‘Brilliant, clear, and humane’ Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love ‘Miraculous and hopeful’ Emma Straub, author of All Adults Here ‘Quietly profound … belongs on the shelf next to Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild’ New York Times Riverman: An American Odyssey uncovers the story of an extraordinary man and his puzzling disappearance, and paints a picture of the singular spirit of America’s riverbank towns. ‘The peace of mind I found, largely alone, on that white-water mecca convinced me that life was capable of exquisite pleasure and undefined meaning deep in the face of failure. The experience itself is the reward.’ Dick Conant On his forty-third birthday, Dick Conant, a golden boy who never quite grew up as those around him expected, stepped into a homemade boat to embark on a journey despite a gathering snowstorm. Among his possessions was a Gideon Bible and biographies of Einstein and Bismark. It was the beginning of an all-consuming odyssey by an unconventional man into the watery arteries of America, a journey to the unreported margins of society. He was to spend the next twenty years canoeing thousands of miles of rivers and their innumerable smaller tributaries, from one end of the country to the other. ‘I can, and I will!’ he said. And then, in 2014, he disappeared. Not long before Conant’s upturned canoe was found in a brackish North Carolina bay, Ben McGrath met Conant by chance as he paddled down the Hudson, headed for Florida. McGrath set out to find the people whose lives, like his own, had been touched by their encounter with the great river wanderer. Along the way he meets eccentrics and ne’er-do-wells drawn straight from the pages of Mark Twain, a vast network of friends and acquaintances who would forever remember this brilliant and charming man even after a single meeting. Riverman is the story of a restless soul who was as troubled as he was charismatic, a contemporary folk hero who slips the moorings of ordinary civilised life to tap into what Thoreau called ‘a yearning toward all wildness.’ It is also a riveting portrait of an America we rarely see: a nation of unconventional characters, small river towns, and long forgotten waterways.

Today, yachts are often equipped with electrical windlasses, autopilot, bow thrusters, etc. This equipment has also become much more reliable, making it possible to make long offshore passages without much knowledge of seamanship. However, as the coastguards in many countries can confirm, more and more yachts require assistance, even when they should be able to reach harbour on their own. In this book you will be shown the traditional techniques you should be familiar with - regarding rope handling, manoeuvring and anchoring - in order to make long or short passages safely. Each element is clearly explained alongside detailed illustrations, combining to make a straightforward and easy-to-follow guide. Although yacht gear is becoming more and more reliable, you can be almost sure that, sooner or later, it will fail or you will be out of electrical power to use it. Learning the traditional techniques may not only be necessary but is also both interesting and fun. Instead of waking up the entire harbour in the early hours with the noise of your bow thruster, you may, alternatively, use a spring line to get safely moored to or leave the pontoon quietly. Due to the design of the book, we have had to restrict the layout of the ebook to PDF style which may result in giving you a more restricted reading experience. For this reason, we would not recommend viewing it on very small screens.

In the late 1920s Norwegian Erling Tambs and his wife Julie set out from Oslo with their Colin Archer pilot boat Teddy, little in the way of navigational equipment, and not much else. The Cruise of the Teddy is Erling's charming and modest account of how, with great fortitude, resourcefulness and good humour they reached New Zealand via the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with many delightful human encounters along the way, to arrive with one more in the family than they started with.

For readers of Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit" and "Unbroken," the dramatic story of the American rowing team that stunned the world at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics
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"Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.
The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together--a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.
Drawing on the boys' own diaries and journals, their photos and memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, "The Boys in the Boat "is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times--the improbable, intimate story of nine working-class boys from the American west who, in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant. It will appeal to readers of Erik Larson, Timothy Egan, James Bradley, and David Halberstam's "The Amateurs."

The first logbook written specifically for skippers and navigators of powered craft sports a unique design that makes it equally suitable for use on small boats and luxury motor cruisers loaded to the gills with sophisticated electronic gadgetry. Within its 96 pages, the log offers enough space to record more than 80 passages. Also featured are sections designated for an engine and fuel log, equipment service records, serial numbers, waypoints, store lists, a stowage plan, and a crew names and addresses.

Following the pioneering work of the legendary Adlard Coles, the book was passed to Captain John Coote RN in 1982. In his comparatively short, ten-year tenure, John Coote expanded the coverage from the English coast to include northern France. He also applied a characteristic humour to the shoreside aspect of the text which has been enthusiastically adopted by Tom Cunliffe, the present and third compiler of this unique work. This is a revised 8th edition published by Imray under Cunliffe's hand. 'Shell' is more than a harbour guide. It also provides a reassuring hand on the shoulder for Channel navigation, with useful passage notes gleaned from the compiler's personal experience of more than 40 years running the tides and finding the eddies. His frank remarks regarding harbour and recreational facilities have long been relied upon by sailors of all generations and nationalities. While leading to some enlightening secrets, they have been known to cause landlords whose establishments fall short of the required standard to lose the will to live. Working with harbourmasters and a dedicated group of carefully selected yachtsmen and women, Cunliffe has kept this pilot as up to date as is humanly possible. More than being technically sound, which is to be expected from a Yachtmaster Examiner, the book is also a thoroughly enjoyable read. Imray Digital Charts: Free mobile download A voucher code to download the relevant Imray digital charts into Imray Navigator (our app for iOS and Android) is included with the paper edition of this book.

