'It would be hard to imagine a more thoughtful, intelligent and companionable person to go to sea with than Paul Heiney.' Bill Bryson 'High comedy on the high seas. Informative and warm and freezing. It's quite a combination.' Griff Rhys Jones The writer and broadcaster Paul Heiney set sail from the east coast of England bound for Iceland, propelled by a desire to breathe the cool, clear air of the high latitudes, and to follow in the wake of generations of sailors who have made this often treacherous journey since the 13th century. In almost every harbour he tripped over maritime history and anecdote, and came face to face with his own past as he sailed north along his childhood coastline of east Yorkshire towards the Arctic Circle. But there was one major thing missing from this voyage - the sight of puffins. They are remarkable birds, uplifting as a ray of sunshine after a storm. To see them and share their waters was also part of Heiney's ambition. Imagine then his disappointment when, first, no puffins appeared off the Farne Islands, then none to be seen on puffin hotspots like Orkney. When he failed to see puffins on Iceland, Heiney still held out the hope that he would see the 'joker of the seas'. With inspiring travel writing, social and maritime history, and good-humoured reflections on his sailing journey, Heiney brings us this delightful book - a love letter to the puffin, to Iceland and the north, and to the pure pleasure of being at sea.

Explore Hidden Kentucky in Your Kayak or Canoe Wet your paddle-and whet your paddling appetite-with the authoritative guide to the waterways of Kentucky. From the eastern coalfields to the Mighty Mississippi along the western border, this is your updated resource for paddling the creeks, rivers, and waterways of the Bluegrass State. Canoeing & Kayaking Kentucky covers thousands of miles of paddling, including almost all of the state's paddleable waterways, in 77 river profiles that range in difficulty from scenic floats down the Green to whitewater runs on the Russell Fork. Authors Bob Sehlinger and Johnny Molloy combine the latest technology with good old-fashioned paddling trips to make your paddling adventures even easier to execute with completely revised and improved maps, access points, river gauges, and mileages, as well as updated contact information and GPS coordinates for every put-in and takeout. Between them, Bob and Johnny have paddled thousands of miles. This combined experience makes Canoeing & Kayaking Kentucky useful for paddlers of all types. Paddling has never been better in Kentucky!

With thousands of lakes and streams, over 1200 miles of canoe routes, 160 miles of portage trails, and 2000 campsites, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a true paddler's paradise. Extending nearly 150 miles in northern Minnesota along the Canadian border, the wilderness area encompasses more than 1 million acres. This Eastern Region edition of the classic two-volume guide has been fully updated by area journalist Louis Dzierzak, with full coverage of 50-plus entry points and routes. Trip descriptions include day-by-day paddling distances, portage tips, and difficulty ratings, and identify the appropriate water-resistant, topographic maps W.A. Fisher maps for each trip. Together, these books deliver everything a visitor needs for the experience of a lifetime.

With thousands of lakes and streams, over 1200 miles of canoe routes, 160 miles of portage trails, and 2000 campsites, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a true paddler's paradise. Extending nearly 150 miles in northern Minnesota along the Canadian border, the wilderness area encompasses more than 1 million acres. This Western Region edition of the classic two-volume guide has been fully updated by area journalist Louis Dzierzak, with full coverage of 50-plus entry points and routes. Trip descriptions include day-by-day paddling distances, portage tips, and difficulty ratings, and identify the appropriate water-resistant, topographic maps W.A. Fisher maps for each trip. Together, these books deliver everything a visitor needs for the experience of a lifetime.

Winner of the 2019 National Outdoor Book Award for Outdoor Literature! In the summer of 1987 Ed Gillet achieved what no person has accomplished before or since, a solo crossing from California to Hawaii by kayak. Gillet, at the age of 36 an accomplished sailor and paddler, navigated by sextant and always knew his position within a few miles. Still, Gillet underestimated the abuse his body would take from the relentless, pounding, swells of the Pacific, and early into his voyage he was covered with salt water sores and found that he could find no comfortable position for sitting or sleeping. Along the way he endured a broken rudder, among other calamities, but at last reached Maui on his 63rd day at sea, four days after his food had run out. Dave Shively brings Gillet's remarkable story to life in this gripping narrative, based on exclusive access to Gillet's logs as well as interviews with the legendary paddler himself.

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.

Plans included: Kingswear (1:6250) Continuation to Totnes (1:27 500)

Featuring a wide variety of paddling trips from the panhandle to the Keys, Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State provides an insider's scoop on canoeing, kayaking, and standup paddleboarding in Florida. This easy-to-use guide equips paddlers of every level with a toolbox of skills for their adventure on the water, from trip planning to journey's end. It highlights practical tips for equipment and safety as well as opportunities for viewing wildlife along the most notable and scenic of Florida waterways. This second edition is fully updated with the most current information on how to navigate 80 of Florida's best paddling routes and what to know before you go. Veteran paddlers and outdoor writers Sandy Huff and Lars Andersen are joined by 60 guest authors who offer valuable anecdotes and candid discussion about their topics and regions of expertise. With new photos, maps, and park and trail information, this guide will enable readers to head outdoors and enjoy a paddler's paradise.

