Live the cruising life without being wealthy! Thousands of ordinary people are living their dreams of sailing the world thanks to The Cruising Life, and this completely updated Second Edition aims to help thousands more find adventure over the horizon. Even if you've never sailed before, this A-to-Z guide can have you cruising to exotic ports within five years. Your adventure begins right at home, practicing to live a sensible life with only the essentials, as described by lifelong sailor Jim Trefethen, who relishes the cruising life in retirement. Along your path to living at sea, Jim prepares you to: Discuss the pros, cons, and realities of the cruising life with your spouse Save and maintain the best type of cruising fund to meet your goalsStrip away your anchors, including useless possessions, credit card debt, and your jobManage, grow, and protect your cruising fund while at seaDevelop essential skills for living on the water, and how to earn an income selling those skillsFind the boat you need, outfitted with the essential gear and equipment, in your price rangeAssimilate into the sailing community by developing the traits of a successful cruiser If you think age, experience, and money can keep you from the cruising life, you haven't read The Cruising Life, Second Edition.

For those who own a cherished but dilapidated fiberglass runabout, or for those who want a boat but are turned off by the high prices and often poor quality of todays offerings, this book explains everything there is to know about turning a rundown runabout into a real showpiece for a fraction of the cost of a new model. Author Jim Anderson, a runabout renovator from Minnesotas Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, leads readers through the whole renovation process.

For those who think a project like this may be more than they can handle, renovating an old runabout is actually less complicated and expensive than adding on a deck or redoing a room--two of the most popular projects for home handymen. And Andersons sense of humor and gift for providing simple solutions make Runabout Renovation as fun to read as it is easy to understand.

The backyards of North America house literally millions of rundown runabouts ripe for renovation. With Jim Andersons help, you can own a better boat than you can buy new, for a quarter of the price or less. And like a beautifully restored 57 Chevy, itll have class.

Low-cost alternatives for the powerboater on a budget.

Although more people own boats ranging in length from 14 to 24 feet than all others combined, most books published about boat repair and restoration are directed at the big boat or yacht owner. In addition, many marine dealers and technicians never seem to have the right answers or the time to spend on people who own little boats. Hence Runabout Renovation, a complete guide to finding and fixing up old fiberglass speedboats.

Youll learn how to:

• Choose and survey a boat
  
• Make cosmetic repairs and repaint your boat
  
• Replace the floor
  
• Reupholster and carpet the interior
  
• Build a new transom
  
• Upgrade electrical and mechanical systems
  

. . . and much more. Theres even a section on repairing aluminum boats, and one on installing and repairing horns, lights, bilge pumps, live wells, and other speedboat accessories.

Considering the tens of thousands of fiberglass powerboats that exist today, one wonders why Jim Andersons Runabout Renovation is so late in coming. Whether youre shopping for a used or new boat, or trying to maintain the value of a boat you already own, this book will prove indispensable.--Richard Lebowitz, Editor, Boating World

Expert advice on how to find (and purchase and outfit) that safe, affordable, and responsive sailboat to take readers around the world, or around the bay

Unlike other books that go into fundamentals about rudder designs, etc., "Bluewater Sailing for Any Budget" concentrates on specific advice about the search process, the buying process, and final outfitting. The centerpiece of the book is yacht delivery captain and marina owner James Elfer's analysis of 20 offshore-capable sailboats available for under $50,000. This one-of-a-kind list of boats is based on an exhaustive survey of industry professionals, and the boats are readily available for purchase in most regions. Unique, well researched and well-founded list of capable boats Includes first-person accounts from owners Table of data for each boat, including important capsize number (an indicator of stability) Multiple photos and lines plans

""It was the best of dreams, it was the worst of dreams, it was an age of consulting the nautical experts, it was the age of landlubber foolishness, it was the epoch of determination, it was the epoch of despair, it was the season of hurricanes, it was a spring of beachcombing...""

If you dream about chucking it all away and sailing toward an island life, read this first Renee and Michael didn't have any boating experience and when their plans to remedy that fell through the two had to learn everything the hard way. Despite themselves they managed to get from Miami to Grenada, eventually dropping the anchor of their cruising catamaran at the island of their dreams. Determined to save future sailors from themselves, "A Sail of Two Idiots" includes lessons Renee and Michael learned and shares them with you as examples of what and what not to do. This a how-to guide wrapped in a funny story--kind of like getting your serving of vegetables from a slice of pizza. Read this and make your dream of sailing away a reality. Includes: "What Broke?" sections explores the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of a cruising multihull "Island" section provide assessments of the islands of the Caribbean

This thoroughly modern take on an essential skill for anyone going to sea concentrates on the tackle needed for all types and sizes of boat, explains manual and hydraulic systems for handling anchors, and demonstrates with helpful photos and diagrams safe and efficient anchoring techniques in all conditions - wind, strong tide, shallow water, rocky bottoms and deep bays - all of which require particular techniques that are covered in detail to help the reader develop effective skills.
Once considered something of a black art, anchoring is coming back into vogue as a free alternative to paying costly marina fees to berth overnight. Being competent and confident at anchoring offshore also allows boaters to anchor off a peaceful beach, providing the ideal opportunity for the family to go swimming from the boat, fish, or just row round - a better distraction for the kids than searching the marina for an Internet cafe.
With detailed diagrams and instructive photographs of both sail and power boats of all sizes under anchor, this helpful guide takes the reader step-by-step through the entire anchoring process in a clear and helpful way.

