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.

America's most experienced and renowned sailing instructor has put down in this volume all he knows about his subject. And he has done it in a way that reflects years of searching for and finding the best way to teach sailing. The result is an incomparable book for anyone who wants to become an expert sailor.

In Superyacht Captain, a professional at the zenith of the world's most lavish and exclusive industry gives a rare insight into a career that is entertaining, instructive and at times daunting in its scale. The tale of an ordinary boy whose career takes him on a most extraordinary journey, this book begins with Brendan messing about in boats in a sleepy coastal Australian town, and ends with him becoming one of the most successful and respected superyacht captains in the World - the consummate 'Billionaire's Captain'. Spanning two decades and circling the globe, his story intimately draws readers into the real world of superyachts, their crew and their owners. It is Brendan's love letter to an industry he respects and holds so dear to his heart. It's the story of stepping out and embracing uncertainty - failing, learning and repeating - weaving in in the lessons he's learned as he's progressed from deck hand to captain, Brendan's insights are valuable for anyone leading teams with demanding objectives. Surprisingly humble and self aware, in a world of glitter and extravagance you can see why he's trusted. All of this is told against a backdrop of seemingly impossible glamour at the most extravagant edge of the global wealth spectrum, with plenty of entertaining stories of the superyacht lifestyle. A brilliant read for all, for the superyacht fans, as well as anyone interested in leadership and management techniques from someone at the top of their game, working for those who define the rules of the game.

'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.

Authoritative, practical, and hands-on information on reading and relying on electronic and paper nautical charts

The classic "How to Read a Nautical Chart" explains every aspect of electronic and paper nautical charts: how a chart is assembled, how to gauge the accuracy of chart data, how to read charts created by other governments, how to use information such as scale, projection technique and datum that every chart contains; how not to get fooled or run aground by overzooming. Nigel Calder teaches you how to squeeze every ounce of information out of a nautical chart (on your GPS, chartplotter, or nav station) and understand the limits of accuracy for all charts, paper and electronic, raster and vector. This much-awaited second edition addresses the changes in the world of electronic charting, integrated onboard navigation systems, as well as radar overlays and AIS and their interfacing with charts. A new chapter on the Wiki Revolution explores the mechanisms allowing you to incorporate user-generated content into navigational products and share this content with others--harnessing a user-base never before possible. Calder also explores how 3D-technology and real-time depth and weather information is creating interactive charting capacities that are fundamentally changing how we navigate. Calder's unique, practical insights will help you to navigate safely for years to come.

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.

"The definitive guide to kayaking the Florida Keys."--Jeff Klinkenberg, St. Petersburg Times

"The author has gone to great lengths to provide the necessary details to make kayaking in the Keys easy."--James Bell, Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge

Spanning the 200-mile stretch of the Florida Keys, this field guide to the entire island chain highlights 50 paddling adventures, many for canoeists as well as kayakers. Trips include short paddles suitable for beginners and children, half-day trips as well as day-long and overnight excursions.
Kathleen Patton provides an overview of the region's environment, describing its terrestrial and marine habitats. She covers equipment needs, safety concerns, weather patterns, and adapting tide tables for specific areas. Trips are arranged geographically, beginning near Miami at the top of the Keys in Biscayne National Park and stretching 73 miles past Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park. Each profile includes directions to the launch site, estimated paddling time, kayak rental availability, a detailed itinerary, and a route map. Icons mark each route's particular strengths: for example, great snorkeling, historical interest, camping, and appropriate trips for canoeists and for children. Patton also directs paddlers to the best reefs, swimming holes, and pristine sandbars for wildlife viewing--birds, manatees, dolphins, tropical reef fish, coral heads, sponges, sea stars, and huge spotted eagle rays.

Clear, concise trip descriptions and detailed maps make "Kayaking the Keys" the most complete guide for paddlers of all ages and abilities who want to explore the only tropical waters in America that are accessible by automobile.
Kathleen Patton is program coordinator for Florida Keys Discovery, a nonprofit community education project.

This is a must-have compact travel guide to the Canal du Midi, a picturesque waterway in Southern France, popular for boating trips and holidays. The Canal du Midi is recognised as one of the most beautiful and popular waterways in Europe. It is an UNESCO world heritage site and attracts many visitors every year. It's widely regarded as the perfect boating region for wine tasting, sightseeing at medieval villages and cities, and visiting cafes and restaurants. This up-to-date, comprehensive travel guide covers all the practical information and sightseeing opportunities boaters need to know about during their holiday on the canal, including: -Highlights and itinerary for Canal du Midi trips for easy planning -Insider travel tips for your boating holiday: where to stop off, sightseeing highlights, recommended restaurants to visit along the way -Essential practical nautical information such as how and where to charter, locks, bridges and berths and so on -Concise English-French dictionary with the most important vocab -Fantastic photography and useful route maps

This is the story of college-dropout John Kretschmer's quixotic voyage to retrace the route of the clipper ships, from New York to San Francisco by way of Cape Horn. This 'doubling the Horn', as it was called, was a formidable challenge to ships exceeding two hundred feet in length, as they routinely battled headwinds of fifty knots and mountainous seas. Kretschmer and crew took on the Horn in a 32-foot sloop. This is his chronicle of that voyage.