A century, a hundred, a ton, whether in sport, in life or an exam result raises expectations and interest. When it is a celebration of a leading yacht club's longevity, pens descend on paper. From small beginnings after the First World War the Royal Lymington Yacht Club has become one of the UK's leading sports clubs. The Club's patron, HRH Princess Anne, has seen the Club lead the way in a UK-wide recognised sailing programme for local youngsters, resulting in many of them winning Olympics medals. Other members have cruised round the world for fun, some more than once, while others have risen to be world champions in a variety of racing classes, up to and including the America's Cup. This snapshot of a hundred years of a Royal Club is an absorbing collage of yachting, educational and social events in a thriving club that is at the epicentre of the boating world of the New Forest, the Solent and Lymington River.

Based on the exceptional and fascinating eyewitness account of a 17th century Spanish padre, Dave Horner's Shipwreck is the absorbing and true story of two immense galleons that were lost (along with hundreds of passengers and millions of pesos in treasure) to disasters at sea. Shipwreck is an extraordinary literary adventure which interweaves accounts of the many attempts throughout the past three centuries to recover the sunken treasure, including the recent discovery and salvage of one of the galleons by Dave Horner himself. Shipwreck is an outstanding history of true adventure on the high seas, past and present, which is wonderfully enhanced for the reader with 50 photographic illustrations, six maps, four line drawings, seven appendices, as well as bibliographies of archival sources, institutions, original documents or primary works, and a general listing of thematically appropriate titles for further suggested readings.

A beautifully, uniquely illustrated nautical guide to how to trim your sails and rig for maximum performance. With a revolutionary approach, this guide tackles the practical and realistic elements of tuning your boat, plus the theory of sail aerodynamics. Due to the design of the book, we have had to restrict the layout of the ebook to PDF style which may result in giving you a more restricted reading experience. For this reason, we would not recommend viewing it on very small screens.

Learn how to predict a squall; navigate customs; earn money as you go; cope with heart attack, malaria, or simple sunburn; gut and dry the fish you've caught; stretch your fresh water supply. Clare Allcard's insights to all of these topics, and many more, come directly from her own long experience in living afloat. With The Intricate Art of Living Afloat as your guide, soon you too will know both the satisfaction of self-reliance on the open sea and the thrill of sailing away into that blue yonder.

The gentleman yachtsman's companion-in two volumes
Towards the end of the 19th century a series of books was published by the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes covering a variety of leisure activities in considerable depth. Many of the volumes consisted of essays, each written by a specialist contributor, covering different aspects of the sport or pastime. Many of these authors were members of the British oligarchy and aristocracy who were well placed, by experience, knowledge and the capacity to devote time and resources to these activities, to become acknowledged experts able to provide unmatched expertise and anecdotal information to their readers. The series was of sufficient value to warrant the approval of the Prince of Wales at the time. One of the best of these comprehensive guides is a substantial two volume edition which considers all aspects of yachting both technically, in terms of the construction and performance of the vessels, and as a sport and pastime. Leonaur has reproduced this superb guide to yachting for the modern reader. Each volume contains a substantial and interesting collection of data, diagrams, design drawings and a host of other illustrations. Volume two covers royal yachts, English, Scottish and Irish yacht clubs, the Thames Clubs, Windermere, yachting on the Norfolk Broads, yachting in America and New Zealand, foreign and colonial yachting, the American yachting season of 1893, the America Cup Races, 1893 and much, much more. There is something in these volumes to fascinate every yachting enthusiast as well as those interested in the history of yachts and sailing.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

Everything you need to know about trimming the foresail. This book demystifies the black art of jib trimming and focuses purely on this role. Concepts covered range from lift, drag and sail shape to wind changes and sea state, with lots more in between. The guide is full of annotated photographs and diagrams to show you exactly what you are trying to achieve and the use of sailing terminology has been reined in. Once this guide is in your head, you will be trimming like a pro. Stand out from the crowd and become a valued crew member by uncovering the secrets of sailing fast whilst remaining in control.

