"Olympic Obsession" brings to life the personalities behind British rowing's incredible success story at the Sydney Games. Set to a compelling narrative, the book unfolds against the story of Martin Cross, himself an Olympic champion, turned BBC commentator. Cross' unique relationship with the sport over the last 30 years allows him to take us under the skin of the likes of Sir Steven Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent, and Miriam Batten. What is Redgrave really like to be with? Cross, Pinsent and a resentful Andy Holmes have their say. Why was Foster the only one who seemed to smile during the BBC's fly-on-the-wall "Tales of Gold" documentary? How was it that the British eight's gold medal depended on a man given only a few months to live in March 1997? Cross answers all these questions and many more, through a fascinating story that begins over 25 years ago. With a foreword written by BBC Radio Five Live's controversial commentator Alan Green, "Olympic Obsession" will appeal to all sports lovers, as Cross takes us from the 'highs' of winning Olympic gold, through the depths of personal failure, to giving a flavour of the heady brew that results when sport and politics are mixed at the highest levels. But the Inside Story of Britain's Most Successful Sport is much more than just 'another book on sport'. The intensity, passion and depth of the many relationships sensitively described here by Cross will sound a powerful note in any reader's heart. As you turn the pages, take care: you may find the inspiration in this book infectious.

From gentle streams to challenging rapids, the rivers of Vermont and New Hampshire flow through some of New England's most unspoiled countryside. The rivers featured here range from flatwater to class 3 rapids, and offer reliable water levels for paddlers from summer through fall. Here the touring paddler will find covered bridges, granite ledges, historic towns and villages, and a variety of places to fish and camp. Roioli Schweiker, an authority on the waters of New England, has distilled a lifetime of paddling experience into this friendly, no-nonsense guide. Features for this completely revised and updated third edition include maps denoting access points, rapids, bridges, and dams; tables showing mileage and river conditions; tips on trip planning, canoe touring, and camping; and information on picnic areas, short hikes, and historic sites along the way.

This small book is intended principally as a help to leisure boaters who are not familiar with the Thames through central London. However, Part 2 may well help even the most seasoned of watermen. The length of the river covered is from Margaret Ness in the east, to Putney Bridge in the west. This is the area for which a local knowledge endorsement is required for most commercial skippers. It is a very busy part of the Thames, with every conceivable type of craft likely to be encountered. The book is divided into three parts: The first part gives general information and advice, and in passing, mentions local rules which will be relevant . The second part lists many places the names of which you might read or hear on the radio. The third part outlines the types of hazard you will encounter as you make your way up river on a fold-out chart

From a racing master, all the knowledge you need to make your boat go faster and safer in any condition

In "Performance Sailing and Racing," Steve Colgate explains how to improve your sailing and push your boat to higher but safer speeds. He shows you how get your boat to perform as it was designed--with grace and an ease of motion--and to sail at a fast speed that can get you out of situations more quickly and arrive at your destination sooner.

Used as one of the text books at the many branches of the Colgate Sailing School, "Performance Sailing and Racing" will help you get started in racing and improve as you learn. Even veteran sailors will pick up some new tips and tricks to becoming a successful racer. End-of-chapter quizzes reinforce what you learn so you can use your knowledge confidently on the water.

Sail faster and smarter: Get the picture with clear, colorful photos and graphics Master vital topics relating to boat speed--sail trim, sheet lead angles, steering differences in light and heavy air Learn even those daunting topics, including using a spinnaker and understanding polar diagrams

With this master teacher's wisdom on all the factors that make your boat sail better, you'll win the next race or just blow past the other boats in the outer harbor.

With characteristic eloquence and a healthy dose of humor, Tristan Jones tells a gripping story of sailing 8000 miles from Istanbul to Thailand.

Plans Porta Canal Nea Skioni Nisis Diaporos Anchorages Nisis Ammouliani Stenon Thasou.

