Ian Nicholson provides an accessible introduction to open boat cruising.

John GlasspooL has been a confirmed small-boat cruising yachtsman for most of his sailing life. In this book he appraises the benefits of sailing smaller craft with practical advice on preparing the boat for cruising. Special techniques of navigation and seamanship are described, with useful hints on keeping comfortable boat afloat and ahore.

A practical and engaging guide to dinghy cruising, covering everything from getting set up to embarking on more adventurous cruises. A wonderful read with a huge amount of useful advice.

Written to complement the ASA's teaching methods, Cruising Fundamentals addresses small-boat daysailors who wish to move on to overnight cruising in a larger boat-one more than 27 feet long. The book leads the reader through five progressively more advanced levels of boat handling, each divided into sections covering knowledge and techniques that can be learned ashore and those best learned underway. A chapter called "Sailing the Cruising Yacht, " for example, presents important information on readying the boat for sail, VHF radio protocol, and right-of-way rules before examining such topics as heaving-to and steering a compass course. This effective and logical progression makes the book a great learning tool not just for those graduating from smaller to larger sailboats or from daysailing to cruising, but for inactive sailors needing a refresher and for anyone planning bareboat charter. The volume includes material on all aspects of piloting, maneuvering under power, managing the galley, diesel maintenance, passagemaking, and anchoring.

For the first time ever, a comparative survey of 95 percent of the fiberglass pocketcruising sailboats ever built Author Steve Henkel has researched hundreds of cruising sailboats less than 26 feet long--pocket cruisers--to create this definitive gallery and handbook of the small cruising sailboats built in the last 45 years. With detailed plans, specifications, performance indexes, and commentary for every model the author could find (360 in all!), The Sailor’s Book of Small Cruising Sailboats is your ideal core reference for the used and new boats you see on the water.

This is a "how-to" book, packed with information to help you go beachcruising and/or coastal camping, no matter what your level of expertise may be. This book includes everything you need to know about selecting a beachcruising boat, where to beachcruise, how to make camp, what gear to buy, and more, including how to go cruising and camping at low cost. Ida Little has beachcruised and coastal camped full time for 20 years (in a variety of boats) and has observed what other cruisers and campers were doing. She shares her knowledge and adventures with you. In this book, "beachcruising" means cruising a small boat along a coast with the intention of camping ashore. Though it is possible to use 50-foot schooners to go beachcruising, this book focuses on small sailboats that are light enough to be lifted or rolled ashore, and sailboats under 30 feet which are designed to dry out flat on an ebb tide. This book elaborates upon the unique aspects of camping that apply to boating.

Set sail and dive into Europe's magnificent port cities with Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports! Inside you'll find: Rick's expert advice on making the most of your time on a cruise and fully experiencing each city, with thorough coverage of 23 ports of call Practical travel strategies including how to choose and book your cruise, adjust to life on board on the ship, and save money Self-guided walks and tours of each port city so you can hit the best sights, sample authentic cuisine, and get to know the culture, even with a short amount of time Essential logistics including step-by-step instructions for arriving at each terminal, getting into town, and finding necessary services like ATMs and pharmacies Rick's reliable tips and candid advice on how to beat the crowds, skip lines, and avoid tourist traps Helpful reference photos throughout and full-color maps of each city Useful tools like mini-phrasebooks, detailed instructions for any visa requirements, hotel and airport recommendations for cruise access cities, and what to do if you miss your ship Full list of coverage: Provence, Marseille, Toulon and the Port of La Seyne-sur-Mer, Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Villefrance-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, Monaco, Cannes, Antibes, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, the Port of Livorno, Rome, the Port of Civitaveccia, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Athens, the Port of Piraeus, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Olympia and the Port of Katakolo, Crete and the Port of Heraklion, Rhodes, Istanbul, Ephesus, and The Port of Kusadasi Maximize your time and savor every moment in port with Rick's practical tips, thoughtful advice, and reliable expertise. Heading north? Pick up Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports.

The art, science and magic of cruising boat design.

In May 1946 John Caldwell set out to sail from Panama to Sydney to reunite with his wife who he hadn't seen for more than a year. Eager to reach his destination and unable to secure any other form of transport, he had to resort to singlehanded seamanship. After an ignominious scene in the harbor, where a tangled anchor led him to take an early dip, he spent ten days learning the rudiments of navigation and sailing from a book, before embarking on the 9,000 mile journey aboard the 20-foot Pagan. Ahead lay a mission that was to reveal in him elements not only of astounding courage and determination, but also of incredible foolhardiness. Within 500 miles of Panama John Caldwell had already been shipwrecked once and had his boat's engine and cockpit destroyed by an angry shark. Indefatigable, he decided to press on towards his goal.He endured the terrors and discomforts of life on the high seas and enjoyed the triumphs of fighting and winning against the elements. This is more than an exciting tale of sea-adventure. It is as compelling and unpredictable as a thriller. It is the story, witty and moving, of a man, motivated initially by love, and ultimately by his own fierce determination to survive.