In this book, Ian Nicolson uses original plans from the archives of Alfred Mylne to demonstrate the beauty of the earliest Mylne yacht designs and to tell the story of Alfred Mylne the man.

‘The inventions, the innovations, the stories, the surprises. A combination of history, reference and entertainment – something for every seafarer and many others too.’ - Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. People have been sailing for thousands of years, but we’ve come some distance from longboats and clippers. How did we arrive here? In fifty tales of inventors and innovations, Sails, Skippers and Sextants looks at the history of one of our most enjoyable pastimes, from the monarch who pioneered English yachting to the engineer who invented sailboards. The stories are sometimes inspiring, usually amusing and often intriguing – so grab your lifejacket, it’s going to be quite an adventure.

The book discusses the dynamics of yacht motion at sea and presents information on stability not obtainable from the moment resistance curve based on static analysis.

Nathanael G. Herreshoff was the greatest yacht and marine designer and builder this country has ever produced. He is creditied with the introduction of more new devices in the design of boats than any other man, and the great yachts that he designed for the successful defense of the America's cup caught the imagination of the world.