Canoeing and Kayaking New York includes descriptions of 50 of the best trips on New York's dozens of rivers. Along with runs for both experienced paddlers and novices and profiles for both over-nighters and short, round-trip day paddles, this book contains all the information necessary for a safe, enjoyable trip. Kevin Stiegelmaier combines information about tides, river gauges, GPS waypoints, and maps with personal anecdotes, historical trivia, and descriptions of local plants and animals, sprinkled with a touch of humor.

Canoeing North Into the Unknown is an important book about canoeing Canada's most remote and fabled rivers, the rivers that flow north to the Arctic. Bruce W. Hodgins and Gwyneth Hoyle have amassed an unparalleled amount of information on who canoed these rivers and when. The rivers have long been highways for the aboriginal peoples, and the journals of those who followed in their wake, from early fur-traders, missionaries and surveyors to 20th-century recreational canoeists, provide a rich heritage of history and adventure. The account of each river system includes a geographical description, its historical significance, and chronological records of those who have canoed its waters. As well, there are maps, photos, indexes and bibliography. This book will be indispensable to all who love canoe travel, the North, Canadian heritage and adventure.

Shifting Currents is an original and comprehensive history of swimming. It examines the tension that arose when non-swimming northerners met African and Southeast Asian swimmers. Using archaeological, textual and art historical sources, Karen Eva Carr shows how the water simultaneously attracted and repelled these northerners - swimming seemed uncanny, related to witchcraft and sin. Europeans used Africans' and Native Americans' swimming skills to justify enslaving them, but northerners also wanted to claim water's power for themselves. They imagined that swimming would bring them health and demonstrate their scientific modernity. This unresolved tension still sexualizes women's swimming and marginalizes Black and Indigenous swimmers today. The history of swimming is a new lens through which to gain a clearer view of race, gender and power on a centuries-long scale.

From the National Education Officer of the U.S. Power Squadrons, here is the operator's manual that should come with every boater's GPS receiver or chart plotter. About the BookGPS for Mariners was immediately well received by nautical book buyers because it took the mystery out of what was, in 2003, still a somewhat mysterious black box. Sales of the book have been strong ever since--through the U.S. Power Squadrons and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as well as through bookstores and marine stores.In the intervening six years, however, GPS has achieved almost universal acceptance. No one needs to be told in detail how the system works or why it is reliable anymore. Boaters today accept GPS as the ultimate navigation tool-they just want to know how to use it.At the same time, even the most basic GPS receivers are much more full-featured now than six years ago. It's hard to find a new GPS receiver--even a handheld unit--that doesn't have resident charts or maps, for example. And many boaters now buy chart plotters with integral GPS--and the distinction between a GPS receiver and a full-featured chart plotter has become increasingly blurred. About the only thing that hasn't changed is that the manual that comes with a new GPS receiver or chart plotter is as confusing, fragmented, and incomplete as ever, and in all likelihood never even mentions nautical applications because GPS manufacturers cater to the larger nonboating markets.In response to these trends, the second edition of GPS for Mariners will have much less GPS tech-talk and theory--no sense preaching to the converted-and more instead on getting the most out of today's more advanced and powerful units. And the second edition will be presented in full color to do maximum justice to the many screen shots and electronic chart shots the book will feature, thus faithfully replicating the full-color screens of most of today's GPS receivers and chart plotters.Revamped coverage and emphasis: Boaters no longer need to be told what GPS is. They just want to know what it will do for them and how to use it. Therefore this new edition eliminates theory and adds brand-new content on the features and capabilities of new GPS receivers and chart plotters.Now in full color: Because marine GPS receivers and chart plotters have made the transition to color displays since the first edition was published, so has the book. The second edition will be printed entirely in color, the better to show the many features of GPS and chart plotters.Distinctive author qualifications: Bob Sweet is not only a successful boating book author but also the National Education Officer of the U.S. Power Squadrons, America's largest non-profit boating organization and boating educator.The manual that should have come with your GPS or chartplotter but didn't. Clear, concise advice on how to install and initialize the unit, how to use its various features, and how to interpret what it tells you.Color screen shots of the displays take the mystery out of interpretation. Learn basic and advanced functions. Use the device for advance route planning as well as en-route navigation.Become an informed GPS buyer as well as an informed GPS user.Learn the ins and outs of navigation software Interface your GPS with a PC, radar, or autopilot.

