10 books about sailing

An essential reference book for sailing enthusiasts, now in its fourth edition with a foreword by quadruple Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie. Learn the basics of sailing, master navigation, and maintain your boat with The Complete Sailing Manual, written by instructor and former British national champion Steve Sleight. This authoritative text has clear, annotated diagrams and photographs that answer questions about any sailing situation with thorough coverage of all aspects of sailing and boat ownership. Look up how to rig a dinghy, tie basic knots, or save someone who fell overboard. Revised and updated to include the latest developments in equipment, safety, and activities, including foiling, long-distance cruising, and high-speed, apparent wind-sailing, and newest technology such as modern performance systems and electronic navigation. All rules, regulations, and best practices are also up to date. From the novice to the experienced sailor, The Complete Sailing Manual is the perfect book for anyone interested in sailing.

The best sailing yarns, from Sir Ernest Shackleton and Joshua Slocum to WIlliam F. Buckley.

Retire early, sell everything, buy a boat and sail around the world. What could go wrong? Told with great suspense and sparkling with wry humor, Escape from the Ordinary captures the terrors and pleasures that come with forging ahead against great odds on the adventure of a lifetime.

Landlubbers joke that sailors are always wanting to head off to the ends of the earth, but Chris Santella takes that life-changing desire very seriously. In this, the third installment in his immensely successful Fifty Places series, Santella assembles a crew of the world's greatest championship racers and professional adventurers and persuades them to disclose their favorite destinations around the globe. Interviewees include some of the best-known men and women in the sport: Tom Whidden and Gary Jobson (members of the winning 1987 America's Cup crew), Jeff Johnstone (of J-Boats), award-winning sailing writer Lin Pardy, and many others. The amazingly diverse places they've selected range from clubby East Coast ports (Marblehead, Annapolis), to idyllic tropical refuges (Ilha Grande, Brazil; the Polynesian atoll of Mopelia), to some of the most hair-raisingly treacherous waters on earth (Cape Horn). Coastlines around the world even Antarctica and the Arctic are represented, and the chosen spots include some spectacular inland waters, such as the Bras d'Or Lakes and the North Channel of Lake Huron. For each of the 50 places, the sailor recommending the venue spins an entertaining yarn about his or her experience there, and each description is accompanied by a make you want to go there now photograph.

This is not just an instructional book---it's an insight into a sailor's approach to the sea, boats, and the ever-changing dynamic of wind on the water "A learn-to-sail book with heart."--WoodenBoat "A real winner...a masterful blend of straightforward text with delightful and instructive illustrations. Quite simply a great primer on sailing and the world of boats for readers of all ages."--Cruising World "Teaches sailing with flair and poetry."--SAIL "A great walk-through for the novice, both entertaining and thorough."--Sailing "Sits in a class by itself. Elegantly simple, encyclopedic in scope, and a delightful reference for any novice—with lots to offer intermediate sailors, too."--Kalamazoo Gazette If you never sailed, sailed once, or have sailed for a lifetime, this book is perfect for beginners but deep enough content for those interested in going beyond basics. Revised and expanded to include racing and GPS navigation, The Complete Sailor is not just a how-to sail book, but a book that teaches you how to become a sailor. Inside you’ll find: An all-in-one, comprehensive introduction to sailing Up-to-date information on techniques and approaches offered by the changing nature of the sport Exquisite pen-and-ink illustrations Topics include: Wind Sense; Working Winds; Getting Underway; The Boat; Rigging; Sails; Under Power; Rules of the Road; Anchoring; Ropework; Marlinspike Seamanship; Emergencies; Sea and Sky; Navigation; Racing; Trailering

From the acclaimed author of Sea Power--one of the most distinguished admirals of our time and a former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO--comes a meditation on leadership and character refracted through the lives of 10 of the most illustrious naval commanders in history.n history.

John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher – as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world, with challenging crossings of the Atlantic and the Pacific, a narrow escape from a coup in Yemen, an unlikely deliverance from a coral reef off Belize as well as more serene, introspective passages where trade winds are blowing and stories are flowing. His crew has included CEOs, actors, writers, teachers, kids – in essence, everyone. John’s narrative is interwoven with practical tips and advice in seamanship, but also, and just as importantly, his hard-won insights about making the most of our lives. He truly believes we find out who we really are, and what we are capable of, far from the shackles of land, when we find a place where time changes shape – days may merge into one another, but minutes are memorable. To live adventurously is to live more fully, and that is the life John Kretschmer continues to live. In this book he shares his simple profundities that will inspire those who live to sail, and those seeking something more rewarding from life.

In 1965, 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham began a solo around-the-world voyage from San Pedro, California, in a 24-foot sloop. Five years and 33,000 miles later, he returned to home port with a wife and daughter and enough extraordinary experiences to fill this bestselling book, Dove.