Editorial Review

Nan Jeffrey's classic guide to adventure travel is not to be missed by any family interested in--or even curious about--traveling off the beaten path. Jeffrey, who has traveled with twin boys Read more

Reviews (2)

Inspirational and also very practical
I still haven't had a chance to use the tips from this book, since our trip to Greece with our one-year-old is planned for a few months from now. I can say that reading so many real-life, much more complicated examples of Ms. Jeffrey's family's own travels have made planning a few weeks in Greece seem like no big deal, though. World class book for world class adventures...with children
There are many travel books on the market, and there are many travel books for those who have children.This books stands out because the author actually took her kids on wonderful, real "adventures," not justtame camping trips in the U.S.She and her husband traveled to remoteplaces (Morocco, Spain, Bali, Nepal, New Zealand...), kids in tow, andshare the experience with us through text and photos.They sailed, biked,hiked, and drove about, and lived for several weeks in differentcountries.Read more

Subjects:  1. Activities    2. Special Interest - Adventure    3. Special Interest - Family    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Backpacking    7. Camping    8. Canoeing    9. Handbooks    10. Manuals    11. Outdoor Life    12. Recreation    13. Sports    14. Tourism   

Reviews (15)

Not buying a powerboat, but
I brought this book because I thought that I would be buying a powerboat. However after discussions with my wife I am now looking for a big yacht-a really major purchase!
New to Boating (A Year Ago)
I purchased this book a year ago at a point where I knew nothing about powerboats.Reflecting back... this was a really good book in that it explains everything you want to know (and don't want to know) about purchasing a powerboat.There are entire sections dedicated to helping you decide specifically what type of powerboat you may want as well as sections dealing with boat inspections, sea trials, and techniques for purchasing.
Quick Read, Fantastic Advice
This book is short and easy to read, but contains outstanding advice.It walks you through the process of figuring out what type of boat might work best for you, and then helps you locate and evaluate potential boats.The checklists were great - they helped us be very thorough in looking over boats, and helped us realize when we found a boat that was a great steal.In addition, the author walks you through the negotiating process and gave us tips that saved us hundreds of dollars.He deals with the emotions of the process, which was very helpful as well.We always negotiate on all our purchases, but some of the tips here were new to me and worked extremely well.I'd highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about buying a boat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Consumer Guides    3. Motorboats    4. Power Boating    5. Purchasing    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. United States    9. Boating    10. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (9)

All You need
If you want to build a greenland kayak then this is all you need. Instructions are clear and not wordy. It also has sections on making paddles and paddling clothing. The style shown in this book has slight deviations from the original greenland technique but he specifically states all the changes. I built a kayak from this book with my only help being a second pair of hands, and i am only 15. The boat was exactly to his designs and it is fast, fairly stable, and responsive.

Terrific book with lots of details and pictures
This is a terrific book.I bought Robert Morris' book on Skin on Frame building and had many questions.Chris Cunningham's book provides lot of details and answered my questions.Both books compliment each other and since I do not know much about this process, I consider both required reading before I build.
Great detail and instruction
This book was great for a novice builder like myself. The intructions were clear and easy to follow. I like the way the instruction passages started with the result intended followed by detailed instructions.
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Subjects:  1. Design and construction    2. Kayaking    3. Kayaks    4. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Water Sports    8. Woodwork - General    9. Canoeing & kayaking    10. Ship design & naval architecture    11. Sports & Recreation / Kayaking   

Reviews (7)

Great Additional Resource
Good information on Puerto Rico and Spanish Virgins.A lot of local knowledge info. Complements other guides to have on board for this area by Street and Nancy & Simon Scott,as he states in this publication.

Editor desperately needed!
Book should be titled "Why I Love the Dominican Republic and Why You Should Spend a Lot of Cruising Time There... and BTW Here's How to Get There." Edit his opinions and D.R. material to something reasonable, and you'd wind up with a good and useful book about 20 pages long.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT
If you are planning to cruise the Bahamas and Virgins - Van Sant is as important as your GPS.Don't leave home without it.Then, USE IT.Follow his advice - to the letter.The "Gentleman Cruiser" knows of what he speaks.He's been there-done it-and has the t-shirt (or knowledge - if you will).Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Sailing - Navigation    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Travel   

Reviews (6)

