Laser Racing is essential reading for all Laser sailors who want to win in this highly competitive class. Top US racer Ed Baird - Laser World Champion in 1980 - explains in words and pictures how to prepare your boat, practice your boat handling skills and how to sail the race itself. Ed gives invaluable advice on line and gate starts, handling the Laser upwind in waves, adjusting the vang, gybing in heavy air and all the other problems frequently raised at his Laser racing clinics. Plus insights into the psychology of winning a series - while discouraging your opponents from doing the same!

Editor Ken Textor is a writer and sailing enthusiast.

If your goal is to win the Laser World Championship, Blenn Bourke can help you. He has won three in a row! The third time his results were 1,1,2,2,2,4 - to give him the championship with a race to spare. As he said afterwards, "Everyone should have a chance to feel this good..." To produce this book Glenn and the publishing team spent long days on the water, analysing how he sails so fast and dissecting the mental attitude that makes him a winner. They shot hundreds of pictures of him in action, then distilled the whole to give you a logical, clear handbook on how to get to the No 1 spot.The ultimate guide to the world's most popular singlehanderWritten by the best Laser sailor of all timePreparing a boatSetting up the rigFitness and trainingThe raceMental attitude.

The most up-to-date book on this very popular class. Lots of colour photographs and illustrations make this book a 'must' for anyone interested in Lasers. Detailed chapters on manoeuvring, upwind and downwind technique, care and maintenance, body weight and nutrition and sailing theory..

Dinghy Sailing: Start to Finish is a complete reference for every level of sailor whether you are a beginner and need a straightforward, easy-to-understand guide or are taking your sailing to the next level and looking for the professional tips and tricks that will get you sailing faster, better, safer and having more fun. It includes single-handed dinghies through to planing speed craft. Full colour with 150 fantastic, clear illustrations and 150 photographs, Dinghy Sailing: Start to Finish gives the reader a thorough, complete and visual guide to life on the water. Packed with expert advice from the professionals at UKSA, the book covers: Basic Principles Parts of the boat - exploded illustrations of a dinghy and components How a boat sails - Sailing theory explained Points of sailing - Sailing a dinghy at different angles to the wind Choosing a dinghy - Types of boat and their suitability Preparing to sail - Safety afloat, practical clothing, rigging to launching. Knots and Ropes - Practical illustrations for basic knots and splices Transporting dinghies -Road trailer to roof racks Sailing for the first time - Balance, sail trim Rowing and paddling Rules of the road - Avoiding other boats, Rights of way, Basic racing rules Understanding tides and currents Weather forecasting - How to spot tell-tale signs of change in wind and weather Basic Techniques Tacking Gybing Beating to windward Reaching Running Spinnaker handling Capsize and recovery Returning to shore Packing the dingy away Maintenance Advanced Dinghy Sailing High performance dinghies and catamarans Trapezing Asymmetric spinnakers - Setting, handling and gybing Singlehanded sailing - dinghies and catamarans Tuning - dinghies and catamarans Heavy weather sailing - dinghies and catamarans The Basics of Racing The start - Practical lessons and rules explained First leg tactics - Practical lessons and rules explained Reaching - Practical lessons and rules explained Running - Practical lessons and rules explained Glossary of Terms

Solar sailing - using the sun as a propellant - offers the possibility of low-cost long-distance missions that are impossible with conventional spacecraft. This first comprehensive book on this propulsion method provides a detailed account of solar sailing, at a high technical level, but in a way accessible to the scientifically informed layperson. Solar sail orbital dynamics and solar radiation pressure form the foundations of the book, but the engineering design of solar sails is also considered, along with potential mission applications.

The definitive guide to the Laser. The Complete Book of Laser Sailing is the most comprehensive book about successfully sailing and racing this popular and challenging high-performance dinghy. Dick Tillman tells you everything you need to know about the boat and how to set it up and sail it, including: Rigging and sailing the boat Trailering and cartopping Maintenance and storage Training and physical conditioning Upwind and offwind racing techniques Clothing and equipment Interviews with such champion racers as Hans Fogh, Ed Baird, Ed Adams, and Danielle Myrdal Plus this updated and expanded edition gives you: The latest sail control and rig modifications Updated listings of major competition results New interviews with champion racers, including Olympian Mark Mendelblatt and Paige Railey on Radials "A fine-tuned guide to everything anyone could ever need or want to know about the Laser."—Sailing "This book will most certainly make you a better sailor and could help you become a champion."—Soundings "This book is a must."—The Little Ship

The Complete Book of Laser Sailing is the most comprehensive book ever publishedabout successfully sailing and racing this popular and challenging single-handed racing boat. This book tells the budding racer what they need to know about the boat itself and gives the latest thinking on how to set it up and sail it. It includes: · latest information on upwind and downwind techniques · equipment, and rigging techniques · the Laser Radial and Masters racing · interviews with champion Laser racers · listings of major competition results since 1990, including the Olympics, and Radial and Masters classes. 'Tillman is a well-known Laser expert… and his book is a fine-tuned guide to everything anyone could ever need or want to know about the Laser. Whether you are looking to learn the basics… or to refine your techniques, here's the starting point' Sailing 'This book will most certainly help make you a better sailor and could help you become a champion' Soundings

The twelve fundamental elements of successful sailing from a gold medal winning coach and sailor with detailed analysis, challenging exercises and useful top tips throughout.