Editorial Review

Do yourself a favor: if you own a boat, you should also own theRead more

Reviews (27)

Indespensible boat manual
I'm not talking about yachting type books. I have owned and operated commercial fishing boats in Alaska, for over 30 years.And this book demystifies bonding, grounding, AC boat wiring, lightning protection, a whole chapter just on batteries, and that's just the electrical part of the book. If your unsure about some aspect of your boat's electrical system or machinery, and are walking the docks trying to find out something about them, GET THIS BOOK. Some of that BS one hears on the dock can sink you.

a very usefull manual
covers many important areas where problems usually arise. easily understood explanations and instructions to find and resolve problems. great resource to keep on the boat.

excellent book
i am a marine student in nz, i was doing a assigment of boat battery. i went to libarary for this book and i read through the first chapter of the book which gives me from basic to depth ideas about battery. it's worth to own a book like this if you are a real boatie. perticularly for trouble shooting. cheers, enjoy ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boats and boating    3. Electric equipment    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. BG-JUVENILE PROP - BG-JUVY NON-FICTION    6. Sports & Recreation / Boating    7. Sale Books   

Reviews (4)

dated
This is a very old book as far as fiberglass boats go.Must later prcedures,and products not included. There is some usefull info in the book

Ready, Set, Fix
This book was not only very informative, but also a very great read.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down once I started.Quickly I now have the knowledge I need to continue my work on my project boat.I would recommend this to anyone looking to work with an old boat of any kind.True enough, some tricks here will save you money.

I think there are better books out there . . .
This is a good book.It is complete, to be sure.For the expert fiberglass repair person, I cannot speak, but it is certainly difficult to read for an amateur.Generally, a bit much to swallow.I think that other books have similar information more elegantly stated.The fault is not with the content, but the presentation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - Boatbuilding    2. Boating - General    3. Boats and boating    4. Fiberglass boats    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Ship Maintenance And Repair    7. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    8. Small Ship Design And Construction    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Boating    12. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    13. Ships & shipping: general interest    14. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (13)

Bible of Boating, but maybe you just need a little prayer.
If you could only buy one book on boating, this would be it, but it's overkill for a beginning recreational boater. The newcomer to boating will get lost in all the detail if he tries to use this as a practical manual. With all the books on boating, it might be better to label this as an intermediate-advanced reference book. Sure, it's got everything, but most weekenders don't need to know everything, just the basics.

an absolute boater's neccessity
Chapmans is the must-have for any boater who wants to do things the right way. I regularly go to this book. Easy to read, organized and practical. A bit big to bring onboard, however.

Don't Leave Home (or the Dock) Without It!
Our most frequently asked question: "What's the one book you'd recommend for a boater?"Our answer every time: "Chapman's."Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating And Sailing    2. Motorboats    3. Navigation    4. Pilots and pilotage    5. Sailing - Navigation    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Transportation   

Reviews (13)

Really essential
Quite a bit of good info here although Nigel does let his rather strong opinions shine through in some areas.Smile.

Nearly best book
After my 22000 nautical miles bluewater sailing and cruising life still I feel myself really beginner.
Great book
Lot's of sailing info packed into one book. Covers many different aspects of sailing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Navigation    4. Sailboats    5. Sailing    6. Sailing - General    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Transportation    9. Travel    10. Sports & Recreation / Boating    11. Cruising    12. Seamanship   

Reviews (8)

Great book
Good enough that I have sent a few copies to friend that needed "help" docking

Very Good Content -- Very Poor Binding
This book contained what I thought was very good information. It was presented in a clear, concise manner, but a little too brief in some instances.The binding however was so poor that the book completely fell apart before I got through with Chapter 2. The rating is solely for content, not construction.