Why and how...but not all of it.
A great book. Not an encyclopedia.
Excellant Book for Sail Making Theory
I purchased this book with the sole purpose of understanding sail theory, with an very distant goal of one day making my own sail.The book is written in a very understanding manner, and explains more complex procedures in a precise and encouraging manner.The book introdues you to the tools and procedures through making a small bag to carry your tools.This is a great book for the money, and I highly encourage anyone wanting to learn about the different procedures for making various sail configurations.However wonderful this book is, I would not recommend it if you are wanting to build your own high-performance sails, as it is geared towards sailing in a more relaxed and functional manner.
Sail Maker's Apprentice
An exhaustive work on making sails.The author is maticulous and does not cut corners.Makes good reading not only as a handbook, but also as a history of sail making. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Military Science    3. Sail Boating    4. Sailing - General    5. Seamanship    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Sailing    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Editorial Review

The term Read more

Reviews (200)

The ones that got away
Linda Greenlaw achieved some measure of fame as a supporting character in the nonfiction book "The Perfect Storm" (and the more fictional movie that followed). Now, Greenlaw tells her own story in "The Hungry Ocean," a less thrilling but equally fascinating tale of a four-week swordfishing run over the Grand Banks.
Compelling Read
"The Hungry Ocean" written by Swordfish Captain Linda Greenlaw, details one of her 30 day swordfishing expeditions. Greenlaw describes the preparations she makes before leaving on the trip; the personalities of the men accompanying her on the trip; how she decides where they are going to do the actual fishing; the fishing itself and the equipment used; how she decides when the fishing trip is over; and finally, shows a receipt detailing the money spent on the trip and how much money each fisherman made. Interspersed with the details of this particular trip are chapters called "Mug-Up" with anecdotes of past fishing trips.
A Good Book For Hungry Readers
If you're out to sea and someone on your boat dies, don't call the Coast Guard and expect them to come get the guy.Instead, call them and say you have someone who is "in a coma."In that case they will come - otherwise it's your problem.
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Subjects:  1. 1960-    2. Anecdotes    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Fishing - General    6. General    7. Grand Banks of Newfoundland    8. Greenlaw, Linda,    9. Sailing - Narratives    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Swordfish fishing    12. Women    13. Biography & Autobiography / Women    14. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (3)

Perfect for a beginner
I knew nothing!!! This book was perfect, I learned everything about boats, boating, the rules of the sea, little tidbits that will save you or your boat. Perfect for a beginner

It is a cool book for an idiot sailor like me
I really liked the book.It explains stuff so people who misunderstand the fundamentals of sailing and boating can learn easy!

Good basic intro to boating
The book covers many subjects but none in any great detail.A good bookfor beginners like me but it also left me with more questions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Boats and boating    4. Sailing    5. Sailing - General    6. Seamanship    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (4)

For ocean fisherman
This is a long, detailed book that gives you all the info you could want on living off the ocean.Be advised, there is no fresh water information in the book.That being said, if you want to improve your ability to catch fish at sea, this book has it all.

Fishing Explained
I found this book to be both easy to read and very informative.. I have little to no knowledge of fishing and I found a wealth of practical hands on advice in this book. It seems to cover the subject in depth and lucidly with lots of antedotal stories to illistrate the topic. There are also lots of pictures and diagrams showing and illistrating what is being discussed. At the end of every chapter the authors also give a detailed suggested equipment list to help you get started with hands on application of that type of fishing.
Curising In Isolated Parts Of The World? Don't Forget It
I have done quite a bit of crusing, fishing and diving but I always wanted to learn how to clean and prepare the fish myself. The book gave some very good insight into this but I didn't think it was detailed enough. The booksstarts out with the basics of fishing while crusing and then on to everytheme possible: 1.) Fishing under power or sail 2.) Gear and Tackle(excellent drawings for knot tying) 3.)Offshore Trolling 4.)Adrift orAnchored 5.)Dingy Techniques 6.) Walking, Wading and Diving 7.) Tools andNets 8.) Arranging your vessel for fishing 9.) Processing your catch 10.)Medical Considerations for the Crusing Fisher 11.) Getting the most fromyour new crusing skill 12.) A guide to Edible Fish and Invertebrates (would be much better in color as I have not seen many fish come up blackand white) 13.) Seafood recepiesRead more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Fishing - General    4. Fishing Sports    5. Sailing - General    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Fishing, angling    9. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (7)

