Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor

Before the advent of satellite navigation, radar and electronic charts, you had to learn the art of seamanship through experience, both good and bad. After enough close calls and a few hard knocks, you developed a feel for the sea and its moods. You became aware of the subtle messages in the sky, the shape of the waves, the smell of the land. With practice you improved your boat handling and the ability to react instantly to a change in the situation. This is what kept you safe and got you to your destination. These days everyone carries a GPS and a boat full of electronics. As a result, the essential skills developed over thousands of years of sailing are slowly being lost. Modern electronics are a wonderful step forward when they work, but they are no substitute for seamanship. THE PEACE OF MIND WHICH COMES FROM KNOWING... Even the old salts wouldnt want to give up their modern systems. So how do you acquire «sea sense» without learning the hard way? The answer to this puzzle lies in Steve and Linda Dashews eighth book, Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor. This new reference tool provides the foundation on which to build and improve your seamanship skills. Covering more than 930 topics, with over 800 detailed illustrations, it is the most thorough and detailed book ever written on the subject. From preparation and boat handling (under sail and power), to working on deck, youll be inspired by the breadth and depth of knowledge at your fingertips. The section on watchkeeping alone covers 84 subjects and has 79 illustrations, including the most detailed instructions for collision avoidance ever written. There is extensive information about tropical seamanship and an in-depth look at cruising in ice. You may never need to cross a harbor entrance with a breaking bar, but if you do, what you learn in Practical Seamanship could save your vessel. Numerous subjects are covered which have not been previously discussed in the yachting press. Critical topics such as assessing anchorage safety are covered in extensive detail. Youll even find a section on handling dinghies in a variety of conditions. And if you ever lose your engine, and need to use the dinghy as a tug, it covers a numerous methods to get the job done right. FORMULA FOR CRUISING SUCCESS When you read Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor youll not only benefit from the Dashews 200,000 plus miles of actual seagoing experience in every conceivable condition, but also from the skills and techniques handed down over centuries of sailing. Once youve read Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor, every experience you have aboard will be viewed in a different light. Your learning curve will be shortened. You and your crew will become better sailors, and your enjoyment level will increase. And if you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, your reaction times will be much faster. MORE THAN JUST A BOOK More than just a book, Practical Seamanship is the latest part of the Dashews «Cruising Essentials» Toolkit Series, a suite of groundbreaking reference works engineered to be effective tools both on and offshore. The rich, detailed illustrations, executive summaries and quick reference checklists help you find information fast, and the Dashews extensive experience and easygoing writing style combined with real world examples makes for enjoyable reading. (The other books in this series are all available at Amazon.com: Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, Mariners Weather Handbook, and Surviving the Storm.) Youll find yourself constantly referring to these books, both at home and offshore. Thats why theyre built tough with extra heavy binding, designed to reference-library specifications. Before the advent of satellite navigation, radar and electronic charts, you had to learn the art of seamanship through experience, both good and bad. After enough close calls and a few hard knocks, you developed a feel for the sea and its moods. You became aware of the subtle messages in the sky, the shape of the waves, the smell of the land. With practice you improved your boat handling and the ability to react instantly to a change in the situation. This is what kept you safe and got you to your destination. These days everyone carries a GPS and a boat full of electronics. As a result, the essential skills developed over thousands of years of sailing are slowly being lost. Modern electronics are a wonderful step forward when they work, but they are no substitute for seamanship. THE PEACE OF MIND WHICH COMES FROM KNOWING... Even the old salts wouldn't want to give up their modern systems. So how do you acquire "sea sense" without learning the hard way? The answer to this puzzle lies in Steve and Linda Dashew's eighth book, Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor. This new reference tool provides the foundation on which to build and improve your seamanship skills. Covering more than 930 topics, with over 800 detailed illustrations, it is the most thorough and detailed book ever written on the subject. From preparation and boat handling (under sail and power), to working on deck, you'll be inspired by the breadth and depth of knowledge at your fingertips. The section on watchkeeping alone covers 84 subjects and has 79 illustrations, including the most detailed instructions for collision avoidance ever written. There is extensive information about tropical seamanship and an in-depth look at cruising in ice. You may never need to cross a harbor entrance with a breaking bar, but if you do, what you learn in Practical Seamanship could save your vessel. Numerous