Exploring the world's mystery from the deck of an ocean-going sailboat propelled by the wind and your own wits and skills, is the most magnificent of personal accomplishments. Amateur ocean sailing developed during the first half of the 20th century and reached its peak during the two decades after WWII. Then, mass produced and marketed boats subtly undercut the bond between the sailor and his boat. The sport lost its meaning. Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors explores the quiet counter-revolution to mass production boat-enabled by cold-molding and the epoxy bonding of wood--which has presented an opportunity for sailors to re-bond with their craft.Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors begins with a history of ocean sailing. Then it uses the sciences of material and structure to demonstrate the superiority of wood as a boat building material. It climaxes with the description of a new way for building an epoxy bonded wood boat that will last the next generation to use. An afterword describes use of the new technique to restore to life traditionally built wood boats that are failing, yet too precious to abandon. For sailors, Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors is a celebration of the wits and skills they exercise to sail upon the sea. For builders, Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors offers new techniques for economically building ocean going boats. For designers, Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors offers history to inspire them to remember, reflect and refine the requirements of the sea overlooked in the rush to modernity. For the craftsman, by itself, a short appendix concerning use of the tape measure will earn the cost of the book.Wooden Boats for Blue Water Sailors will delight and inform the sailor, boat builder, yacht designer and bring joy to those who love beautiful sailboats.

Famed yacht designer and author L. Francis Herreshoff takes us on family style cruises in American waters, during which all sorts of boats and boating skills are explained while they are used. He tells about the adventures of the crews of the catboat Piscator, the ketch Viator, and the engineless whaleboat-style ketch Rozinante. There are anecdotes and examples and a wide variety of boat lore in each chapter, as well as adventures, races and coastwide cruises and historical harbors to visit.

The dory has seen duty as a fishing boat, lumberman's batteau, lifeboat, recreational rowing boat, and racing sailboat. The most comprehensive book about dories ever published, this is at once a history of the dory, a practical handbook on dory building, and a compendium of 23 dory designs with full construction details. The author, a longtime contributor to National Fisherman, and the illustrator, Sam Manning, are perhaps the foremost experts on the subject. A steady stream of letters and photographs to the late John Gardner from successful dory builders worldwide has been testimony to the widespread popularity and influence of this book.

"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his oftenchallengingvoyages. Now you can take a seat next to John--at a lesser cost--and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure. In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation—even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear,planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea. Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable—water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you.

David C. "Bud" McIntosh was a designer, builder, and sailor of large and small wooden cruising boats for more than 50 years, and wrote about it for over 10 of those years. He made his home on New Hampshire's Piscataqua River, where he was teacher and friend to both amateur and professional boatbuilders.

With the used boat market growing and becoming more complex, here is the book that all boat buyers have been waiting for: John Kretschmer's Used Boat Notebook has long been one of the most popular features in Sailing Magazine where Kretschmer provides a hard hitting, detailed review of a well-known boat each month. In this new collection, Kretschmer dedicates each chapter to an individual boat, providing the same fine details and updated information that made his magazine column a success. The thoroughly researched reviews of the 40 most popular boats include owner insights, a guide to common problems and suggestions on where to find parts, advice and support. There are plenty of books that offer general information on what to look for in an offshore boat, but only this book focuses on the specifics a prospective buyer is looking for.

Following on from his bestselling The Complete Day Skipper and The Complete Yachtmaster, yachting legend Tom Cunliffe turns his attentions to the third strand of the RYA syllabus. With the same hugely popular, highly practical approach, The Complete Ocean Skipper covers everything a yachtsman needs to know when planning an offshore cruise or ocean passage. All aspects of planning and preparing for – as well as setting out on – a long-distance cruise are featured: - Preparation: types of suitable boat, choice of rig, engine power, safety equipment, communication systems, crew preparation - On passage: ocean weather systems, forecasting, deck routines, watchkeeping, self-steering, emergencies, heavy weather techniques - Ocean navigation: electronic as well as celestial A unique and definitive handbook, The Complete Ocean Skipper goes beyond the theory of the RYA syllabus to ensure that readers are equipped with the knowledge of both what to do and how to go about it, in whatever circumstances. A veteran offshore yachtsman as well as an RYA examiner, Tom Cunliffe brings his experience to bear and packs this must-have guide with invaluable hands-on advice for offshore and coastal sailors alike. With clear, helpful colour photographs and diagrams throughout, this is the essential book for anyone planning for or dreaming about sailing further afield.