Flotilla sailing enables thousands of people every year to charter a yacht and enjoy a holiday in a sunny foreign location: a group of boats sails together under the guidance of a lead crew. In 1974, the first holiday flotilla of eleven yachts set off from Aegina in the Saronic Gulf of Greece and no-one involved could have had any idea that they were at the beginning of something that would grow so big. It is now possible to go flotilla sailing in every continent of the world. The author traces how flotillas originated, how new cruising areas were opened up and new companies formed. He worked closely with the pioneers of this form of tourism who willingly contributed to the research into what they called 'the time of our lives': managers in one or other of the companies, skippers or engineers in charge of the boats, and clients. The second part of the book looks in detail at changes in some villages and harbours of the Ionian Sea, an area where much of the development has occurred through the influence of the boats rather than land-based tourism. It draws on conversations with taverna owners who remember when two visiting yachts was big business. Every page has coloured reproductions from the original brochures and cruising guides, and in the Ionian section modern photos are set alongside equivalent views before the yachts started coming in numbers. The book may be an introduction to flotillas, an insight into the background of the companies which now offer charters of this sort, or just a memento of a wonderful holiday.

This wanderlust-fuelled guide profiles breath-taking surfing spots in seven European regions, including Spanish Cantabria, the French Basque Country, Tenerife, Belgium, the UK, and Brittany. Veerle Helsen, a die-hard surfer and design journalist, has combed Europe for a mix of better and lesser- known surfing spots, authentic beach restaurants, fabulous hotels, and the most beautiful driving routes. This book expands on her previous photo/guidebook to surf travel (also called Surf & Stay, 9789401449069) which was published in 2018 and focused on the coasts of Spain and Portugal.

Open boat cruising has never been more popular, in the doing or the reading of it; magazines, websites, associations and events around the world attest to this, and of course the countless sailors who just 'get on with it' in their own unassuming manner. Two such, some fifty years ago, long before today's explosion of activity, were Ken Duxbury and his wife B; Ken's three books recounting their adventures in the eighteen-foot Drascombe Lugger 'Lugworm' delighted many on their first appearance, yet they became unavailable for years. 'Lugworm on the Loose' describes how Ken and B quit the 'rat race' and explored the Greek islands under sail. 'Lugworm Homeward Bound' recounts their voyage home from Greece to England. 'Lugworm Island Hopping' has Ken and B exploring the Scilly Isles and the Hebrides. The light touch of Ken's writing belies the sheer ambition, resourcefulness and seamanship which infuse these exploits. And beyond pure sailing narrative, his books convey the unique engagement with land and people which is achieved by approaching under sail in a small boat.

Even though swimming is the closest thing to a perfect exercise you can name, too few people experience its full benefits. That's because most find themselves fighting to stay afloat, struggling for air, and feeling exhausted after just a lap or two, all of which makes this perfect exercise frustrating, laborious, and complicated. For the past fifteen years, veteran swim coach Terry Laughlin has been teaching adults how to swim better - and enjoy it more - by using his simple and original techniques. Laughlin turns traditional swimming beliefs inside out as he explains that it's technique - not athletic ability - that makes a strong swimmer. Laughlin teaches 'Fishlike Swimming,' focusing on slipping through the water rather than using muscle to overpower it. The key is working with the water, not against it - learning to swim ever faster and farther without losing a sense of flow, grace, economy, and balance.

Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will help make you a better sportsperson whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your sport. Featured in Swimming - Crowood Sports Guides are information boxes containing Key Points and Top Tips; sequence photographs and detailed diagrams in colour. There is a thorough analysis of the four strokes (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle). Starts and turns analysis, including the individual Medley are covered and valuable advice on techniques, coaching, drills, training, tapering, nutrition and competition psychology is given. There is also an introduction to rules and equipment.

"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his oftenchallengingvoyages. Now you can take a seat next to John--at a lesser cost--and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure. In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation-even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear,planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea. Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable-water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you.

Diesel engines are installed in just about every yacht and in most large motorboats and, while professional help is often at hand, sometimes it is not. Indeed, engine failure is one of the most frequent causes of RNLI launches. This book explains how to prevent problems, troubleshoot and make repairs using safe techniques. It could also help you save money on expensive bills for yard work you could do yourself. Diesels Afloat covers everything from how the diesel engine works to engine electrics, from fault finding to out of season layup. With this guide and your engine's manual you can get the best performance from your boat's engine and be confident in dealing with any problem. The book covers the syllabus of the RYA Diesel Engine and MCA Approved Engine (AEC-1) courses. This edition has been thoroughly modernised and updated by former course lecturer and currently chief engineer on merchant ships, Callum Smedley.