Ulysses ina world cruising power boat
Although I have never ventured beyond the horizon -- fish for blues out to 25 miles offshore--- I have been fascinated with the modern equivalents of Homer's fabled voyager. This book brings Homer's world-travelling explorer into the 21st century. Make no mistake, this is not a tale of imaginary voyages, but an eminently practical guide for those who would cross oceans
Ocean Going Motor Yachts for Newbies
This is an excellent book for readers who are interested in learning about ocean passages in small motor yachts.Author Robert Beebe explains why these boats are superior to sailboats for comfort and stability, and explains the naval architecture principles that make these vessels his preferred choice for crossing oceans.That might sound dull, but it isn't.The combines practical tips on how to evaluate and/or design boats with basics on seamanship and plenty of war stories to lighten the text.The clear message is that, using this class of yacht, anybody willing to learn the basics of boathandling can learn to become an ocean passage-maker.Whether that's your dream (as it is mine) or you just want to read about it, this is a lively and enlightening book.

The best
Voaging under power is the best naval book I ever read. It is a must to all interested on passagemaking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Naval architecture    3. Ocean travel    4. Passagemaker (Yacht)    5. Ship Design And Construction    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Transportation    10. Yacht building    11. Yachts and yachting    12. Maritime / nautical trades    13. Motor / power boating & cruising    14. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    15. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (8)

Great Fishing Tool
I recently read Capt. Kens book and found it to be a great source of info on Kayak fishing. I have never fished out of a yak yet but I know when I do I know I will be prepared with the help of this book. The technical side on how to rig the kayk is the best part.

Kayak Fishing a must read
I am new to the sport of Kayak Fishing. I found this book to be extremly imformative and a delight to read. With the wealth of information I gained from this book I feel confident in continuing my pursuit of Kayak Fishing. I know it will be a book that I will refer back to many times in the future. It is obvious Ken has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, knowledge and experience for the sport and is willing to share it with the readers. I am anxiously awaiting his DVD's on Bass Fishing and fishing the flats. Keep up the good work.

Must have book for kayak fishermen
Great book for the novice or experienced kayak fisherman. Full of needed information to get your kayak set up to fish and how to effectively fish from your boat. Tips on tackle and techniques for various species top off a tremendous source of information needed to enjoy this great sport. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fishing    2. Kayaking    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Sports & Recreation / Fishing    6. Sports & Recreation / Kayaking    7. Kayaks and kayaking   

Editorial Review

Boat owners, let us remind you of this simple fact: it's better to beout on the water than working on your boat at the dock.Sandy Lindseyhas compiled 1,001 tips to help you keep your boat running--and looking--itsbest in Read more

Reviews (8)

Good, salfe cleaning
This book has wonderful ideas about using commonly available items such as witch hazel and petroleum jelly to clean and maintain your boat. Our dock neighbors were so impressed at the cleaning ability of the concoctions this book recommends that everyone now has a squirt bottle of the stuff for their boats. Highly recommended.

Not only saves time, Saves Money
My first experience was with the deck wash.The stuff that I was using cost about $10 per bottle.The deck wash that I made from the book worked just as well and it cost me under a dollar to make.I haven't even gone in depth yet.

Great book
Excellent read, many money saving tips, really appreciate the fact many of the recommendations are organically based and non harmful to the environment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boats and boating    3. Maintenance and repair    4. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Boating    8. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating    10. Vehicle maintenance   

Reviews (15)

Some good information
I was disappointed in this book after reading the other reviews. It seems like this is the best book available on cruising cats, but if so the others must be very poor.
useful information but annoying writting style
Mr. Kanter has a lot of experience with multihulls a fact that he reminds the reader every other paragraph.He also seems to feel that every paragraph must be showing that multihulls are in someway better than monohulls rather than just providing information.There is a lot of good information in this book but by the end of it I wanted to slap the author.

Excellent, very informative; but not for everyone.
Charles Kanter's "Cruising in Catamarans" is an excellent book that tells readers a lot about hull, deck, and interior configurations, exterior rigging options, and advice on how to sail them and park them in lousy as well as optimum conditions.His wide experience surveying and sailing catamarans of various models and sizes enables Mr. Kanter to offer informed opinions, often accompanied with photos to bolster his argument.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sailing - General    3. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (8)

Clear as water
I bought this book to help me rebuilt the electrical wiring of my sailboat and it is very helpful! All explanations are short and clear. The numerous sketches make it easy to understand and visualize what i need to do. However, i found that some information on the batteries are not up to date. And i think that it would be nice to have information about 'new' technologies and 'new' products such as combiners, isolators, LED lights, etc. All in all this book is (to me) an excellent reference for anyone who owns a boat and wants to learn the fundamentals of marine electricity.