The Optimist is the most popular junior sailing class worldwide, with thousands of young people actively racing them and hundreds attending the major events in the class. It has been the nursery for most of the top racing sailors in the world including all the Team GBR gold medallists at the last 2 Olympics (Sir Ben Ainslie, Hannah Mills, Saskia Clark and Giles Scott) - the same will be true for most other countries. Optimist Racing is written for those sailors, parents and coaches who are looking for success in this competitive class. In it you will learn what it takes to win, including how to achieve blistering boatspeed through technique and tuning, perfect boat handling and tactics as well as covering the mental and physical requirements for success. There is also a section for parents and coaches describing how they can best support their young sailors. Originally written by Ben Ainslie's Optimist coach, Phil Slater, this new edition has been completely updated by top international racing coach, Steve Irish, who can be found coaching Optimist and other sailors worldwide. This book is the up-to-date handbook for sailing an Optimist fast.

The ideal reference book for anyone following the RYA Day Skipper course. With a refreshingly practical approach, illustrated throughout with clear diagrams, worked examples and colour photography, this 4th edition covers all the theory and practical aspects of the RYA Day Skipper Certificate. Fully updated in line with the syllabus, and taking in new technology and navigation techniques (such as thermal imaging and radar), developments in yacht design and multihulls, this is a clear and comprehensive manual for anyone taking the Day Skipper exam or intending to make coastal passages in a small boat, covering: - seamanship - safety equipment - preventing collisions at sea - navigation and chart work - tides and tidal streams - pilotage and passage planning - weather - engine operation and maintenance - VHF radio procedures By the same author as the highly successful Yachtmaster for Sail and Power, this lively, helpful guide is the perfect companion to the course, whether for sail or power.

Chart scale 1:325 000Plans included:Scarlino to Punta Ala (1:85 000)Approaches to Giglio Marina (1:10 000)Approaches to Civitavecchia (1:40 000)Approaches to Fiumicino and Fiuma Grande (1:50 000)Approaches to Anzio (1:50 000)On this 2017 the latest known depths have been applied. Harbour developments at Civitavecchia and Fiumicino are included as is the restricted area on the approach to Anzio. The Corsican Channel TSS is shown, as are the extents of Marine Protected Areas on this chart. The chart specification has been improved to show coloured light flashes. There has been general updating throughout.

Did you ever wonder which civilisation first took to water in small craft? Who worked out how to measure distance or plot a course at sea? Or why the humble lemon rose to such prominence in the diets of sailors? Taking one hundred objects that have been pivotal in the development of sailing and sailing boats, the book provides a fascinating insight into the history of sailing. From the earliest small boats, through magnificent Viking warships, to the technology that powers some of the most sophisticated modern yachts, the book also covers key developments such as keeps and navigational aids such as the astrolabe, sextant and compass. Other more apparently esoteric objects from all around the world are also included, including the importance of citrus fruit in the prevention of scurvy, scrimshaw made from whalebone and the meaning of sailor's tattoos. Beautifully illustrated with lively and insightful text, it's a perfect gift for the real or armchair sailor, the book gives an alternative insight into how and why we sail the way we do today.

In order to safely navigate Europe's major waterway routes, all boaters need to know CEVNI - the Waterway Code - whose rules, signs, symbols and signals are understood and used by bargemasters and working vessels of all nationalities. This book has been written especially for pleasure craft users, setting out the rules in an easy-to-follow handy pocket-book format. It covers waterway signs, signals, flags and lights, markings on vessels, procedures in tunnels, locks and weirs, overtaking rules, berthing, and explains buoyage and landmarks - and for this 3rd edition there is a handy Quick Reference section grouping signs by colour for easy identification. The book forms the basis of the RYA test for the International Certificate of Competence and is accepted by European countries as the obligatory rules book that must be carried on board all small craft. 'Essential reading for anyone proposing to navigate the continental waterways' Waterways World 'A very welcome reference work for British boatowners cruising through Europe' Motor Boats Monthly 'A must' Little Ship Club 'Cannot be too highly recommened' Nautical Magazine

Verlen Kruger and Steve Landick came up with the idea of a canoe trip that would surpass all others, and they did it. Paddling their canoes or carrying them on the connecting land passages, they toured North America, from Montana to Manhattan, from New Orleans to the Arctic Ocean, from Baja California to home in Lansing, Michigan.

They mastered wild storms on the ocean, often paddled 75-100 miles or more in a day, shot through deadly rapids going downstream, and paddled up several major rivers, reaching the climax by going up the Grand Canyon. Again and again they were warned, "It can't be done" or "You'll never make it," but each time they rose to the challenge and kept going, finally completing a canoe trip of 28,000 miles that lasted three and a half years and was appropriately named "The Ultimate Canoe Challenge." This is the story as Verlen lived it.