This comprehensive book is the diver's key to this rich variety of diving. Based on the author's experience over a period of almost twenty five years, it is a clearly laid out, A4-sized, full-colour, 224 page guide which takes you on a trip around the seas of Malta. The book features 45 shore dive sites, each illustrated with an aerial photograph and easy-to-follow 3D map. The most favourable entry and exit points, depths and underwater landscapes are shown, helping to make each dive as stress free and safe as possible. And there is a selection of 52 boat dives with information and history for each site. Hundreds of supporting photographs cover the marine life, wrecks, artificial reefs, local knowledge and places of interest. A book for all, Scuba Diving Malta Gozo Comino is suitable for experienced independent divers, those who require accompanied diving and beginners. Highly illustrated as well as informative, this guide makes an ideal coffee table book as much as it does a reference book or beautiful souvenir. **A FREE printed insert included with the book updates some key changes to dive sites which happened post-publication: Tugboat 2 at Exiles (St. Julian's Point), Sliema has moved into the reef; and the Azure Window, Dwejra (Gozo), which collapsed in 2017, changing several classic dive routes in that area.

In 1968, nine sailors set off on the most daring race ever held: to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe nonstop. It was a feat that had never been accomplished and one that would forever change the face of sailing. Ten months later, only one of the nine men would cross the finish line and earn fame, wealth, and glory. For the others, the reward was madness, failure, and death.

In this extraordinary book, Peter Nichols chronicles a contest of the individual against the sea, waged at a time before cell phones, satellite dishes, and electronic positioning systems. A Voyage for Madmen is a tale of sailors driven by their own dreams and demons, of horrific storms in the Southern Ocean, and of those riveting moments when a split-second decision means the difference between life and death.

Anyone who contemplates any onboard do-it-yourself work should have this book at his or her elbow.--"Cruising World,"

This book reduces a boat to its most rudimentary parts in simple drawings and clear explanations. Fascinating to read, its a perfect teaching tool.--"Ocean Navigator,"

Whether youre a new mariner or a lifetime veteran, "How Boat Things Work" is a resource you cant afford to be without. With intricate two-color cutaway drawings of eighty different systems and devices, as well as detailed explanations of how theyre assembled, how they work, and how they can go wrong, this book covers every primary component of your boat's inner workings. .

This guided tour under the hood of your sailboat or powerboat includes: . . Engines, transmissions, bearings, stuffing boxes, propellers. Steering systems, autopilots, windvanes, compasses. Rigging, splicing, line handling, block and tackle, sail controls. Anchors and windlasses. DC and AC electrical systems. Pumps, toilets, seacocks, freshwater systems. .

Charlie Wing earned a Ph.D. in oceanography from MIT. Wing lived aboard a cruising sailboat for six years, during which he obtained his U.S. Coast Guard Captains license. He is also the author of "Get Your Captain's License," "Boatowner's Illustrated Electrical Handbook," "The One-Minute Guide to the Nautical Rules of the Road," and other boating titles..

Looking back at the lives and sailing careers of some of our lifetime's finest yachtsmen, this collection of eleven original, moving accounts is just as much a celebration of the good - tales of hope, achievement and courageous spirit - as it is an account of their tragic final voyages. Included are world-renowned racers, like Eric Tabarly and Rob James, highly experienced cruisers and adventurers, like Peter Tangvald and Bill Tilman, and the notoriously ill-prepared Donald Crowhurst, as well as other famous and some less well-known sailors. Starting with the sad loss of Frank Davison and Reliance in 1949, the book concludes with the amazing last voyage of Philip Walwyn in 2015 - crossing the Atlantic single-handed in his 12 Metre yacht Kate. All of the men and women described were friends with or known to the author, Nicholas Gray, who himself competed in several short-handed long distance races, where he met and raced against many of these fascinating characters. Peppered with photographs showcasing the sailors and their yachts, this is a refreshing look at those who have helped to shape this sport's history, honouring their lives and accomplishments before detailing their tragic last voyages.

More than just a book about sailing, Go for the Green is a clarion call to bring sailing out of the doldrums and into an expanded role as a catalyst for the more environmentally sensitive enjoyment of the sea. As a former Coast Guard Officer, active racer, cruiser and yacht designer, author Garry Hoyt combines a lifetime of sailing experience, with a weather eye to uncover the new challenges of global warming and the need for energy independence.

His prediction that carbon based fuels will eventually draw the same degree of social scorn that smoking now receives, creates an automatic need for ingenuity in the harnessing of sail and solar power as better alternatives for water based recreation. To encourage readers along that path, Hoyt presents a philosophy and a variety of new design solutions to stimulate more creative design development. He makes his case in a simple, readable style that will interest all those who love the sea.

This is the perfect reference for anyone using a powerboat whether you are just starting or need a refresher. The primary themes throughout the book are safety and fun with regular checklists at every stage. The book starts before you even get on the water with fully illustrated descriptions of types of boat, engine and trailer along with key advice about how to get the right combination for your needs - of course the black art of reversing a trailer and not getting a boot full of water are covered. Once you are on the water, there are hints and exercises to develop boat handling before moving on to how to handle the boat at speed and what to do when you have to stop at a jetty, buoy or with an anchor.

An introduction to navigation and tides will enable the powerboater to travel securely whilst prompting an interest in developing their navigation skills. Critical safety issues such as Man Overboard, travelling at night and First Aid are covered in considerable detail and with clear photographs, as is guidance on keeping your boat in good condition.