The book to have, for beginers+++
I am a fairly new boat owner with a twenty-four foot inboard. Kudos for Mr. Low in writing a fun, easy to understand book which helped me understand the dinamics at work when you are on the water.This book helped me in to this new journey, with practical advice.It is for the beginer, but comes with ideas and processes that one needs to understand, and remember, even when experienced.Thank you Mr. Low for being there with a great introduction to boat handling, and for keeping it simple to understand. Other books I have purchased get too wordy and use trade terminoligy that I sometimes don't understand.This book got my thumbs up; you woun't regret it if you are a beginer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (4)

Not for the armchair cruiser
I would someday like to cruise around the world, and I bought this book in the hopes of learning more about the possible routes so that I could make some preliminary plans. I'm sure it will come in handy in a few years, but for now, it's overwhelming. World Cruising Routes
An absolute necessity for any small yacht going to sea.It is logically compiled and written.Jimmy Cornell has written a book that is exactly what every sailor needs...guidance in getting from port a to port b efficiently, safely, and with the best possible winds and weather.

Great Map
If you are looking for an excellent road map of the oceans and plan on traveling soon this is a good read.Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Navigation    4. Reference - Cruise Guides    5. Sailing    6. Sailing - General    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Travel - General    10. Yachting    11. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (1)

A Must Have for the Do-It-Your-Selfer
This book is a must have for the occasional do-it-your-selfer. Being a compilation of all of the Don Casey books on sailboat maintenance, I find myself pulling this book off the shelf more often than any other maintenance book I own.
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Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Maintenance and repair    3. Sailboats    4. Sailing - General    5. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Boating    9. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Editorial Review

First launched in 1983, Read more

Reviews (20)

One Hand For Yourself, One Hand For The Ship
THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP by John Rousmaniere is the ur-text on sailing used by virtually every sailing school as its primary educational source. Now in its third edition, this eminently readable and well illustrated book is encyclopedic in its scope, crammed full of practical information about sailing vessels, the mechanics of sailing them, and the traditions of sailing. It's a measure of the excellence of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP how familiarly Rousmaniere presents this largely alien topic with its many very specialized terms of art.
Has good info...
This book has some pretty good info and is quite comprehensive and well laid out.If you're going to buy 1 book, let it be this one.That's if you ever get around to reading it (it being so comprehensive and all) it's almost easier to go out sailing than trawl through it's many pages!But a worthwhile reference.

Smooth sailing
Unlike some reference books that I have seen, the Annapolis Book of Seamanship is clearly written and understandable for this novice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Navigation    4. Sailing    5. Sailing - General    6. Seamanship    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Boating    10. Marine engineering    11. Reference works    12. Ships & shipping: general interest    13. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (16)

Terrific Book
This text is great and the CD-ROM which lets u take and review practice tests may even better. I was surprised at the effectiveness of the text. All the material was presented in sufficient detail to answer your questions, but no not so detailed as to be burdensome as a college degree. The end result for me was a perfect score on all four sections of the test, but I took a LOT of practice tests. YOU NEED THIS BOOK & CD!

Get Your Captain's License, Third Edition
This new 3rd edition is better than the fist two. It is not a complete guide to all you need to learn to test for a USCG License, but it is a good base.There are still a few corrections needed in the rules that should have been updated for this 3rd edition and not all the study text agrees with the USCG questions.The CD tests is okay for review and gives a good feel of what needs to be studiedfor the USCG exams. Over all makes a great referance and should help anyone looking for a lower level license.

Get Your Captain's License Ed. 3
I received this volume in the mail about two weeks ago and have been hard at work using it to prepare for my exam.While not yet licensed, I have boated and sailed much of my life and am familiar with most of the material in it already.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Careers - Other Specific Fields    3. Examinations, questions, etc    4. Licenses    5. Navigation    6. Professional - General    7. Seamanship    8. Ship captains    9. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    10. Sports    11. Sports & Recreation    12. Study Guides    13. United States    14. Boating    15. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (8)

Good information from very experienced people
It's wonderful to keep this dream alive for those of us with moderate means. I'd recommend this book, along with FitzGerald's Sea-steading, as basic reference volumes for simple sailing.

modern man is loosing his ability to use his own hands
I read this book fifteen years ago, then bought the new edition because someone borrowed my old one. Yup, as the previous reviewer said, the Pardyes have only updated this edition, adding maybe 30 percent new info. But their message is as modern as today. Only by knowing how to get along without al the fancy gadgets can you be have a chance to feel completely in charge of your cruising life. You may never need to get along without your engine, or without your electronics, but if they do fail you will not feel stuck,if you think through what they say.By the way, I happened to go to their website and am amazed at the wonderful life they have made for themselves, a small but grand cruising boat and a boatyard and home in New Zealand that makes a perfect safe haven that I would love to have for my later years.