Anexecelent guide for understanding of eletrics on a sailboat.
This is a good example of a book that was carefully written to be understood by a large spectrum of amateur sailors.
Absolutely Outstanding
I started with almost zero knowledge and some fear of all things electrical and a marine starting battery that would discharge overnight.I'd had the battery tested and found good leaving the problem somewhere in the boat's wiring.I got everything I needed to have to fix this problem from this book.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Boating - General    3. Boats and boating    4. Electric equipment    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Marine Electronics    7. Sail Powered Craft Maintenance And Repair    8. Sailboats    9. Sailing - General    10. Ships & Shipbuilding - Repair & Maintenance    11. Ships & Shipbuilding - Small Boat Maintenance and repair    12. Sports    13. Transportation    14. Electronics engineering    15. Marine engineering    16. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (2)

Essential boating information
An excellent and "must Have" addition to any boating library. For a small, easily read book, there is a tremendous amount of useful information from tying knots to the dynamics of a prop.

Not so Technical and Plenty Informative
Mr. Wing covers it all, engines, transmissions, steering systems, windvanes, auto pilots, anchors, windlasses, pumps, boat heads, fresh water systems and so much more in this illustrated tour of an average cruising boat. If you live afloat then this is an indispensable book for you, one you'll go to often, both for enjoyment, because it is beautifully done, and for an education into how the various systems, machines, thing-a-ma-bobs and do-dads do their jobs on your boat. Just how does that bilge pump work? It's in there. That and just about anything else you can imagine. In conclusion I'd say that even if nothing's broke, this is a good book to browse through with a sundowner. Not so technical and plenty informative and enjoyable. And besides, wouldn't you really be a lot better of out there if you knew how all the stuff on your boat actually worked? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Engineering - Hydraulic    4. Sailing - General    5. Ship Design And Construction    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Boating    9. Mechanical engineering    10. Ships & shipping: general interest    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (4)

The Parents' Guide to Swimming
This book is outstanding.A must for any swimming parent.

Great information for parents of competitive swimmers!
Parents' Guide to Swimming is a much needed tool for parents of competitive swimmers.In it I found information on every topic an involved parent would need, especially a parent lacking a swimming background.Arata's perspective on the role of parents and coaches is especially helpful.He provides suggestions as to how parents can help their children succeed in competitive swimming while leaving the coaching to the coach.A very worthy read packed full of good information on topics ranging from nutrition to flexibility to how to find a suitable program for your swimmer.A must have!

The Handbook for all Parents of Swimmers
This is a terrific book!How I wish I'd had it when my own swimming daughter was feeling "burned out".Dr. Arata has great ideas on how to motivate kids past that stage so they have a chance to fulfill their potential.A wonderful resource on training, diet--everything!Super A+! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Parenting - General    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Swimming    5. Swimming for children    6. Advice on parenting    7. Swimming & diving   

Reviews (9)

Comprensive Modern Yacht Design Reference
This is one of the best modern references on the topic of sailing yacht design.Highly recommended for anyone planing to design a sail boat.I personally would put more emphasis on optimizing the prismatic coefficient as a function of design speed.I would also make the book larger and include more information on power boats, various piping systems and electrical systems.

A reasonable introduction...
This publication can be summed up as a reasonable introduction into conventional "modern" yacht design. However, it seems to be tailored towards amateur boat builders or even the keen sailor. A lot of ground is covered, but it only scratches the surface on many subjects. But perhaps this is all one should expect from a publication that only claims to cover the "principles" of yacht design. In my opinion as a naval architect, the book seems to lack depth and scientific data that could make it an interesting read or reference work for the professional.
Excellent Design Guide
The second edition of this book is an excellent step by step guide to both power and sail design. The book is written by a professor and professional yacht designer, that provide both excellent science and practical experience.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - Boatbuilding    2. Boating - General    3. Design and construction    4. Sailing - General    5. Ship Design And Construction    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    7. Ships & Shipbuilding - Pictorial    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Transportation    11. Yachts    12. Boating    13. Marine engineering    14. Ships & shipping: general interest    15. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (9)

GPS uses General Relativity
[A review of the SECOND EDITION, 2005.]
Second edition in December 2005
If you are looking at the first edition, please note that the publisher plans to issue a second edition in December 2005.

