A handy, splash-proof, on-the-water aide memoire of everything the skipper and crew need to know - or find out quickly - when cruising: from lights, shapes and sound signals to knots, ropes and engine troubleshooting. With diagrams and illustrations throughout, this quick reference guide will help to keep you safe when out at sea.

A pocket database containing everything a busy skipper needs to know but might find hard to remember. It is easy to take for granted how much a skipper needs to know : Navigation, how to pilot the boat into a new harbour, using the radio, checking the engine, keeping an eye out for things that need repair, monitoring the weather, feeding the crew and much, much more! This pocketbook is designed as an aide-memoire with checklists to make life easier for busy skippers and a must-have reference for first-time skippers. It should also prove an invaluable reference book for the RYA Yachtmaster syllabus. The book has been helping skippers for nearly 20 years and has now been edited and thoroughly updated by Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner, Sara Hopkinson. (RYA and Yachtmaster are registered trademarks of the Royal yachting Association.)

Sailing is far more fun if you understand what is going on aboard and can give a hand. And if the weather turns nasty, or things go wrong (which is very rare), then an extra hand can be invaluable. This compact companion contains all the essential information that a new crew needs before stepping aboard: what clothes to bring, what the things on the deck are called, how to start helping with the sails and other deckwork. There is also an important section on safety and one on living aboard - because 'boat living' is not at all like living ashore. Ideal for a skipper to give out to new crew, or for a new crew to buy for themselves, to ensure that they know what to expect and get the most out of their first sailing experiences.