Below are some of our favorite sailing books, both for the sailors and land-lubbers alike. If you purchase a book here we thank you as a few pennies get kicked our way. Thanks!
Our Favorite Non-Technical Sailing Books:
1) First You Have to Row a Little Boat: This book started it all for us. It’s comprised of short, concise chapters that eloquently relates sailing to life lessons. (Richard Bode) 2) An Embarrassment of Mangoes: This is a great read that describes one couple’s sail from the East Coast to the Caribbean…and all the amazing adventures, misadventures and exotic food along the way. By the way, this is definitely Katie’s pick, not Mark’s! (Ann Vanderhoof) 3) Adrift:Steven Callahan was sailing across the Atlantic, hits a WHALE (or that’s his best guess), and spends the next 66 days drifting across the ocean in a life raft. A quick and fascinating read. (Steven Callahan) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”300″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”B001Q3M5D0, B004MLDVHC,0618257322″ /]
Our Favorite Make You Wanna Go Sailing Books:
1) Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach – A Philosophic and Practical Approach to Cruising: This book, written by Don Casey and Lew Hackler, got us from the ‘planning stage’ to the ‘doing stage’. Warning – don’t read this book til you’re ready to GO! (Don Casey & Lew Hackler) 2) Cruising in Seraffyn: “Go small, go simple, go now”, say the Pardeys. We’re trying to heed their words! (Lin & Larry Pardey) 3) The Self Sufficient Sailor: The Pardeys line out how to take off cruising without breaking the bank…or sacrificing safety. (Lin & Larry Pardey) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”200″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”0877422885, B003ZK5PPC,B0038UGFE4″ /]
Our Must Have List for the Sailor:
1) This Old Boat: The sailboat owner’s bible. This one will still be on our shelves when we’re 80. (Don Casey) 2) The Complete Riggers Apprentice: Everything you ever wanted to know about rope, steel and physics. One of Mark’s favorite books of all time. (Brian Toss) 3) The 12 Volt Bible for Boats: Even Katie has a decent grasp on electricity after reading this…and that’s saying a lot! (Miner Brotherton & Edwin Sherman) 4) Marine Diesel Engines: A fantastic description of how diesel engines function, especially in the marine environment. (Nigel Calder) 5) Boat owner’s Mechanical & Electrical Manual: The bible for every mechanical system that could be found aboard a boat. Don’t get on the water without this one. (Nigel Calder) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”200″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”B0013TRRNK,0070648409,B001AMU8NQ,B0058MGUMW,9780071432382,007009618X” /]
Great Reads on Piloting and Navigation:
1) The Stars: A New Way to See Them: A terrific way to view the stars and the constellations from a non traditional standpoint. From the author and illustrator of the Curious George books. (H.A. Rey) 2) Chapman Piloting & Seamanship: Another one of the “bibles”. All the rules, regs, and general need to know information for anyone planning to call themselves captain. (Elbert S. Maloney) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”200″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”1588167445,0395248302″ /]
Books on Boat Design:
1) Seaworthiness: The Forgotten Factor: An incredibly in depth look at yacht design, tying together hull form, physics, and wind and wave forces to study the seaworthy question in a very scientific manner. (CA Marchaj) 2) The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A great primer of the main components of a sailboat and how they should be designed, constructed, rigged and laid out for offshore sailing. (John Vigor) 3) Understanding Boat Design: One of the masters describes boat design, both power and sail, in great detail. (Ted Brewer) 4) Desirable & Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts: A long list of experts delve into the nuts and bolts of what makes a boat seaworthy. Terrific, detailed explanations on some of the minutiae of yacht design. (Ed. John Rousmaniere) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”200″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”1888671092,0071376167,0393033112,0070076944″ /]
Seamanship and All Others:
1. The Voyager’s Handbook: An extensive account of virtually every aspect of cruising, from yacht design features to anchoring technique to sail construction, and everything in between. This is a big, expensive book, but worth every penny. (Beth Leonard) 2. Heavy Weather Sailing: A collection of articles and essays that examine some of the finer points of sailing in high winds and large seas. Boat design, handling techniques, weather systems and much more are covered in depth. (Ed. Peter Bruce) 3. Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat: A phenomenal resource detailing tons of projects to help you get the most out of your vessel. (Daniel Spurr) 4. The Sailmaker’s Apprentice: Where to even begin… Everything you could ever want to know about sails and more! (Emiliano Marino) [amazon_carousel widget_type=”ASINList” width=”600″ height=”200″ title=”” market_place=”US” shuffle_products=”False” show_border=”False” asin=”0071437657,0071592903,0070605548,0071376429″ /]
Guidebooks for Baja and the Sea of Cortez:
1. Sea of Cortez: A Cruiser’s Guidebook: Far and away the best cruising guidebook for the sea. Most cruisers here trust these charts more than any other charts available. (Shawn and Heather Breeding)
2. Baja Catch: An excellent resource for fishing information from guys who have spent their lives fishing here. (Neil Kelly, Gene Kira)
3. Reef Fishes of the Sea of Cortez: An excellent reference for the fish of the sea. (Donald Thomson et al)
4. Reef Fish Identification: The best fish guide around. (Paul Humann, Ned Deloach)