subjects are covered which have not been previously discussed in the yachting press. Critical topics such as assessing anchorage safety are covered in extensive detail. You'll even find a section on handling dinghies in a variety of conditions. And if you ever lose your engine, and need to use the dinghy as a tug, it covers a numerous methods to get the job done right. FORMULA FOR CRUISING SUCCESS When you read Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor you'll not only benefit from the Dashews' 200,000 plus miles of actual seagoing experience in every conceivable condition, but also from the skills and techniques handed down over centuries of sailing. Once you've read Practical Seamanship - Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor, every experience you have aboard will be viewed in a different light. Your learning curve will be shortened. You and your crew will become better sailors, and your enjoyment level will increase. And if you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, your reaction times will be much faster. MORE THAN JUST A BOOK More than just a book, Practical Seamanship is the latest part of the Dashews' "Cruising Essentials" Toolkit Series, a suite of groundbreaking reference works engineered to be effective tools both on and offshore. The rich, detailed illustrations, executive summaries and quick reference checklists help you find information fast, and the Dashews' extensive experience and easygoing writing style combined with real world examples makes for enjoyable reading. (The other books in this series are all available at Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, Mariner's Weather Handbook, and Surviving the Storm.) You'll find yourself constantly referring to these books, both at home and offshore. That's why they're built tough with extra heavy binding, designed to reference-library specifications. Practical In all, 644 pages are packed with over 800 detailed illustrations, covering every aspect of traditional and modern seamanship. Available as book only (ISBN 1930086016); searchable, hyperlinked CD-ROM (ISBN 1930086024); or book/CD-ROM set (ISBN 1930086032). Dedication 3 Table of Contents 4 Introduction 13 Acknowledgements 17 Preparation 18 PreDeparture Survey 18 Shakedown Cruise 34 Clearing the Decks 39 How the Pros Do It 42 Thomas Perry 42 Boat Handling 44 Shortening the Learning Curve 44 Speed 45 Performance-Affecting Factors 47 Maintaining Performance 51 Sail Trim 54 Using Telltales 56 Controlling Sail Shape 60 Sailing Upwind 62 Tacking 72 Reaching 76 Broad Reaching and Running 80 Steering at Broad Angles 85 Jibing Downwind 88 Jibing the Main 89 Spinnakers 91 Handling the Spinnaker Pole 102 Sailing by the Lee 105 Preventers 106 Surfing 108 When It Is Time to Reef 114 Fully Battened Mains 118 Being Comfortable at Sea 120 Motorsailing 126 Sailing in Tight Quarters 129 Backing Down under Sail 137 Sailing Out the Anchor 140 Ken Argent 142 Working on Deck 146 Safety at Sea 147 The Foredeck 152 Handling Running Rigging 160 Knots 166 Going Aloft 172 Communicating on Deck 179 Staying Fit 182 Skip Allen 186 Watchkeeping 188 Basic Watch Systems 189 Radar For Watchkeeping? 192 Staying Alert 195 Malakula Island 197 Flotsam 201 At Night 202 Fishing Traffic 207 Tugs and Tows 209 The Inner Sense 210 Breaking in Crew 214 Offshore Visibility 217 Avoiding Collision 220 Rules of the Road 233 Expect the Unexpected 237 Tonga to Fiji 239 Reminder—Stay Alert 243 Bruce Goodhue 244 Phil Wade 245 Navigation 246 Moonshadow 246 Navigation in the Age of GPS 252 Passage to Auckland 258 Passaging Logic 262 Navigation Aids 265 Radar Navigation 267 Electronic Charting 274 Tides 281 Tidal Currents 284 Keeping Track 288 Celestial Navigation 291 Jubilation 292 Closing with Shore 294 Sea Room 295 Signs of Approaching Land 300 Piloting in Fog 304 Entering Harbors at Night 307 Approach to Port Sandwich 310 Eyeball Navigation 312 Coral Passes 321 Malaita Island 324 When in Doubt, Don’t! 328 When You Can’t See the Bottom 331 Crossing a Breaking Bar 337 Cruising with Ice 354 Hard Core Cruising With Ice 362 Never Take Anything for Granted 364 Anchoring 366 Cabo San Lucas 367 Anchoring Strategies 376 Picking the Right Spot 392 Setting the Hook Under Power 400 Moorings 401 Anchoring in Coral 402 Anchoring outside Tropical Reefs 405 Rafting 408 Anchoring with Extreme Tides 409 Anchor Watch 410 If Conditions Deteriorate 412 Special Precautions 415 Riding Sails 417 Roll Control 420 Leaving the Boat 424 Retrieving the Anchor 428 Fouled Anchors 429 Hurricane at Anchor 434 Al & Beth Liggett 440 Richard Le Quesne 446 Safety Issues 448 Small Boat Handling 453 Kids and Dinghies 456 Dinghy Seamanship 448 Taking the Dinghy through Surf 457 Towing 464 Under Power 468 Design Issues 469 Maneuvering Characteristics 471 Techniques Under Power 476 Preparing to Dock 482 Docking 487 Getting Off the Dock 493 Mooring Mediterranean-Style 497 The Dinghy as a Tug 503 Weather 506 What to Learn 507 Staying Ahead of the Curve 516 Tactics 520 Bermuda to Newport 521 Storm Tactics 540 What Is Heavy Weather? 541 Preparing For the Worst 541 If You Are Caught 543 John Lawler 544 Emergencies 548 Rigging Failure 549 The Jury Rig 556 Running Aground 561 Exposed Strandings 566 Legal Issues 577 Salvage with Outside Assistance 578 Towing 581 Steering Failure 585 Rigging a Sweep 588 Hull Damage 591 Major Leaks 593 Fire 594 Overboard 596 If You’re In the Water 601 Hypothermia 606 Prop Fouls 609 Abandon-Ship Preparation 610 Abandon-Ship Supplies 612 Maintenance 614 Repair Rules 615 What to Learn 617 The Tool Kit 619 Don’t Sail on Fridays 622 Hamish and Kate Laird 626 Practical Seamanship 635 Index 638 Other books by Linda & Steve Dashew 645