"An invaluable resource. [Vigor's] practical wisdom gives you the know-how and confidence to prepare your boat for the sea."--Cruising World. Here is the book that answer the sailor's fundamental question--"Can my boat take me offshore safely?"--then shows how to make it happen.

The only rules-of-thumb compendium for boaters, updated with 45 new entries to delight, entertain, and most importantly, inform. These are tried and tested rules of thumb--the distilled essence of centuries of seafaring experience--providing succinct answers to the questions most-asked by boaters."The perfect, practical gift to give or receive." -- The Ensign"...reads like a lively conversation with a friendly, seasoned pro." -- Lakeland Boating

“Vigor is one of the finest boating writers of our time.”--Cruising World“You name it, it’s in here. Covers every boating situation. This book is both informative and entertaining.”--Latitudes & Attitudes“John Vigor is the answer guy if you’re having onboard arguments about nautical terminology or the science of sailing in general, and his new book lives up to the promise in its title.”--Good Old BoatWhether it’s boat main...

Aimed at sailboat owners of all kinds, this reference book contains 200 entries packed with solid practical advice and valuable tips. Each entry is categorized alphabetically and prefaced by an arresting statement such as "People always lie about how fast their boats are." The reference format offers readers the opportunity to open the book at any page and browse endlessly. Cartoons by SAIL Magazine cartoonist Tom Payne enliven the text. A comprehensive appendix covers some 50 technical to...

John Vigor knows a thing or two about sailing. He’s been at it for decades in sailboats of all kinds—racing (he’s a national champion), cruising (he has tens of thousands of miles of blue-water crossings), and generally messing about (there is no place he’d rather be).John Vigor knows a thing or two about writing as well. A journalist by trade, he was a reporter, columnist, and editor, and he’s written more than a few best-selling books about sailing.Things I Wish I’d Known...

The Reluctant Mariner tells of an Australian couple's five-year circumnavigation of the world in a 12.2-metre long, steel-hulled ketch called Onawa. The author, Joanna Hackett, was once a self-proclaimed landlubber who had never even considered sailing off over the horizon in search of adventure but, having married a man keen to do just that, was willing to "give it a go". Her candid account, penned with dry wit and accessible style, made The Reluctant Mariner a sell-out when it first hit ...

Here's what reviewers have said about this book:This book is full of well-illustrated ideas to make your boat safer and more comfortable. All of the projects are easy and economical to perform most with common items available at any hardware store. This is a great read for novices as well as seasoned sailors and particularly for those with smaller boats and weekend cruisers.. . .Downloaded the book before I went sailing.........big mistake! All I wanted to do was get b...

"Secrets' is the modern Bowditch, written so clearly that navigation and seamanship will be comprehensible to anyone . . ."-- Dave and Jaja Martin, circumnavigators and authors of Into the Light: A Family's Epic Journey"It's a great book. The prose is simple and clear . . ."--John Vigor, author of The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat"The nautical tips and techniques presented are encyclopedic, ye...

Tells of a sailing journey from San Diego to Australia in a 40 foot sailing boat. Covers Mexico, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji. Also has a chapter on various events "that were too much fun," for the crew. Includes useful detail on various formalities required in the respective ports of call. Chapters on each of the destinations mentioned above and a final chapter on comical (in hindsight) misadventures the crew experienced. Features a fun and farcical quiz to test a reader...

DON'T HOLD BACK is a must read for all who hear the call of adventure. Tears, terrors, joy and laughter entertains the reader as he follows John around the world on his boat, Moondancer. After years as a ski bum and white water kayaker in the Rocky Mountains, John undertakes his greatest challenge of all, the Worlds Oceans. He quits his job, buys a boat and begins living the Dream entertained by many of us. An amazing man of action who enjoys life to the fullest while experiencing the wond...

"It takes thousands of hours of sailing to get the kind of knowledge contained in this book." -- from the Foreword by Bruce SchwabThe ONLY bible for how to sail your boat fast, safe, and aloneSolo sailing is within any sailor's grasp with a little forethought--and this essential guide.Got a 35-foot sailboat? No problem. Is the wind blowing 20 knots? No problem. Are you racing offshore overnight? Even better. Singlehander Andrew Evans learned the hard way ...

298 photos! Missives from MARAVIDA: A Family’s Caribbean Sailing Adventure documents the extraordinary journey I took with my husband and our two children. Our adventure is chronicled in the e-mail messages I sent to family and friends after we met up with MARAVIDA in Trinidad. It is supplemented with pictures, general information about the locations we visited, and web links. I’ve done my best to preserve the small details of our life, which might prove useful for those who would like to ...