Originally published London 1931. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. A well illustrated book that will prove invaluable to the class of yachtsmen for whom it is intended. Contents Include: The Selection of a Boat. - The Effect of the Wind on a Boat. - Splices, Knots, and Tackles. - The Small Open Sailing Boat. - Open Sailing Boats with Boom-Sails, and Half Decked Boats. - Decked Boats. - Seamanship. - Open Boat Sailing. - The Cruising Yacht. - The Art of Coasting. - Decription of a Voyage. - Regulations Affecting Yachtsmen. - Two Cruises on Lateen-Rigged Craft. Etc.

This is the 21st century update of yacht designer George Buehler's popular The Troller Yacht Book, the guide to fuel efficient and safe offshore cruising powerboats. Loaded with detailed information about cruising design theory, building, and outfitting, it is even more essential reading than the original edition for anyone thinking about ocean cruising in a powerboat. Buehler's attractive, affordable, rugged, and ultra-economical powerboat designs are popular, and are cruising all the world's oceans.

Scotland is famed for its rugged coastlines, pristine beaches, endless rivers and deep lochs. The whole country is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world. In this unique guide, adventurer Mollie Hughes introduces many of her favourite places to paddleboard, kayak, swim and surf. Mixing world-class surfing breaks with kayaking adventures on the west coast, and urban paddleboarding along the Clyde with invigorating swims in the lochs of the Cairngorms, the book shows us how to access and enjoy these varied blue spaces. Mollie includes her own personal experiences and tips, enabling wild watersports fans of all levels to make the most of the amazing opportunities Scotland has to offer.

Originally published in 1930, this is a compact guide to seamanship for beginners sailing on inland waters. Although it is easy to assume that there is little seamanship required on the quiet waterways of Britain, this book advises the reader about some common mistakes and pitfalls. With an ever increasing amount of people choosing to take their holidays on boats, it has some useful information on safety, comfort and enjoyment and of course, the food that is practical to cook on board. Contents Include: On Setting Sail and Getting Under Way - Sailing; With a Note on Balance-Lugs - On Strong Winds and Reefing - On the Rule of the Road - Mooring, Stowing, Awnings, Down-Mast - About Knots - On Ship-Keeping - The Kitchen - Dictionary and Index

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.

Shortly after his retirement, author Robert S. Ashton buys a 1983 Nordic 40 sailboat. He names the boat "Chandelle," not realizing at the time that it will be his home for the next ten years.

Along with his friends, Don, Roger, and Martha, Ashton soon joins a group of boats preparing to brave the Gulf Stream and adjacent waters from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Caribbean. During the next ten years, "Captain" Ashton sails to numerous destinations in his quest to circumnavigate the globe, including the Panama Canal, the Galapagos Islands, the Fiji Islands, Africa, and Australia. Ashton meets an eclectic group of people, experiences a variety of cultures, finds new members for his crew, and discovers the freedom of sailing the open waters.

"This Old Man and the Sea" is a must-read for any sailing enthusiast, revealing the highs and lows of extended life at sea with wit, wisdom, and insight.