A young schooner bum, thrilled by the ways of a windjammer, resolves to acquire his own boat and follow the sea in search of pals and gals and utopian freedom. It is the mid 1950s, he is in his early twenties, and while building his own boat he rather suddenly finds himself to be a family man. Undeterred, he and his bride, now five and a half months pregnant, sail out through the Golden Gate in an experimental contraption and turn left for Mexico. They don't know it at the time, and they wouldn't have cared, but their tiny boat is the first three-hulled watercraft to go to sea in modern times. Soon the author becomes an unintended "instant expert" in what would become, fifty years later, an absolute sea change in marine architecture. This work in two volumes tells of those fifty years, of the people, the boats, the foibles and the fables, the history and lore that - despite a sometimes fierce resistance from the Corinthian community - comprise the origins of today's modern catamarans, trimarans and proas. Told as the memoir of a septuagenarian sea dog whose failing eyesight causes him to "see" his memories, Jim Brown recounts the multihull milestones of the 1950s to the 70s (Volume One) and the 1970s into the new millennium (Volume Two). He highlights the pivotal multihull pioneers, and relates the controversial advent and eventual ascendance of multihulls today, with their implications for tomorrow. However, this rich nautical heritage runs as but a thread through the fabric of how the multihull phenomenon shapes the lives of the writer and his family and friends. His obsession is fulfilled in ways far different from his youthful promise to himself.

Essential Sculling is an authoritative, concise, and thoroughly readable handbook that focuses on helping anyone become an accomplished sculler. Here, Daniel J. Boyne offers the finest instruction - for men and women alike - on the art and skill of rowing, including: identifying and buying a well made boat; beginner and advanced technique; boat-handling skills; drills for blending technique and power; training for competition; the mechanics of rigging; the value of camps and coaches; and much more. With clear descriptions and illustrations throughout, Boyne teaches a healthy respect for both the tradition of sculling and the precise beauty of its execution.

Attention rowers YOGA FOR ROWERS is a brand new way to train that's great for all program levels & coaches - from high school up to Masters. With testimonials from an Olympic coach, FISA World gold medalists, National gold medalists, an Oxford Boat Race champion, Head of the Charles competitors & more Yoga For Rowers is 65 pages & includes workouts & calendars. This book shows targeted poses for each phase of the rowing cycle in large full color photos & outlines specifically what these poses do. The instructions are easy to follow & the program is easy to fit into your existing training program. Yoga For Rowers will dramatically improve your oarsmanship: * Increasing your length of stroke * Improving power * Allowing you to train harder with fewer injuries * Exponentially developing flexibility & core strength * Fine tuning your sense of balance & sensory awareness * Developing your mental focus A minimum of 15 minutes a day is all it takes to ohm your way to gold next season

This is an inspiring, high quality guidebook for the South East of England. It is written for the recreational, non-specialist paddler and the trips are suitable for all kinds of canoes, kayaks, sit-on-tops and inflatables. The guidebook will also be useful for group leaders planning organised trips. This family-friendly guide features 26 easy but interesting paddling trips, mostly 1-3 hours long, within an hour or two of London. They provide good access and parking, include pubs and tea shops; castles and camping; and, canoe and kayak hire. This title is produced in association with Canoe England. All trips are thoroughly researched, selected, and tested by Peter Knowles.