The ninth edition of Inland Waterways of France is the ideal guide for planning cruises in and through the most fascinating and diverse waterway network in Europe. This edition takes a new paperback format, split into three volumes. David Edwards-May has investigated the many developments that have taken place during the last 10 years and presents a detailed description of the extraordinarily diverse system of navigable rivers and canals in France. With the restoration of historic navigations, the system now totals 9000 kilometres, and has become a favourite destination for tens of thousands of boaters from Europe and the rest of the world. This volume will serve to plan ongoing or future cruises through the 2500 kilometres of waterways from the northeast - the cross-border rivers Meuse, Moselle, Sarre and Rhine - to the Mediterranean. On the busier waterways recreational use is growing alongside the commercial traffic, but there are many places where boats can moor safely. Waterways are an important part of the appeal of France as a tourist destination. This new edition sets out the current state of the network in 126 pages in full colour, with detailed maps of 40 key sites, towns and junctions, and overview maps for each waterway. It is a unique blend of practical information, descriptions of places, maps, background historical notes and colour photographs.

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
"
"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 wind powers everything a sailor does and this book will help you to understand it. As a result you will be more prepared for your race, able to anticipate changes in the wind better and know what to do when they come. The first edition of this book was published in 1986, and it has been the go-to wind book for dinghy champions ever since. This new-look fourth edition is fully updated for modern forecasting and analyses a revised set of popular racing venues around the world: unveiling what to expect from the weather at over 25 regatta locations, it will get you ahead of the competition and powering up the leaderboard.

A concise guide to coping with any medical emergency?while at sea

Accidents that happen aboard a boat occur miles from professional medical help. First Aid Companion is a life-saving guide for dealing with any onboard medical emergency?including drowning, hypothermia, head injuries, heatstroke, fractures, and burns. Offering clear, step-by-step treatments that anyone can follow, this practical guide will vastly improve any victim's chances of survival.Includes treatment for seasickness, immersion, external bleeding, chest pains, and seizures

As vital as a first aid kit, this practical, splash-resistant guide will allow anyone onboard to take control of even the most serious medical emergency that occurs while at sea.

For any sea-farer, splicing rope is an essential skill. But the traditional 3-strand rope is fast disappearing. So how do you splice braided ropE? This is the definitive pocket-sized guide to all rope splicing techniques. Most of the techniques are quite easy to master - and also fun to do. See why splices are better - and stronger - than knots or shackles for joining or shortening rope, and follow the step-by-step photography and clear instructions to find out exactly how to splice efficiently.

Team racing is great for fast, fun and different sailboat racing. It helps develop some key skills for future racing success. This handy companion tells you everything a sailor and coach need to know to enjoy, improve and win at team racing. It describes the most useful moves around the race course, and the key rules that govern such moves. There are sections on how to slow & overtake; how to win the start & control the final beat; the best routines for practising; how to develop as a team & the team roles. One page gives all the winning & losing combinations for 2-, 3- and 4-boat team racing, highlighting the tactics for every combination, with simple tips for making strategy easy.

Stress-Free Engine Maintenance is an accessible and practical guide to understanding what is going on with your boat's engine, how to look after it, spotting the signs when all is not well, and how to fix it. Learn how to change a filter and impeller, how to ensure the engine doesn't overheat, and much more. This visual and jargon-free book covers all the essentials for looking after your engine, in one place, including: - Basic principles of how an engine works - Fuel, cooling and air systems - Engine electrical systems - Gearboxes and drives - Checklists (e.g. before starting and once running) - Most common causes of breakdown - Troubleshooting Like the other titles in Duncan Wells' bestselling 'Stress-Free' series, the information is presented in an accessible, manageable way, with the use of diagrams, quick reference tables, box features, QR videos, clear explanations, top tips and checklists, making maintenance and basic repair of your engine straightforward, and with minimum stress. There are also plenty of amusing anecdotes and useful lessons learned. If you find the prospect of fixing anything to do with the engine daunting, then this is the book for you. Stress-Free Engine Maintenance is a key addition to any boat's bookshelf, ready to remind the skipper how to deal with problems and keep everything running smoothly.

Discover what the Pilgrims missed when they moved to Plymouth after landing on Cape Cod. Explore the numerous bays, ponds, harbors, marshes, and tidal creeks of this New England treasure. In the expanded second edition of this classic book, author David Weintraub adds kayaking adventure off Martha Vineyard's shores. From one-hour trips to all-day excursions, kayakers of every skill level will find a route to explore.Trip descriptions, maps, launch sites, and driving directions, plus nearby historical and scenic attractions: this book is a must-have guide to the solitude and beauty of these regions.