Great Technical Reference
I'm an aerospace professional that is very close to the GPS system.This book is one of the best in depth references that I could recomend.I am not a novice and this text may intimidate some. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Engineering - Civil    2. Geographical Research    3. Global Positioning System    4. Navigation    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Telecommunications    9. Satellite communication   

Reviews (16)

Canyon Mystery
The story of Glen and Bessie Hyde is the greatest Grand Canyon mystery. They are the honeymoon couple that disappeared without a trace in 1928. Many myths and legends have evolved in the intervening years (including a segement of "Unsolved Mysteries"). Brad Dimmock is a Colorado River guide (and a very good writer) who duplicated the couples ill fated journey down the Colorado. He has interwoven the historical material with his own modern attempt using a sweepboat similiar to the one the Hyde's used. I read this while visiting the canyon again. It was great sitting on the patio at the Lodge on the North Rim reading this fascinating account. If you love a great mystery or you love Canyon lore, you'll love this book.

Just Get Past The Ugly Cover
I think, at first, the cover scared me away, but once I started reading I was involved. I must applaud Brad Dimock's writing skill. He has written a book with the timbre and cadence of a Jon Krakauer about an episode of which we know very little. While Glen Hyde's life was well documented by his family, very little is known about Bessie Hyde or how the Hyde's marriage was holding up under the pressure of their Colorado River float. Despite this dearth of information, Dimock has succeeded in bringing Glen and Bessie to life. We care about these two people, who disappeared over 75 years ago, and we follow the scanty thread of facts that Dimock has been able to gather, hanging on to each clue in the hope of learning their fate even though we know from the beginning that the Hyde's were never found. Fantastic Mystery!
This book is one of those can't put it down books.It is well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat.You end up with all kinds of ideas on what happened to Glen and Bessie.It is full of actual photos from Glen and Bessie on this trip.If you like true life mysteries, get this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating accidents    3. Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico)    4. Hyde, Bessie    5. Hyde, Glen    6. Murder - General    7. Special Interest - Adventure    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. True Crime / Espionage    11. United States - Mountain - Arizona    12. United States - State & Local - General   

Reviews (18)

Snorkel Maui
If you are going to Maui and plan to snorkel, this book is a MUST !!!!It will take you to sites you would NEVER find on your own.

snorkeling in Maui is entirely over rated - so is book
We went to many spots in this book, and found the rating system to be a little off. In general, the Caribbean offers superior snorkeling to Hawaii, and even the best spot that the authors may rave about in this book is mediocre at best. We also found other guide books to give more accurate info on the best snorkel spots. This book is good if you are afraid of the water or have kids, but those more experienced may actually be better off without the book, relying instead on timely advice from locals.

Only good Snorkel focused book for Maui...
I have used both the Snorkel Kauai and this book on different trips to Hawaii.On our most recent trip to Maui, I found this book to be quite useful for finding those harder to find access points to the numerous beaches in South Maui.I also have the Maui Revealed book by Dougherty & Friedmann, but I find their discussions on snorkeling spots to be quite limited in all of their books and definitely not as good.Also, with Snorkel Maui and Lanai, the beaches are organized geographically around the island, the maps are closer to the page describing the beach, and the directions to get to the beach and find parking are much better than you will find in the Maui Revealed book.I didn't mean this to be a comparison of these two books, but based on other comments, I think if you want to explore the beaches in detail for where is best to snorkel you should buy this book.It is not expensive and is a good deal.
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Subjects:  1. Scuba & Snorkeling    2. Travel - United States    3. United States - Pacific - Hawaii   

Reviews (17)

A must have
This book is an excellent compliment to the Ashley book of knots. If you love rope, knots, or sailing this is a book that will be a welcome addition to your collection.

Down To The Sea In Ships
THE MARLINSPIKE SAILOR, now in its 46th year, is one of the half-dozen or so "essential" books in any sailor's working library. Just a bit less cumbersome than THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS. THE MARLINSPIKE SAILOR is an excellent book to keep on board to teach yourself or your crew the fundamentals of working with rope, so critical a part of sailing.
a bit of irritation goes a long way
I have no one large criticism of this book; however, the author has the irritating habit of sprinkling this volume with too many maritime terminology and sailor slang with which most of us are not familiar.I do not appreciate getting up every few minutes to look up an archaic or highly specialized term whose usage is rare and in a fairly isolated environment.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sailing - General    3. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Fantasy    7. Science fiction    8. Sports & Recreation / Boating