The only reference devoted entirely to splicing today's ropes

"The Splicing Handbook" includes step-by-step illustrations and explanations for the most useful and popular splices in traditional twisted and modern braided ropes, and it covers every kind of splicing project you are likely to encounter, including modern cordage such as Spectra; mainstream rope materials such as Dacron and nylon; and wire and rope-to-wire splices. Covers all the standard rope constructions using Dacron and nylon, including solid braid, double braid, parallel core, plaited, and three-strand Explains how to splice wire for sailboat shrouds and halyards Shows how to make a broad range of useful onboard projects--and several that will find uses around the home as well, including dog collars, netting, rope railings, and lanyards.

Spark a passion for sailng and the outdoors in your child

From the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards bronze medal winner

Ever since humankind began seafaring, boats and shoreline adventures have produced sturdy, independent, creative, self-reliant kids. From the author of the bestselling "Complete Sailor" and proud father of a boy mariner, here is the book for all parents who want to introduce their kids to the world of boats, boating, sailing, the shore, and the sea. It provides dozens of adventures and activities for kids, and a plethora of projects for you and your kids to do together.

Topics range from how-to to fanciful, in random organization so that each excursion into the book turns up unrelated gems on facing pages. "The Anti-Pirate Potato Cannon" encourages your kid to get outdoors and on the water, to build things, to try things, to cultivate their curiosity, to learn self-reliance, and to get a giant dose of the magic of seaside adventure. Loaded with things for kids to do--build a rope ladder; build a Huck Finn raft from PVC pipe; catch and fillet a fish; go crabbing; skip a stone; body surf; waterski on bare feet; chart a cove; learn the great sea battles; build a sandcastle; navigate; win a sailboat race; paddle a sea kayak; and a whole lot more. Designed to cultivate a kid's curiosity about the natural world.

Topics include: Where's the wind coming from; How high is that wave; An anti-pirate potato cannon; Brew your own biofuel; Make a dugout canoe; Build a Huck Finn raft from PVC pipe; Skip a stone; Build a sandcastle; Carve a paddle; Row a boat Escape a rip current; Go kite sailing; Navigate by the stars; Carve a half-hull model; What's on the bottom; A journey to the abyss; Don't wrestle an alligator; A dinghy camper; How to dive with mask and snorkel; Build a motorboat from cardboard tubes; Body surf; Recognize ships; Discipline in the Age of Sail: cat-o-nine tails, hanging from the yardarms; Steer without a rudder; Chapter 25. Tie up to a dock; Reading a lines drawing; Whatever floats your boat; Play nautical capture the flag; Paddle a sea kayas; Build a rowboat; Signal across the water; Capture plankton in a net; Tie knots and splices; Make a rope ladder; Make a chart of your favorite cove; Throw your own beach clam bake; Make a catboat-race weather vane; Fight off a shark; Heave a monkey's fist; Ski on your own bare feet; Fillet a fish... and cook it on your engine; Your own ditty bag; A proper sailor's knife; How to stand up on a PWC; How to get up on a wakeboard; Go clamming; Build a human pyramid on water skis; How to poop in a boat: How marine heads work; Diver's tube raft; Submarine a PWC; Survive a sinking; Finding east or west All you need is the north star; The bosun's pipe; Ships in a bottle; Five sea battles that changed history; Use the five secrets of winning a sailboat race; Make a viewing bucket to see underwater; Cast a fly; Survive a hurricane; The Eskimo roll; Stow that chart; Goggles from a soda bottle; Find fish fast; Repair a sail; Whalewatching; Go on a plastics hunt; Don't be left in the dark; Pets at sea: how to train your cat or dog for boating; The green and clean boat; Ride the disk; Go crabbing; Careers at sea; Pass your boating license exam; Origins of sea terms; The best way to coil rope; Carve a slalom turn; Keeping watch; Throwing a cast net; Keep what you catch - start an aquarium; Heroes of the Sea: Shackleton, Slocum, Day, Knox-Johnston, Heyerdahl, etc.; Books & Stories (Three Men in a Boat, Crunch and Des, Riddle of the Sands, Swallows and Amazons); Stage paintball sea battles; Read the messages in clouds; Get unlost in the fog: sager forecaster; Know how to handle waves; Semaphore signals; Glacier surfing; Great voyages by young mariners; Make a weather station

Navigate the hazards of boat ownership with absolute confidence

Next to your house, your boat may well be the biggest investment you ever make. Buying and owning a boat involves one baffling decision after another. Yet informed, impartial guidance is almost impossible to find--until now, that is.

