Boating Books

This one one of the best all purpose primers on sailing and sail handling. There is good advice for beginners as well as experienced sailors. Perhaps a perfect book to buy for intermediate Big Boat sailors seeking the next level. Discussion of theory is excellent and easy to follow, but the translation into practice is superb. Diagrams are very helpful.

As a long time Sailing School owner, Steve's advice comes off well grounded in practical advice that works for intermediate and advanced sailors. As a long time racer, his anecdotes intermingle the advice and give his tips a practical ring as well as making the book more readable.

Many sailing technique books are too basic for anyone other than a beginner, or are too esoteric and specific for anyone other than a very advanced racer. This book strikes a great balance. See also Melges and Conner for similar great primers.

Highly recommended addition to a sailing technique library.

I felt like I was right there, underwater with Luke Dodge. Goldblatt is a great story teller and he really brings to life, the amazing spearfishing, scuba diving and travel adventures of his protagonist, Luke. This book is more well rounded (plot driven)than your average dive/spearfishing book . It is a true coming of age story, complete with adventure, challenges, love interests and triumph over difficult odds. I would reccomened this book to anybody who wants break from the norm and take a mental vacation.

As a Board Certified maritime attorney with almost 20 years experience representing individuals in Florida I have received many phone calls over the years from people that have experienced storm related losses. I have also been a member of the United States Power Squadron for almost 13 years. This book should be purchased by everyone that owns a boat or works on a boat. It is written in plain english and answers many of the basic questions that I field between June and December of each year. With boat insurance as expensive as it is and deductibles higher than ever you need this book! The recommendations in this book are the types of things your insurance company will expect you to do. They may help you avoid a claim altogether. If you have a claim it will help you prove that you took the necessary precautions to protect your property and the property of others. It will also make my job easier if you need professional help! This book is a must read and it will save you money!

Tim Thompson and Ranulf Rayner continue with Thompson's famous format but now updated to 1992 to include that year's successful defence by the high technology of Bill Koch's America 3 syndicate against Italy's El Moro de Venencias challenge in the all new International Americas Cup Class yatchs.

The reason for these new boats is also explained and included is partially the reason why... The famous 1988 rogue challenge by New Zealand businessman, Michael Fay and his massive white monoloth, KZ1. Dennis Connor rose to the challenge with his famous hi-tech multihull, Stars And Stripes and the lawyers took over from there.

The 1992 event was the most lavish ever has money ruled the waves and the more boats one had the better chances of winning would be.

Eventually comonsense prevailed and the two boat rule introduced, and we are left with the event we have today.

This book tells the history of the America's Cup sailing race. The beautiful paintings by Tim Thompson capture a key moment for each race. And each race is described in detail by Ranulf Raynor, including boat specifics -- length, beam, sail area, designer, owner, and skipper. There is even a section describing the race courses and locations.

The races painted and described include every America's Cup race from 1851 - 2000, listed below.
1851 America defeats the British Fleet
1870 Magic defeats Cambria
1871 Columbia and Sappho defeat Livonia
1876 Madeleine defeats Countess of Dufferin
1881 Mischief defeats Atalanta
1885 Puritan defeats Genesta
1886 Mayflower defeats Galatea
1887 Volunteer defeats Thistle
1893 Vigilant defeats Valkyrie II
1895 Defender defeats Valkyrie III
1899 Columbia defeats Shamrock
1901 Columbia defeats Shamrock II
1903 Reliance defeats Shamrock III
1920 Resolute defeats Shamrock IV
1930 Enterprise defeats Shamrock V
1934 Rainbow defeats Endeavor
1937 Ranger defeats Endeavor II
1958 Columbia defeats Sceptre
1962 Weatherly defeats Gretel
1964 Constellation defeats Sovereign
1967 Intrepid defeats Dame Pattie
1970 Intrepid defeats Gretel II
1974 Courageous defeats Southern Cross
1977 Courageous defeats Australia
1980 Freedom defeats Australia
1983 Australia II defeats Liberty
1987 Stars & Stripes defeats Kookaburra III
1988 Stars & Stripes defeats New Zealand
1992 America defeats Il Moro Di Venezia
1995 Black Magic defeats Young America
2000 Black Magic defeats Luna Rossa

I loved the character sketches of some of the most well-known contenders and participants, from old boat designer Captain Nat Hereshoff himself, to English Sir Thomas Lipton who was one of the most determined challengers with his Shamrock boats and well-loved by even the American competitors.

For anyone who loves sailing and follow the history of the America's Cup, this book is for you.

The updated version for 1995.

This edition is famous for the fact that New Zealand finally grabbed the Americas Cup.