The recorded history of the diving industry has been fundamentally corrupted over the past 150 years. The result is a complete misunderstanding of how it all began. Who invented the diving helmet? Refer to any encyclopaedia or history book and the answer you will find will almost certainly be wrong. The First Treasure Divers reveals the true and fascinating story. It blows away the myths and deliberate misinformation that have crept into the historical record. Thanks to the painstaking research the author has carried out over the past 25 years, the falsehoods are peeled away to unveil the true, definitive account. It follows the lives of two brothers as they struggle to turn their newly-invented diving helmet to advantage and how they wrestle with apathetic and even hostile authorities for recognition of their invention. It thunders through sunken treasure adventures to the heroism and horrors of the Crimean War. The impact of the invention of the diving helmet is immense. In the 180 years since the Deane brothers carried out the first ever commercial helmet dive off the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England, the diving business has expanded to a global industry with an annual turnover in excess of $3,000,000,000. From another point of view, the life-support technology developed in the diving industry provided the knowledge for keeping the pioneering, high altitude pilots alive, which in turn evolved into the life-support systems of the astronauts who walked on the moon.

New concept in navigation provides the perfect complement to your charts and traditional cruising guides

This unique cruising guide features aerial photos matched with chart segments to guide you through channels and harbor approaches. Prepared with input from local experts up and down the coast, hazards, safe channels, and key navigation aids are clearly labeled on photos and charts.

A joyful dive into the wonderful waters of wild swimming.

Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Now he can't pass a body of water without wanting to jump in.

Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it's about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke.

Working with elite coaches and interviewing the great and the good of swimming, he uncovers the massive sense of community at the heart of this time-honoured pastime. He meets Olympic champions and Channel legends – including Diana Nyad, who in her 60s became the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida; Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron of the Oceans and Lynne Cox, a woman who went for a swim and saved the world.

It's about the everyday swims, too – the tips shared and friendships forged over coffee and cake after a morning dip with the Teddington Bluetits or the sea swimmers of Whitstable. With the sport exploding in popularity over recent years, we all know someone (or are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year.

Swimmingly will leave you with a renewed sense of connection to the world, and perhaps even inspire you to dive into your nearest lake, river or sea with gleeful abandon.

What makes a working mother and average athlete decide to take on a massive physical and mental challenge to run, cycle and kayak the perimeter of South Africa, covering 6 772 km in less than five months? Kim van Kets was inspired by her desire to demonstrate to her daughter the fact that mothers are heroes too. She was able to justify the 'time-out' after having built up a credit balance of 150 days owed to her by her adventurer husband. Her story is a positive and enthusiastic 'off the beaten track' South African adventure and is amusing, anecdotal and inspiring.

It tells of the physical and mental challenges of the journey but focuses on stories surrounding the people and places she encountered along the way, including those of the ancient Kalahari farmer who pronounced her to be a 'Ramkat' and the Nama goatherd who seemed doubtful about her gender and anxious to be rid of her. The book is also a wonderful South African travelogue and is studded with nuggets of history and fascinating trivia about the plants, animals, characters and places as well as brief summaries of important life lessons the journey highlighted for the author.

It will leave the reader feeling upbeat, inspired and eager to explore the splendour of the beloved country and its people.

This is the second book in the series that contains 100 conditioning workouts that focus on building swimming capacity, with specific workouts for each of the competitive swimming strokes, and overall endurance. The workouts in this book use interval training, speed play, and stroke contrasting sets that total up to 3,500 yards/meters. Each workout is accompanied by a 'Tip of the Day' to help swimmers get the most benefit out of their conditioning routine through heart rate monitoring, stroke versatility and improved strength. Coach Blythe's Swim Workouts are appropriate for the self-coached swimmer and triathletes, as well as for coaches looking for workout content for the athletes they train. The presentation of the workouts in this book series is clear and comprehensive. Photos and diagrams are included to assist with training goals. Each book begins with a motivational introduction, and contains sections on planning an on-going swimming routine, and goal setting.

The Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew has become the preferred resource for cruising and racing sailors - whether they're planning a weekend afloat or a round-the-world voyage. This unique volume covers everything from outfitting a galley to organizing meals safely in rough weather; from controlling seasickness to creating the right conditions that ensure your crew stays well-rested and alert.