This essential manual provides a method to the madness of boat buying and ownership, plotting a straight course through an ocean of confusion while it answers such questions as: Why fractional ownership often makes sense How to avoid buying a boat you'll never use How to identify the Goldilocks boat--not too big, not too small How to choose a powering option How to negotiate the best deal on any boat-new or used How to be your own surveyor, and why even a new boat may need a professional survey Why you should finance your boat even if you have the cash, and where to find the best loans How to calculate the total cost of ownership before you buy

The insights and wisdom of the late, great boat designer and builder

Renowned as one of the last and best of the old-time boatbuilders, Captain R. D."Pete" Culler provided a guiding light for the wooden boat revival in the 1970s. His designs are classic melds of elegance and utility; his workmanship was akin to artistry; and his teaching and writing a blend of clarity, good sense, insight, and humor. This book brings together the complete texts of Culler's classic works "Boats, Oars, and Rowing" and "Skiffs & Schooners," along with articles from "The Mariner's Catalogs" and a selection of his timeless boat designs.

From the acknowledged master of the "instant boat"--tips, techniques, and designs for quick-and-easy plywood boatbuilding

Dynamite Payson offers you a new guide to building 15 exciting boats from master designer Phil Bolger. "Instant Boatbuilding with Dynamite Payson" includes plans and instructions for a multipurpose skiff for sail, oar, and power; a pirogue for single or double paddle; a big pram dinghy; a maneuverable peapod; a long, fast, rowing dory; a rugged outboard-powered work skiff; and more. You will enjoy the commonsense advice, step-by-step building instructions, and tips on tools and materials that have made Payson a hero of amateur boatbuilders worldwide.

"If we had only known even a bit of what John Craddock tells us now, our own history could have been so very different."
--Sherry Sontag, coauthor of "Blind Man's Bluff" In "First Shot," John Craddock investigates a little-known but clear eleventh-hour warning that, had it been heeded, might have enabled the Navy's Pearl Harbor command to blunt the Japanese assault and save ships and lives. Craddock reveals that the attack plan of Japan's Admiral Yamamoto included five midget submarines, each carrying two men and two torpedoes. "First Shot" vividly recreates the action on the deck of the U.S.S. "Ward" on the morning of December 7 as the outmoded relic of an earlier war engaged a tiny, state-of-the-art undersea fighting machine.

Your quick-access guide to international and U.S. boating rules

The U.S. Coast Guard requires every boat more than 39-feet long to carry a copy of the nautical rules of the road onboard. Here's one that is convenient and handy enough for quick reference on the water. This bestselling guide includes the full text of the original rules, and Charlie Wing's clear, rule-by-rule translations make them easy to follow. It also includes a "One-Minute Guide Decision Tree" and a brief overview of the rules' intent to give you a good idea of what to do in any common situation.

"Coastal Cruising Under Power" is your ultimate companion for exploring the coastal waters of North America with confidence in your powerboat. This beautifully illustrated guide provides countless tips on anchoring, piloting, weather, and more, along with in-depth, step-by-step instructions on numerous specific skills and techniques.

Cruising French Waterways has rapidly become the leading descriptive guide to the astonishingly varied network of rivers and canals that penetrate almost every region of France. Winner of the Thomas Cook Guide Book Award, it is full of fascinating information on the history and commercial activities of each area, as well as the historical sites, chateaux and scenic attractions of the many villages and towns which await discovery by water. Practical details include the maps and guides available for each area, maximum craft dimensions, bankside facilities, moorings, repair yards, shops, restaurants, fuel and water sources, waterways museums and wine regions. Beautifully illustrated, the fourth edition covers all recently restored waterways and explains newly introduced requirements for licenses and personal qualifications. 'So comprehensive, it is now the standard work on the waterways of France' Waterways 'Handsome...beautifully illustrated' Sunday Telegraph

This book contains more than seventy accounts of big adventures in small boats. In "A Speck on the Sea", William Longyard reaches back through five centuries to gather a collection of sea adventures in which the smallest, unlikeliest craft - and the daring individuals aboard them - completed extraordinary voyages against great odds. From canoes and small sailboats to a pair of strap-to-your-feet pontoons, the watercraft in these true stories make nearly as varied a collection as the mariners who piloted them. The intrepid seafarers and their feats of seamanship include: Ed Gillet's kite-powered transpacific kayak voyage Gladys Gradely's 1902 quest to become the first woman to solo the Atlantic; Ben Lecomte's swim across an ocean for love; Hugo Vihlen's 1968 ocean crossing in the 6-foot sailboat, April Fool; Peter Bird's tragic attempt to row across the Pacific; and, scores more. Whether driven by desperation, adventure, or a desire for fame and fortune, the risktakers in these stories show what vast oceans can be crossed in tiny contrivances by those who dare. 'Great fun to read' - "Cruising World". 'Very few reference books make for such riveting reading' - "Good Old Boat". 'Re-creates these awe-inspiring adventures in fascinating detail' - "NW Yachting". 'Seagoing heroes and scalawags come alive with rich detail in Longyard's volume of salty tales' - Judy Blumhorst, Commodore Emeritus, Northern California Association of West Wight Potter Owners and Webmaster, www.trailersailer.com. William H. Longyard has spent twenty-five years paddling, rowing, and sailing small boats of all kinds. He has published several books and written numerous articles for boating journals.