Harry Parker was probably the most important figure in American rowing of the past century. His heavyweight crews at Harvard topped the leagues more consistently than any other team (they won the Eastern Sprints regatta, against most of the top college crews, more than three times as often as their nearest rival). From the time they miraculously won the 1963 Harvard-Yale Race at the end of his first year at the helm, his varsity didn't lose a race for six years, and they didn't lose to Yale until the Reagan administration. He was the first US National Team coach, and oversaw five Olympic teams. He coached the sons of his great oarsmen from the 60's and 70's, and at age 70 was still putting the sons to shame on a bicycle, or running the steps of the Harvard Stadium. He was respected by all, revered and adored by his rowers, and yet no one seemed to know him. The persistent myth was that he hardly said a word, and that his powerful mystique alone made his oarsmen great and their boats go fast. Though a fundamentally compelling figure, Parker's famous reticence means that few managed to spend much time close to him. Since he made no attempt to explain himself, legends abound: he never got older; he could control the weather; he could walk on water. The Sphinx of the Charles: A Year at Harvard with Harry Parker takes the reader not only inside the Harvard boathouse, but into the coaching launch with Parker. We see how he coached-how many words he actually uttered-as he guided his team through a year of training, and hear about his life in the sport. We see a paradox: Parker remained remarkably constant over the last forty-five years, yet he constantly evolved, changed his style, and used every means at his disposal to build champion crews. The Sphinx of the Charles goes inside the rowing world in a way hasn't been done before, putting the reader in the passenger seat next to one of the most successful coaches of all time. Parker is a historical icon, part of a tradition that goes back to the beginning of intercollegiate athletics in America. His story needs to be told. The Sphinx of the Charles is fundamentally a chronicle of a year with the Harvard team and a profile of Harry Parker as he was, five years before his death: comfortable in his position as elder and master of the sport, reflective but not nostalgic, aged but nearly impervious to aging. It is driven by Ayer's own observations of Parker from his seven years of coaching and training at the Harvard boathouse, but especially from one academic year, 2008-9. he shadowed him for a few days every week from September to June, observing practices both on and off the water, and interacting with the team. The present tense of the narrative reflects this immediacy, but also the sense that Parker has endured and continues to endure. And though The Sphinx of the Charles is not a biography in the usual sense, Parker's life and career were rich and extraordinary and they must be explored. Thus, each chapter carries the reader another month through the training year at Harvard, with vivid descriptions of team practices and a sense of progress towards the spring racing goals. From the passenger seat next to Parker we watch the rowers tackling the daily workouts, honing their mental and physical stamina along with their bladework, always trying to beat their teammates in the crew next to them, under Parker's watchful eye and ever-present megaphone. Parker makes asides in the launch that the rowers will never hear: remarks about the crews and their progress, passing wildlife, memories of his life in rowing, the river and its history, the sunlight on the water. Intertwined with the narrative are historical perspective, descriptions of the boathouse and the river, profiles of other coaches at Harvard, and impressions from rowers and coaches who worked with Parker over the previous forty-five years. Newspaper and magazine articles reveal how Parker was depicted, and how he revealed himself, to the rowing world and the public. The reader sees how Parker evolved and yet remained consistent. Parker was responsible for turning college crew into a three-season sport: varsity rowers now practice every day from September to early June. There are long "head" races in the fall, including the famous Head of the Charles in Boston. The winter months are a period of tough training on rowing machines and indoor "tanks," lasting until the ice breaks up on the river. The official season of "sprint" races doesn't start until April, and includes two championship regattas, the Harvard-Yale Race, and (if they win one of the championships) the Henley Royal Regatta in England.

A detailed, almost daily, record giving an accurate and authentic narrative of over two years in the life of a common sailor before the mast in the American merchant service of the early 1800s. The book is written in journal fashion in the words of an ordinary sailor on the brig "Pilgrim" on her voyage from Boston, round Cape Horn to the western coast of North America. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

'The attractions of dinghy sailing are many and varied. There is an enjoyment of being afloat and getting healthy exercise in the open air; the satisfaction of having secured a tactical victory and outsailed one's competitors is another source of delight, while the appreciation of the skill of someone else in sailing a better race should not fail to arouse pleasure and interest.' This book is a great source of interest and knowledge as well as a spur to successful racing and a guide to proud ownership. Contents Include: Periodic Survey and First Aid - Rigging, Wire and Wire Rope - Rigging - Cordage - Varnish, Enamel and Other Finishes - Scraping and Smoothing - Applying Varnish - Masts and Spars - Blocks, Fittings and Fastenings - Centreboards and Rudders - Sails - Getting Them Right - Keeping Them Right

Praise for this boating classic:

"The most up-to-date and readable book we've seen on the subject."--"Sailing World"

"Deserves a place on any diesel-powered boat."--"Motor Boat & Yachting"

"Clear, logical, and even interesting to read."--"Cruising World"

Keep your diesel engine going with help from a master mechanic

"Marine Diesel Engines" has been the bible for do-it-yourself boatowners for more than 15 years. Now updated with information on fuel injection systems, electronic engine controls, and other new diesel technologies, Nigel Calder's bestseller has everything you need to keep your diesel engine running cleanly and efficiently. "Marine Diesel Engines" explains how to: Diagnose and repair engine problems Perform routine and annual maintenance Extend the life and improve the efficiency of your engine

This is a book that aims to provide the beginner with a sound introduction to dinghy handling with a view to eventually acquiring race-winning skills. A useful read for anyone who requires information and to gain confidence before entering the sport. It may also be of service to those with more experience. Contents Include: Dinghy Classes - Buying a Boat - Crewing - Rigging and Jobs Ashore - Getting Afloat and Ashore - Mainly on Sail Trimming - Weight Distribution, Balance and Kicking Straps - Heavy and Light Weight Weather Tasks - Helming - Helmsman's Responsibilities - Sail Trimming and Steering - Positions and Predicaments - Maintenance of the Hull - Maintenance of Spars, Rigging, Sails and Gear - Joining an Club - Safety Measures - Some of the Many Clubs Giving Regular Races for Dinghies