Outdated
This book is so old it should not be sold anymore.The so called "updates" are simply token and the whole book is too old to be of help. Also, the people are so spartan they really don,t relate to the modern cruiser..ie.. they spend time on the merits of kerosene lights.When they finally retire to land I sure they will end up in a trailer park. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating And Sailing    2. Sailing - General    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Sailing    6. Ships & shipping: general interest   

Reviews (1)

best advice i've had in along time
having already read this book , I found it was filled with wisdom from the introduction to the very end , being on the water a lot for a living myself this book pointed out some of the more obvious rules of thumb that applytoo mariners.And some very good ones i'd never heard of , but as itstates in the book " good advice is so very hard to come by when itcomes to rules of the ocean , and the black box theory is some thing i willdo my utmost to adhere to as it is all very true done with the witty senceof humor that would appeal to more than most fisherman allthe way toseasoned sailors its a very handy book ,A must for all serious Boaties! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Boats and boating    4. General    5. Sailing - Navigation    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Transportation    9. Boating    10. History / General    11. Marine engineering    12. Ships & shipping: general interest   

Reviews (12)

This Old Boat
Covers everything from dings to diesels.A must read for apprentice boatsmiths.This reading gives you the confidence and knowledge to fix up & repair most every defect in your used boat.

Before you buy that old boat - READ THIS BOOK!
This book is entertaining to read and really is an eye opener as to what you're getting yourself into re wooden boats.Really is a prmer on the topic or Wooden Boats 101 - when you are done reading it you'll know your up to the task or not.

Absolutely a MUST for your boat -- you need this book.
You're familiar of course with the numerous lists of necessary books to have aboard your boat. Boat Owner's comes to mind by Nigel Calder as one. HOWEVER, I believe you will find more useful information within the 408 pages. Also, it's book size (won't be a pain to store aboard) will be welcome.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sailing - General    3. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Transportation    7. Boating    8. Shipbuilding technology & engineering    9. Ships & shipping: general interest    10. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (11)

Top Flight Calder
The book gives you the tech you need, in terms you can understand.Calder is very impressive in his ability to impart knowledge to the layman.Don't however, assume this is just fluff overview, because it truly is the down and dirty of how it works and how to maintain it.

A Cruiser's Engine Atlas
This book provides the reader with a broad overview of most of the basic problems that can occur and offers simple solutions.I have recommended/loaned my copy of this book to several Diesel sailboat owners.The all remarked on how simple their repair was according to the book and how it save them $$.
Know Your Diesel
My copies of this book has grease stained fingerprints throughout. A lot of folks have told me they think this book is redundant, because much of the info is covered in Mr. Calder's Mechanical & Electrical Manual but this smaller book is easier to work with when working around your engine and the material is presented differently enough that the book is one I believe you should have if you live on a boat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automotive - Repair & Maintenance    2. Boating - General    3. Diesel engines    4. Maintenance and repair    5. Marine Engines    6. Marine diesel motors    7. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    8. Ships & Shipbuilding - Small Boat Maintenance and repair    9. Transportation    10. Engines & power transmission    11. Marine engineering    12. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (1)

A necessary book for the model ship builder
I purchased this book several years past.This Amazon.com reviewer is an avid ship modeler.I use this book nearly constantly.I give this book five stars.
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Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Models    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Transportation    7. Model boats & ships    8. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (21)

A pretty good learning tool
This book is not for the very novice sailor.Actually no book alone is but a good teacher and book is what is needed for newbies.The details and topics discussed were great, though the section on knots left some to be desired.Why can no sailing book acurately cover knots?I would give it a B+.

Review
Excellent book. Talks about the lifestyle as well as how to sail. I recommend it.

learning to sail is only the first step
My partner dreams of cruising across oceans. He gave me this book, along with Lin Pardeys Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew. I am truly hooked. Seidman makes sailing accessible. Lin Pardey makes crossing oceans in a boat we can actually dream of owning, do able. I recommend both! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Boating And Sailing    3. Equipment and supplies    4. Physical Education    5. Sailboats    6. Sailing    7. Sailing - General    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Boating    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (3)

Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook : Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida
A must for traveling the Intercoastal Waterway.A very detailed illustrative set of information to successfully achieve your trip.