The same as all the previous editions, beautifully illustrated by the artwork of Tim Thompson, Rayner has of course added extra chapters to cover the 1995 challange and the potential new venue.

Only one drawback is the error of the course maps but still a great coffee table read.

In the authors own words, he did not write this book "...to be the definitive history of the Chestnut Canoe Company..." but to provide fuel for the fires of future debates, "...held in the Chestnut Pub, built from the old factory boiler room in Fredericton." Ken Solway has achieved his goals in this book for sure.

If you have ever wanted to know the history of Canadian canoe builders around Peterborough, Ontario, this book is a must read. From the inspiration of the Aboriginal dugouts and birch bark canoes; through the all-wood Peterboroughs and Lakefields; and influenced heavily by the wood canvas canoes of Maine builders Gerrish, E.M.White and B.N.Morris; Ken leads us to Chestnut - a proud, often controversial survivor in the Canadian canoe world.

It is refreshing to read the history of John Stephenson, Thomas Gordon, Daniel Harold, and William English, and the great impact they collectively had on canoe evolution in the Peterborough region. These early builders took the native dugout and applied English construction techniques, to deliver canoeing to the elite during the Victorian era of canoeing. Chestnut took the next step, and brought the Canadian canoe to the everyday man, by building over 60 models of practical, working canoes - taking over where these pioneers left off.

In an admission of guilt that will make a Mainer both strut proudly and raise his hackles at the same time, Ken openly proclaims that Chestnut stole their first design from Maine builder, B.N.Morris. In a further act of business guile, William Chestnut managed to convince ten of Old Town Canoe's experienced builders to leave Old Town for Chestnut, across the border in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This act led to the first of many legal battles the Chestnut name has continued to fight, even to this day. Chestnut patented the process for building a wood and canvas canoe in Canada in 1905, leading eventually to the merger of the Peterborough and Chestnut canoe companies, and to some interesting partnerships along the way.

History of the Chestnut family provides a nice perspective on the forces behind Chestnut Canoe. The insight that Ken offers on these dynamic Canadians, provides the backdrop for a canoe company that fought on for many years, building canoes, snowshoes and even toboggans, before finally succumbing to the economic pressures of the age of aluminum and fiberglass in 1961. The rise and fall of Chestnut, along with their predessors in the Peterborough area, captivates the reader, and ultimately leads you to the present day. Chestnut was ultimately split up and sold piece-meal at the bitter end, and Ken describes his current operation, where he builds Chestnut canoes on original forms and ships Chestnut labeled canoes, even though the trademark is not in his hands at this time. The Chestnut trademark at the time of publication anyway, is still in dispute.

Bonus chapters on Omer Stringer and Bill Mason supply another look at two of Canada's paddling giants. Personal observations that Ken shares with the reader will draw memories out of many of us, recalling our own often brief experiences with these remarkable men. I still smile at the flashes of the past brought out by these short but honest recollections of the most influential paddlers Canada produced in this century.

For anyone interested in historic canoe catalogs and the detail that comes with them, there are over fifty pages dedicated to catalog reprints, with most pages containing two or three condensed catalog images. These are some of the most interesting of the catalog pages from 1903 to 1936, and are supplimented by a detailed chart with form measurements for every canoe listed between 1905 and 1955! Not stopping with just the technical facts, Ken goes on to describe the major models and popular options available over time, and includes a few surprises that I'll leave for your to discover on your own.

Over one hundred and sixty pages of paddling history and controversy, fact and speculation, are compiled into this truly interesting book that belongs on the shelf of every wooden canoe enthusiast. This book is destined to be a classic, and will surely provide material for many nights of relaxation in your own "Chestnut Pub," discussing the history of this venerable canoe company with friends who share our love of wooden canoes.

This book is in print as part of "The Sunfish Bible", which also contains the books "Sail It Flat", and "The Sunfish Book", plus additional articles.

I found the book to be interesting and informative it covered the practicalities of surveying and what a survey entails. I would recomend this book to purchasers who have some knowledge of boat construction.

Survival Guide For The Mariner by master mariner and captain Robert J. Meurn, U.S. Naval Reserve (Ret.), is a very straightforward guide about making the proper preparations before sailing, and learning the procedures that could save your life while aboard your vessel, in a lifeboat or life raft, on sea or on land, when awaiting rescue, and when making a report upon returning home. Enhanced with black-and-white diagrams, Survival Guide For The Mariner is a first-rate survival manual, and one which should be absolutely required reading for novice mariners. The seasoned wisdom and experienced-based practical procedures of the Survival Guide For The Mariner could well save lives.