For readers who relish the image of clinging to a sinking makeshift raft while fighting off sword-wielding and delirious mutineers wrenching the last cask of water from a sailor's sun-scorched hands (while sharks circle in famished anticipation), "Shipwrecked! Adventures and Disasters at Sea" is an irresistible read. A heady voyage through human suffering at the hands of unforgiving oceans, cruel captains, and implacable fate, this latest collection of Evan Balkan's impeccably researched true adventures details 14 major maritime disasters. Included are such legendary stories as the 1629 maiden voyage of the "Batavia" that ended in mutiny and murder, and the dramatic destruction of the majestic three-masted barquentine "Endurance" in ice-clogged Antarctic waters in 1912. A vast spectrum of human emotion and activity is featured in these exciting profiles, from deadly incompetence and brutish cannibalism to surprising self-sacrifice and quiet heroism.

This manual takes both novice and experienced boatowner through minor to major repairs of electrical systems, engines, electronics, steering systems, generators, pumps, cookers, spars and rigging. When it was first published in 1990, the Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual broke new ground. It was hailed as the first truly DIY manual for boatowners and has sold in its thousands ever since. There have been significant changes in boat systems since then, particularly electrical systems, and this fourth edition has been fully updated to reflect these developments and expand its predecessor's worldwide popularity. 'Probably the best technical reference and troubleshooting book in the world' Yachting Monthly 'It deserves to come standard with every boat' Yachting World

With over two-thirds of the globe covered by water, the ability to navigate safely and quickly across the oceans has been crucial throughout human history. As seafarers attempted longer and longer voyages from the sixteenth century onwards in search of profit and new lands, the tools of navigation became ever more sophisticated. The development of instruments over the last five hundred years has seen some revolutionary changes, spurred on by the threat of disaster at sea and the possibility of huge rewards from successful voyages. As this book shows, the solution of the infamous longitude problem, the extraordinary impact of satellite positioning and other advances in navigation have successfully brought together seafarers, artisans and scientists in search of better ways of getting from A to B and back again.

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.

The ultimate guide to paddling whitewater in the western Carolinas, Carolina Whitewater has guided paddlers to the best creeks and rivers in the Tar Heel and Palmetto states for over 30 years.Detailed creek and river profiles include: Topographic-based maps Shuttle directions Gauge locations Kayakers and canoeists will find expanded and updated information for the classic rivers, like the Nolichucky, Nantahala, and French Broad, as well as for several new steep runs, such as Rockhouse Creek, Hurricane Creek, the Gragg Prong, and Big Hungry River. You'll also get vital information on clubs and organizations, state water trails, and national and scenic rivers. Waterway data for each run includes: Class of difficulty Length of the run Time to paddle Water level needed to paddle Permits required (if any) Gradient of each run Ratings for scenery David and Bob Benner have been paddling the Carolinas for decades. David resides in Morganton, NC. Bob Benner is retired and also lives in Morganton.

Dr Thomas Harrison Butler was a skilled, yet amateur, designer responsible for some hundreds of classic English cruising yachts which still grace our seas. Cruising Yachts, his design manifesto, first appeared in 1945-the year of his death-and last appeared in print in 1995. This long overdue Fifth Edition has been produced in collaboration with the Harrison Butler Association, and is a complete re-setting of the original text, drawings and mono photographs, documenting in detail HB's approach to the design and equipping of a yacht, providing an annotated catalogue of notable designs, and including a biographical portrait by HB's daughter, the late Joan Jardine-Brown. New for this edition are a modern gallery of colour photographs of HB yachts, and a thoughtful and illuminating Foreword by Ed Burnett, one of today's foremost designers of yachts in the classic English idiom.

Now in its sixth edition, this must-have guide for aspiring Yachtmasters covers the essentials of the RYA syllabus and provides new tips on exam tactics. Since the first edition was published, Pass Your Yachtmaster has helped thousands of students through their shore-based and practical Yachtmaster course. Concise and comprehensive, this crammer covers all the essentials of the RYA syllabus, arranged in bite-size chunks to make revision easier and brought fully up to date in this sixth edition. Throughout, the theory is set in a practical seagoing perspective, and helpful hints on exam tactics are provided too. And to relieve the tension of all that swotting, each section is enlivened with Mike Peyton's best-loved cartoons. "A wealth of information, simply laid out."--Cruising

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.

