practical sea-going experiments. The author gives a full account of the history of the find and demonstrates convincingly how Viking Age Navigators could make use of this and other simple devices in order to find their way across the vastness of the Northern Atlantic.

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