A handbook on sailing classic boats by the 'guru of gaff-rig sailors', replete with illustrations and clear descriptions of techniques that are unique to the classic boat world.

From 1905 to 1069, the Blanchard Boat Company of Seattle was renowned and respected for its well-built vessels, large and small, sail and power. Hundreds of graceful Blanchard boats still ply the sounds and inlets of Washington, Alaska and British Columbia today. Norman C Blanchard is the son of Norman J Blanchard, founder of the firm, and his stories of beautiful boats and dedicated boaters go back to the turn of the century. The Blanchards worked with all the outstanding naval architects and designers of their day, including Ed Monk, Ben Seaborn, Ted Geary and Bill Garden, and built boats for unassuming fishermen and high profile yacht racers alike. Stephen Wilen has done all classic-boat enthusiasts a favor by collecting Norm Blanchard's fond reminiscences of a life devoted to splendid wooden boats.

Model yacht racing is an exhilarating hobby, but one which is bounded by strict rules. This book describes the race from the beginning of a race through to successful completion, encountering all sorts of situations where adjudication is required. It is illustrated throughout with line drawings.

The coasts of Britain and Ireland are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in the world and are among the most diverse too. As a result of the diverse nature of the coast, each area has developed its own unique fishing craft suited to its own local environment. This book examines the roots of each native design.

The pilot cutters that operated around the coasts of northern Europe until the First World War were amongst the most seaworthy and beautiful craft of their size ever built, while the small number that have survived have inspired yacht designers, sailors and traditional craft enthusiasts over the last hundred years.??Even in their day they possessed a charisma unlike any other working craft; their speed and close-windedness, their strength and seaworthiness, fused together into a hull and rig of particular elegance, all to guide the mariner through the rough and tortuous waters of the European seaboard, bought them an enviable reputation.??This new book is both a tribute to and a minutely researched history of these remarkable vessels. The author, perhaps the most experienced sailor of the type, describes the ships themselves, their masters and crews, and the skills they needed for the competitive and dangerous work of pilotage. He explains the differences between the craft of disparate coasts Ð of the Scilly Isles and the Bristol Channel, of northern France, and the wild coastline of Norway Ð and weaves into the history of their development the stories of the men who sailed them.??Written to complement the recent histories of pilot schooners and open boat pilotage, edited and written by the author, this book will be an essential addition to the libraries of historians and enthusiasts of traditional boats.??As seen in the Wiltshire Times.

When Nick Mason (15) and Sebastian Page Franklin (16) announced they were going to sail the 160 nautical miles around the island of Mallorca to raise money for charity, they had a knackered boat and very limited sailing experience. With the help and enthusiasm of 563 Very Nice People, they won a Best of British competition and embarked on a life-changing adventure. Meet Freddy the bird; Mo, Jo and the awesome chicken; the Hollywood film star who adopts grubby teens; the indestructable poo and Brad - the Aussie with a shark fetish. Follow the boys through their brushes with angry life guards, getting caught out in huge seas, encounters with "mega fauna", being run down by fishing boats and very nearly losing their dinghy forever ...

"It takes thousands of hours of sailing to get the kind of knowledge contained in this book." -- from the Foreword by Bruce Schwab The ONLY bible for how to sail your boat fast, safe, and alone Solo sailing is within any sailor's grasp with a little forethought--and this essential guide. Got a 35-foot sailboat? No problem. Is the wind blowing 20 knots? No problem. Are you racing offshore overnight? Even better. Singlehander Andrew Evans learned the hard way how to sail and race alone--with lots of mishaps, including broaches and a near tumbling over a waterfall--and in Singlehanded Sailing he shares the techniques, tips, and tactics he has developed to make his solo sailing adventures safe and enriching. Learn everything you need to know to meet any solo challenge, including: Managing the power consumption aboard a boat to feed the electric autopilot Setting and gybing a spinnaker Finding time to sleep Dealing with heavy weather