Kim Sturgess was a weekend sailor: he enjoyed club racing and several brief sailing holidays, but had never attempted a substantial expedition. Reaching the age of fifty focused the mind and he decided to sail around Britain. While many cruising sailors would not contemplate a 1900 nautical mile voyage, he broke the voyage into a series of day sails, making it an achievable ambition for him, largely single-handed, and for many other weekend sailors who might dream of sailing around their home island. This book tells the quirky traveller's narrative of the voyage and visits to forty-eight towns. Evoking the spirit of both Jerome K. Jerome with his Three Men in a Boat and Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World, Kim shares his thoughts and struggles, recounting how easy it is for anyone to become an adventurer here at home. But don't expect to always agree with him - he has been described as "the Jeremy Clarkson of yachting"!

The Norfolk Broads is a unique wetland environment, with marvellous wildlife and scenery that is ideal for exploring by canoe or kayak. This guide provides all the information you need to plan your journey through this picturesque landscape. Seven rivers and fourteen Broads are described in detail, with information on launching points, local attractions, wildlife and history. Distances between launching points are also provided, along with details of riverside campsites and pubs, enabling you to plan single and multi-day trips. To help you prepare for your journey there is also advice on tides, safety, access and environmental issues. The 2nd Edition contains 128 small but significant updates.

When Adrian Hayter set out single-handed from Lymington, England on his thirty-two-foot Albert Strange-designed yawl Sheila II, local betting was seven to one that he would get no further than the English Channel. His destination was New Zealand, and the odds were definitely against him. In 1949 perhaps only eight people had sailed solo around the world, and single-handed long-distance sailing voyages were rare. Adrian, then thirty-four, was a soldier, not a sailor. In the previous decade he had been a close observer of the Partition of India and fought as a soldier in the Second World War and the Malayan Emergency. The latter, Britain's brutal reaction to the Communist uprising of 1948, had driven his decision to sail halfway around the world, single-handed. More than sixty years later, and in the thirtieth anniversary year of Adrian's death, Lodestar Books is republishing the story of that voyage, Sheila in the Wind, first published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1959. As a sailor, Adrian recounts his foray into celestial navigation, a back-street appendix operation in India, armed escort by Indonesian authorities at sea, and eating barnacles off the hull to avoid starvation. As a writer he is trying to make sense of the humanitarian disasters that brought him to this voyage. Sheila in the Wind is more than a report of a 13,000-mile adventure; it's a story of the human spirit.

The gentleman yachtsman's companion-in two volumes
Towards the end of the 19th century a series of books was published by the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes covering a variety of leisure activities in considerable depth. Many of the volumes consisted of essays, each written by a specialist contributor, covering different aspects of the sport or pastime. Many of these authors were members of the British oligarchy and aristocracy who were well placed, by experience, knowledge and the capacity to devote time and resources to these activities, to become acknowledged experts able to provide unmatched expertise and anecdotal information to their readers. The series was of sufficient value to warrant the approval of the Prince of Wales at the time. One of the best of these comprehensive guides is a substantial two volume edition which considers all aspects of yachting both technically, in terms of the construction and performance of the vessels, and as a sport and pastime. Leonaur has reproduced this superb guide to yachting for the modern reader. Each volume contains a substantial and interesting collection of data, diagrams, design drawings and a host of other illustrations. Volume one covers ocean cruising, Corinthian deep sea cruising, yacht design development, sliding keels and centre boards, experiences of schooner racing, racing small yachts in the Solent and cruising in the Baltic, accounts of fifty-tonners, five-tonners and five-raters and much, much more. There is something in these volumes to fascinate every yachting enthusiast as well as those interested in the history of yachts and sailing.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

All boaters need to have a repertoire of reliable knots and splices they can call upon in many situations, both on board and at the dockside. This handy pocket guide, part of the bestselling Reeds Skipper's Handbook series, is a quick aide memoire for experienced sailors, but also provides novice sailors with all they need to know to master the most useful knots and splices they will need on a regular basis when going to sea. Each knot gets a double page spread with a clear photograph showing what the finished knot should look like, and step-by-step diagrams accompanied by straightforward instructions about how to tie it. Helpful text also describes each knot's use, when and why to use it, how strong it is, how quickly it can be tied (and untied), and what type and thickness of rope can be used to tie it with. This is the perfect pocket companion.

In 2020, Christiaan De Beukelaer spent 150 days covering 14,000 nautical miles aboard the schooner Avontuur, a hundred-year-old sailing vessel that transports cargo across the Atlantic Ocean. Embarking in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, he wanted to understand the realities of a little-known alternative to the shipping industry on which our global economy relies, and which contributes more carbon emissions than aviation. What started as a three-week stint of fieldwork aboard the ship turned into a five-month journey, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced all borders shut while crossing the ocean, preventing the crew from stepping ashore for months on end. Trade winds engagingly recounts De Beukelaer's life-changing personal odyssey and the complex journey the shipping industry is on to cut its carbon emissions. The Avontuur's mission remains crucial as ever: the shipping industry urgently needs to stop using fossil fuels, starting today. If we can't swiftly decarbonise shipping, we can't solve the climate crisis. -- .