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

John Quirk loves history, drawing and boats and these three elements come together in this attractive and entertaining book. He has sought out obscure episodes or familiar events from the past and written engagingly about them, illustrated with his excellent colour cartoons. Where possible he relates the historical happenings and maritime moments to the present day, be it when tracing the history of the screw, misinformation (fake news) during the Second World War, plague ships in the fourteenth century, or Russia's ill-fated war with Japan in 1904. The events covered range from Henry V's invasion of France in 1415, consisting mainly of chartered French ships and paid for partially by Dick Whittington, to episodes in the Second World War, like the Somali Camel Corps capturing a German U-boat. Other historic figures involved include Horatio Nelson, Napoleon, Rudolf Diesel and Lawrence of Arabia. The 25 stories and over 100 cartoons are a treasure-trove of compelling, salt-infused, tales told with imagination and humour, with an eye on the present day, which will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in maritime history (or even just history).

Medical emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere, so first aid training can be very useful. It can be especially important if you are out at sea, where medical assistance can be hours or even days away. When onboard a seagoing vessel, even minor accidents, such as burns, sprains, and fractures, has the potential to become life-threatening. Being prepared and knowing essential first aid care can be the difference between life and death. This illustrated instructional guide offers a quick overview for the correct way to provide first aid. Chapters include standard medical examinations, different illnesses and related symptoms, effects of heat, cold, and water, and collecting relevant information about a sick or injured person. Such information is valuable not only for the person providing first aid, but also to give over the radio, because it may facilitate the decision-making about treatment strategy, thus saving lives under extreme circumstances.

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

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.

When mapmakers of the distant past came to the end of the known world, they would inscribe 'Here There Be Sea Monsters.' When Tori McClure attempted to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean in a 23-foot plywood boat with no motor or sail, she had no comprehension of the size of the monsters she would find. In deep solitude and perilous conditions, McClure was a loner determined to prove what one person with a mission can do. When she is finally brought to her knees by the worst hurricane season in the history of the North Atlantic, she must signal for help and go home in what she thinks is disgrace. Back in Kentucky, her life begins to change in unexpected ways. She falls in love. She is obliged to embrace her own vulnerability. And she meets Muhammad Ali, who tells her that she does not want to be known as the woman who 'almost' rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. So with her friends and her lover, she devises a strategy that will carry her to the opposite shore. With a wry sense of humour and a strong voice, McClure give us a true memoir of an explorer who maps her world with rare emotional honesty.

Everything you wanted to know about the mysterious art of rigging but were afraid to ask.

"Rigging" covers every aspect of standing and running rigging on a boat, explaining the role of every part and how they influence eachother. Easy step-by-step guides explain how to choose and fit your equipment before going on to describe how to tune your rig to achieve better performance. Alternate configurations are examined and the bewildering array of lines simply explained. Where calculations are used they are kept easy and straightforward to understand.

Table of ContentsChapter 1 - Running RiggingChapter 2 - BackstayChapter 3 - Genoa SheetsChapter 4 - Genoa CarsChapter 5 - Main SheetChapter 6 - Afterguys and SheetsChapter 7 - Halyards and Reefing LinesChapter 8 - Standing RiggingChapter 9 - Spreaders and Mast TuningChapter 10 - Winches

The second book in our Classic Boat series aimed at traditional boat lovers, builders and restorers.
Lofting is an essential stage in the transition between designing and building a boat in order to turn the design plans into boat lines plans to measure off and build the full-size boat. Its a tricky art, but this book shows exactly how it is done in clear, step-by-step diagrammatic stages. Aimed specifically at the amateur DIY builder, it will enable anyone to build a boat of any size, whether power or sail.
The author has been teaching lofting to boatbuilding students for over 10 years, and has found that the key to understanding is visualization - hence the plethora of step-by-step diagrams in this book to assist the reader to grasp the concepts.
Lofting will be welcomed by budding boatbuilders everywhere.

The lifesaving guide to treating any accident or sudden illness at sea

When someone is injured or becomes ill while on a boat, help may be miles and days away. "First Aid Afloat" is the onboard guide to taking control of any medical emergency. Illustrated with photo sequences showing exactly what to do, and written in language that is short and simple, this book will allow anyone to act quickly, stabilize the casualty, and provide the appropriate treatment at sea.Aimed at the novice first-aider and adopts a "no experience necessary" approach to first aidCovers bleeding, burns, musculo-skeletal injuries, environmental injury, illness and medical emergency, and treating childrenInstructions on moving a casualty, resuscitation, and getting help

With advice on what to look for when buying a first aid kit as well as how to be medically prepared when onboard, "First Aid Afloat" could save someone's life. No boat should be without it.

A compact, handy, on-the-water reference guide containing all the essential information about keeping your marine diesel engine running for when you need it most: the perfect quick reference guide to keep onboard. The book covers the parts of the engine and has checklists for monthly, weekly and daily checks. It outlines what to do if the engine won't start, or stop, if it overheats or there are problems with the fuel system. It tells you about servicing, the electrics and winterisation. Splash-proof and spiral bound - allowing you to lay it out flat beside your engine - this little book stands up to frequent use and will be a valued companion when the engine doesn't behave.

A fascinating and original look at how the sea has defined Britain - and decided the course of its history - for thousands of years. Being an island nation is a core part of the British identity. An estimated two thirds of the world's population have never seen the sea, but in the UK that drops to under 10 per cent. Yet most people don't appreciate the impact our position on the edge of a continental shelf has had on our history, going back thousands of years. Our coast neither starts nor ends at the beach, and this eye-opening book takes a look beneath the surface to explore the forces of nature that have made Britain what it is. We experience some of the highest tides on the planet and we are battered with waves that have travelled halfway around the globe before they get here, but most of what we understand about our unique waters has only been discovered in living memory. In this fascinating guided tour of the fantastically varied British coastline, Professor David Bowers combines oceanography with maritime history, explaining tides, currents and waves in an accessible way whilst revealing how they have been responsible for both salvation (the Channel alone checked the Nazi advance in 1940) and disaster (such as the catastrophic 1953 flooding that led to the ingenious development of the Thames tidal barrier). He covers everything from how ocean swell waves were first recorded here in preparation for the D-Day landings, to how the first underwater light measurements paved the way to modern ocean satellite observation. This is a story 8,000 years in the making, ever since the country broke away from mainland Europe in the Mesolithic era, and in his insightful and irreverent telling of it Professor Bowers shows that the British Isles are defined by the sea, regardless of whether you look at them from land or water. With exclusive photos and specially commissioned illustrations, the book encourages you to visit all the places it explores, but when you stand on the beach or clifftop you will never think of Britain in quite the same way again.

'What a fun book! Reading Sea Fever is enticing and intriguing, like watching floating treasure bob past your nose.' Tristram Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator Can you interpret the shipping forecast? Do you know your flotsam from your jetsam? Or who owns the foreshore? Can you tie a half-hitch - or would you rather splice the mainbrace? Full of charming illustrations and surprising facts, Sea Fever provides the answers to all these and more. Mixing advice on everything from seasickness to righting a capsized boat with arcane marine lore, recipes, history, dramatic stories of daring-do and guides to the wildlife we share our shores with, even the most experienced ocean-dweller will find something in these pages to surprise and delight.