In the heartland of America rise the Ozark Mountains, teeming with cascading, free-flowing streams. Situated astride the Missouri/Arkansas border, the Ozarks represent a canoeing and kayaking wonderland. Still a comprehensive, accurate and readable guide, but now with a new design and format, "A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks (formerly" Ozark Whitewater) catalogs the varied rivers of the region. Inside are updated descriptions of all the classic rivers, including the Buffalo National and Little Missouri, as well as exciting new reports of today's steep creek runs: Bryant, Turkey, and many others. This guide is the definitive sourcebook for Ozark river sport.

Boating Essentials references everything a boater needs to know about boating laws, safe operation of water craft (including boats, sailboats and jet skis), useful knots, navigation, signals, weather, boating hazards and emergency first aid. An indispensable reference, it is the perfect companion to have on hand whenever you are on the water. Made in the USA.

An overview of the history of yachting in its social, cultural, political and economic contexts. Shortlisted for the Maritime Foundation's Mountbatten Award 2018 This book, by a leading expert in the field, is the first major history of yachting for over a quarter of a century. Setting developments within political,social and economic changes, the book tells the story of yachting from Elizabethan times to the present day: the first uses of yachts, by monarchs, especially Charles II; yacht clubs and yacht racing in the eighteenth century; the early years of the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes and an analysis of the America Cup challenges; the pioneering developments in Ireland and the exporting of yachting to the colonies and trading outposts of the Empire; the expansion of yachting in Victorian times; the Golden Age of Yachting in the years before the First World War, when it was the sport of the crowned heads of Europe; the invention of the dinghy and the keelboat classes and, after the Second World War, the massive numbers of home-built dinghies; the breaking of new boundaries by risk-taking single-handers from the mid-1960s; the expansion of leisure sailing that came in the 1980s with the use of moulded plastic yachts; and current trends and pressures within the sport. Well-referenced yet highly readable, this book will be of interest both to the scholar and the sailing enthusiast. MIKE BENDER is an experienced yachtsman and qualified Ocean Yachtmaster, with some forty thousand miles, mostly singlehanded, under the keel. He is an Honorary Research Fellow in History at the University of Exeter.

Began as a collective effort by members of the West Virginia Wildwater Association in 1965, Wildwater West Virginia emerged as the preeminent guide to whitewater in West Virginia. Now part of a new series and a new name to boot, A Canoeing Guide to West Virginia continues this legacy, guiding boaters of all abilities to over 120 of West Virginia's rivers, creeks and streams. The result of combined knowledge of hundreds of paddlers, this book gives paddlers all the information they need to paddle rivers safely and confidently: At a glance information helps boaters pick rivers to match their ability and current weather conditions, while river descriptions, gauge and shuttle route information provide additional critical information. More than an encyclopedia of mountain rivers and hydrologic data, Whitewater West Virginia is also a collection of experiences and an introduction to some of the most amazing geography in the east. Destined to ride in the dry bags and glove compartments of paddlers nationwide, this book continues to set the standard for all paddling guidebooks. Some of the rivers profiled include: Gauley River, North Branch of the Potomac, New River, Cheat River, Tygart River, Waites Run, Red Run, Roaring Creek, and Keeney Creek.

Raised to a life of relentless hard work as one of seven children of a single mother, Julie Waterman was married and having her own first child by the time she was 17. At 23 she was running her own cleaning company, making such a success of it that she was soon employing 400 people. But at 35 she gave it all up to buy a second-hand yacht and embarked on the biggest adventure of all - an attempt to sail single-handed round the world. There were parties in every port, along with a string of romances, some hilarious adventures and several narrow escapes from a watery grave. But Julie stuck to her plan - until a tropical storm left her shipwrecked on an island in the South Pacific, where she lived for three glorious years, falling in love with a handsome young French diplomat. Unfortunately her new paramour turned out not to be all he seemed - and Julie's round-the-world adventure was far from over. Shipwrecked in Paradise is Julie Waterman's story of her colourful life, complete with the laughs, the loves, the maritime mishaps and the parties and pink gins.

No other vessel-sail or power driven-had ever passed through the dangerous straits of the Northwest Passage and completed a voyage round the world before David Scott Cowper's daring journey in the converted RNLI life boat Mabel E. Holland. David Scott Cowper vividly describes his four year circumnavigation by way of the Northwest Passage, detailing his recovery of a boat sunk by Arctic ice and the adventure and hardship of a grueling non-stop voyage across the Pacific in a small power boat. In the annals of small-boat voyages, this one stands out by any measure; not only because of the enormous difficulties and the tenacity with which they were overcome, but because of the extraordinary fascination and unspoilt beauty of the Arctic. The book is enhanced by Scott Cowper's photographs taken during the journey.