Foreword by Laurel Cooper, author of Sell Up and Sail Selling up and escaping to sea on their own boat is a dream that many think they can never make happen. Escape Under Sail is here to show you that it can be done, and for less money that you might think. This book delves to the very heart of what it takes and shows you exactly how you can go from casual cruiser to long-term liveaboard. Escape Under Sail covers all of the crucial topics, including budget and costs, how to choose a boat, making sure crew are equipped and trained, letting go both practically and psychologically, preparation and provisionioning, education and, most importantly, the challenges and rewards of living at sea. The book pays special attention to making the liveaboard dream come true for those with a limited budget, while providing further options for those with the means and desire to spend more and splurge where they like. Written in the voices of both authors, so you can follow their experiences from each of their perspectives, which are sometimes wildly different, this practical handbook is peppered with personal anecdotes and hard-earned wisdom. Light-hearted but informative, it contains all the questions, answers, lists, figures and diagrams you need to make your liveaboard dreams come true.

Retire early, sell everything, buy a boat and sail around the world. What could go wrong? Told with great suspense and sparkling with wry humor, Escape from the Ordinary captures the terrors and pleasures that come with forging ahead against great odds on the adventure of a lifetime.

If you dream of escaping society's web to live a more fulfilled existence. If you fantasize about sailing warm seas to distant landfalls. If you wish your footprints were the only ones on the beach. If you yearn to dive the coral reefs alive with colorful fish. Then All About Cruising will help you plan your escape. Whether for six months or six years, a well planned small boat cruise can achieve all these goals and more. The author, a veteran cruiser, lays out the steps the reader must take to make the transition to cruising sailor and break free from shore. The book runs the gamut from Anchoring to Weather- and everything in between. Complete, thorough, direct and knowledgeable.

From the time of the Restoration of Charles II, when he returned to England from Breda and was presented with the yacht Mary by the burgomaster of Amsterdam, Royal yachts began to be defined as such in England and built with that special purpose in mind. They were built luxuriously and used for royal visits to the fleet, for diplomacy and for racing and cruising for pleasure. Charles II took more of an interest in the sea than any other English monarch. He built a fleet of royal yachts, fine examples of ship design and decorative art, and he can be said to have been the father of yachting and of royal yachts. His successors were less keen on the sea but traveled to Europe on missions of peace and war; and royal yachts took part in regime change several times. In 1689 Queen Mary was bought over to join her husband William of Orange and complete the ‘Glorious Revolution’. In 1714 George I arrived from Hanover to establish a new dynasty. And in 1814, in a reverse process, King Louis XVIII was taken back to France to restore the monarchy after the defeat of Napoleon. This important new book is the first to describe the building and decoration of the yachts in such detail, using many newly discovered sources; and it is the first to describe their uses and exploits, often taking their royal passengers into controversy or danger. Besides the yachts themselves, it reveals much about the character of the kings, queens and princes involved – the impetuousness of the future William IV for example, or his brother George IV’s surprising love of sailing. It describes the design, accommodation, and sailing of the yachts, as well as their captains and crews. Sailing yachts came to an end when Queen Victoria discovered that steam power was more efficient as well as more comfortable, but they revived in the form of her son Edward’s cutter Britannia, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bloodhound and Coweslip. Their legacy can be seen in the widespread sport of yachting today, and in the lavish superyachts of billionaires. This beautifully illustrated book, full of anecdote and containing detailed descriptions of dozens of royal yachts, will fascinate naval historians, ship modelers and, indeed, anyone who sets foot aboard the deck of a modern yacht.

Fifty-five islands, nineteen countries, seventeen thousand miles ... and one amazing adventure. A fascinating story of four sailors who discovered the magic of the South Pacific ... and the islands time forgot After recovery from a serious illness, Graham Morse vowed to achieve his dream of sailing across the South Pacific with his wife, Janet, and reliving the adventures of his boyhood heroes, Captain Cook, Thor Heyerdahl, and Christian Fletcher. They had expected to find some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and were not disappointed. But they were surprised to find a world where life has changed very little in two hundred years, and where the people have very different values than his own society, and however poor, take pleasure in giving. But sadly it is a world on the cusp of change. Travel with them as they discover the mysteries of ancient Polynesian culture, are welcomed into the homes of humble people, meet fascinating characters, are invited to village feasts, work with black pearl farmers, and swim with seals, sharks, and whales. The voyage --which took them across the world's largest ocean --was not without its dangers, incident, and tragedy. The Islands Time Forgot is not just for sailors who yearn to make such a voyage, but for all armchair travelers who have dreamed about the South Pacific that only a sailing boat can reach.

Under the Tuscan Sun meets the wide-open sea . . . An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a delicious chronicle of leaving the type-A lifestyle behind -- and discovering the seductive secrets of life in the Caribbean. Who hasn’t fantasized about chucking the job, saying goodbye to the rat race, and escaping to some exotic destination in search of sun, sand, and a different way of life? Canadians Ann Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve did just that. In the mid 1990s, they were driven, forty-something professionals who were desperate for a break from their deadline-dominated, career-defined lives. So they quit their jobs, rented out their house, moved onto a 42-foot sailboat called Receta (“recipe,” in Spanish), and set sail for the Caribbean on a two-year voyage of culinary and cultural discovery. In lavish detail that will have you packing your swimsuit and dashing for the airport, Vanderhoof describes the sun-drenched landscapes, enchanting characters and mouthwatering tastes that season their new lifestyle. Come along for the ride and be seduced by Caribbean rhythms as she and Steve sip rum with their island neighbors, hike lush rain forests, pull their supper out of the sea, and adapt to life on “island time.” Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, they drop anchor in 16 countries -- 47 individual islands -- where they explore secluded beaches and shop lively local markets. Along the way, Ann records the delectable dishes they encounter -- from cracked conch in the Bahamas to curried lobster in Grenada, from Dominican papaya salsa to classic West Indian rum punch -- and incorporates these enticing recipes into the text so that readers can participate in the adventure. Almost as good as making the journey itself, An Embarrassment of Mangoes is an intimate account that conjures all the irresistible beauty and bounty from the Bahamas to Trinidad -- and just may compel you to make a rash decision that will land you in paradise.