Excellent source... More than a set of charts!
Very usable in it's small page spiral format.Flipping pages as one cruises north or south is easy, and takes very little space at the helm.The annotations indicating marina locations save looking in separate guideswhen a stopping point is desired. Some obvious side trips (e.g. BananaRiver) are omitted and would have helped increase usefulness if included.

Excellent up-to-date reference
The charts are well organized and very reliable.Only a minimum number of aids were missing or changed in number.Some of the bridge info is a little dated but generally did not cause any navigational problems. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sailing - Navigation    3. Ships & Shipbuilding - Engineering    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Boating    7. Cartography, geodesy & geographic information systems (GIS)    8. Navigation    9. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (4)

Excellent introductory sailing manual.
I purchased this book, as well as the "Complete Sailor" and "Sailing for Dummies" in an effort to learn to sail a 14 ft. dinghy, and I can easily say that "Learning to Sail" was the best of the three.It's very simple, with just enough basics to get you up and sailing safely.No, you won't be able to cruise to the Bahamas after reading this book, but it should be more than enough to let you enjoy a little freedom out on the lake.It was very nicely illustrated, with simple, straightforward instruction.It also had good illustrations on how to tie some of the basic knots in sailing, as well as where and when they're used.Overall, an excellent book for the beginning sailor.

Learning to Sail: The Annapolis Sailing School Guide
Learning to Sail: The Annapolis Sailing School Guide for Young Sailors of All Ages by Di Goodman, et al, is a good informative reference for beginning sailors of all ages. Great for all ages.
This book was selected for use by the Lake Saint Louis Youth Sailing Academy after our lead instructor and our top student (age 10) bothselected the same book from a group of 10 potential class text books.Thekids found it easy to follow, and the adults found it easy to establish alesson plan based on the structure of the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Navigation    3. Physical Education    4. Sail Boating    5. Sailing    6. Sailing - General    7. Seamanship    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Boats & boating    11. Sports & Recreation / Boating   

Reviews (2)

A new nautical classic with great sailing insights
Kretschmer's new book about the bone chilling tail of a wrong way hurricane is bound to become a sailor's classic.Not only is the book a well written page turner that kept me on the edge of my seat, but it is filled with questions that every blue water sailor confronts when faced with difficult decisions at sea. Kretschmer's extensive knowledge of the subject is evident as he offers insights and thoughts about heavy weather strategy, survival tactics, and the decisions that were made by three brave sailors as they battled for their lives.

A Moving Book of the Sea
John Kretschmer has hit a home run with his new book - this is a very moving tale of the sea and hurricanes - and, even more, a moving tale of the people who go to sea on small sailing boats.I did not put the book down until it was finished. If you liked the Perfect Storm, this is better, partly because Kretschmer has been there himself, facing hurricanes on a small boat.This is a book about a tragedy, but is uplifiting at the same time. Great book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Boating accidents    3. Caribbean Area    4. Heavy weather seamanship    5. Sailing    6. Sailing - General    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Boating    10. Sports & Recreation / Sailing   

Reviews (7)

Alll of what you need to know
This book is well written and covers everything you need to know for an off shore voyager.I believe it is a must read for before a first time offshore journey.

Buy This Book
Even if you do not plan to sail shorthanded thousands of miles offshore it's a very good idea to understand in detail what makes your boat seaworthy in difficult circumstances and to make it so. Good Advice
You can easily pick up three books on offshore sailing and get three separate opinions of what type of boat you need.A fast boat will get across the pond faster.A big boat adds stability and can carry lots of accessories like auxiliary generators and water makers.John's theory is that you should get a boat that can be handled well by a small crew and tough enough to handle any weather that you are likely to run into.Since his opinion parallels my own, I can only assume that he is obviously a sailing genius.This book is highly recommended for anyone contemplating a voyage over the horizon. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boating - General    2. Sailing - General    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Sailing    6. Sports & Recreation / Boating