The book contains over 300 photographs and illustration and we recommend it for all RYA Powerboating courses from Level 1 to Advanced.
* Quick Start Guide
* What is a Powerboat?
* The Boat
* Water and Wind
* What do you need?
* On the Road, Launch and Recovery
* Key in the Ignition
* Moving Off
* Develop your Skills
* Anchoring
* Life Begins at 40? Maybe, but try 25
* Weather
* Navigation and Chartwork
* Communication
* We're running late and it's getting dark/When the fog comes down...
* Man Overboard
* First Aid
* Engine
* Boat Maintenance
* Recovery
* Towing - Long and Side

Peek into the mind of a champion swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time (28 medals, including 23 gold).

In this candid memoir, Phelps talks openly about his battle with attention deficit disorder, the trauma of his parents’ divorce, and the challenges that come with being thrust into the limelight.

Readers will relive all the heart-stopping glory as Phelps completes his journey from the youngest man to ever set a world swimming record in 2001, to an Olympic powerhouse in 2008, to surpassing the greatest athlete of ancient Greece, Leonidas of Rhodes, with 13 triumphs in 2016. Athletes and fans alike will be fascinated by insights into Phelps’s training, mental preparation, and behind-the-scenes perspective on international athletic competitions.

A chronicle of Phelps’s evolution from awkward teenager to record-breaking powerhouse, Beneath the Surface is a must-read for any sports fan.

A racing yacht can be a very public place to make a mistake. Especially if that mistake costs a place, or causes a sail to fall in the water or something to break. Add a bit of a breeze and your error could be expensive or, worse, dangerous.

Help is at hand. Racing crew explains, using words and photo sequences, exactly how to perform all the crewing jobs - safely, smartly and fast.

Newcomers to yacht racing - be they cruising sailors or dinghy crews - will find the book especially useful. In fact racing crew will everyone the confidence to join a new crew, perform well - and be asked back!

Since it first appeared yacht crewing, Malcolm McKeag's book has been regarded as the essential handbook for yacht racing crews. Working closely with National Keelboat Coach Bill Edgerton, he has ensured that this second edition incorporates the very latest fast techniques.

South Africans are world-renowned for their love of extreme endurance sporting activities and their ability to organise world-class events. Some of these events are recognised as the oldest, largest and toughest in the world. Held in locations that range from rugged coastlines, lush green valleys, berg, bush and dessert, they offer some of the most scenic countryside to be found worldwide. Each year, thousands of competitors pit themselves against the elements and test their mettle to take part in many of South Africa`s hardest physical challenges. From the cold of the highest mountains to the unforgiving heat of the desert, by foot, water or bike seemingly ordinary people take on these endurance sporting events. Whether seeking to prove themselves as athletes, or attempting to escape the humdrum, one thing they all have in common is an unbreakable drive to test the very limits of their endurance. South Africa`s Toughest and Most Scenic Endurance Sporting Events, profiles 40 of the country`s toughest, unique, iconic and most scenic trail runs, marathons, swimming, off-shore and trans ocean sailing, canoeing, surf skiing, cycling, mountain biking, off-road motorcycling, off-shore ridged hull and multi-sports events. Breath-taking photographs and detailed information about each event will thrill endurance athletes, extreme sports addicts, and outdoor adventurers of all types and disciplines.

Motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices are rapidly evolving. Positioned at the forefront of this evolution, the constraints-led approach encourages practitioners to consider the athlete as a whole person, with unique traits, abilities, and capacities. Accordingly, an athlete's competitive success lies in the practitioner's ability to adapt their programming to the unique needs of each athlete and to develop an understanding of the athlete-environment relationship. A Constraints-led Approach to Swim Coaching applies contemporary motor skill acquisition and athlete development practices to swimming. This book encourages coaches to re-consider how they approach skill development in a sport that requires considerable physical training and highly efficiency movement. It presents a framework for identifying the various constraints that determine the ability to perform at a high level. It then offers coaches' practical examples to navigate the manipulation of constraints to support the development of physical capacities and the ability to effectively utilize those capacities through efficient movement. These frameworks are broadly inclusive to the global sports programming market. The book is written through a 'conversive' voice and is accessible to a broad audience interested in athlete development and programming such as coaches, sport scientists, support staff, athletes, and parents. At the same time, academics, and students in the areas of sport coaching, biomechanics, motor skill acquisition, strength and conditioning, and related disciplines will find interest in the insights provided from this underrepresented niche in sports.

In this lovingly-researched new guide, Matt Newbury and Sophie Pierce take the reader beyond the popular beaches into a hidden world. Torbay's 22 miles of coastline is enormously diverse, from the terracotta crags of Maidencombe, to the spectacular limestone arch at the grandly-named London Bridge; its waters are among the shallowest and safest in the UK. The book features fifteen detailed swims packed with practical information, as well as the history, popular culture, geology and marine biology of each unique section of coast. Captivating images by diver Dan Bolt reveal a previously unseen side to this coast, away from the sandcastles and candyfloss. The book also looks at Torbay's proud history of sea swimming, and a golden age when the resort was known as Queen of the Watering Places. The Bay was once renowned throughout the country for its amazing swimming; now it's time to rediscover what made this small corner of England so famous.